Chapter 63

CHAPTER

SIXTY-THREE

Maddie had to do something.

If Adrienne got her way, Josh would be forced at gunpoint to jump off this cliff. She didn't have much hope he would survive.

Then what did Adrienne plan on doing with Maddie afterward?

Maybe she could buy time. It could simply delay their deaths.

Or it could give someone the opportunity to figure out what was going on and help them.

She prayed it was the second option.

"So you were the one sending me those notes and texts?" Maddie asked. "The one who killed Jared and Logan?"

"That's right." The gun didn't even tremble in Adrienne's hand as she held it toward Josh. "I got here early and made an excuse as to why I needed to get into your rooms. Said I was your assistant, and nobody seemed to question it. I left those cameras there, hoping I could catch something juicy. You guys delivered."

Maddie's cheeks burned as she remembered that video being played for everyone to see.

"As I was leaving, Jared caught me. He realized I was up to something and tried to extort money from me. Can you believe the nerve of him?"

What Maddie couldn't believe was the nerve of Adrienne, who'd gone through all this trouble just for money. There were other ways to handle this besides murder.

"Then Jared contacted me anyway," Maddie said. "He was going to sell you out."

Adrienne's gaze darkened. "I couldn't let him do that. We had a meeting arranged, right before yours. Jared's scheduling skills weren't that amazing. He apparently didn't consider that our times might overlap—though I have to admit that I had no idea he'd contacted you until later. Anyway, one thing led to another, and . . . I think you know the rest of the story."

"And Logan?"

"Logan saw me using my work computer to create that little presentation for tonight. Though she didn't know what I was doing, she would have put things together. So I made a clone of Josh's phone and texted her, pretending to be him. I wrote that they needed to meet, that it was urgent and that she shouldn't tell anyone. I knew she'd take the bait. You should have seen her surprise when I showed up."

"Did you kill Fowler?" Josh asked.

"Fowler?" Adrienne scrunched her nose as if the question were stupid. "No, I have no idea what happened to that man."

Then another thought hit Maddie. It was probably a bad time to be thinking about something like this, but she did it anyway.

If Adrienne had lied about all of this, then she had probably lied about Brody also. She probably had asked him here under the guise of a psycho ex-husband stalking her. But Maddie had a feeling none of that was true.

Had Adrienne made that up just to get Brody here? Just so she could try and get back with him?

It made sense to her.

To think that Maddie had sided with Adrienne. Had thought her side of the story made more sense, especially considering Maddie's history with men.

Now she might not ever have the chance to apologize to him.

"Why are you pulling Maddie into this?" Josh asked.

Maddie's lips parted in surprise over the fact he was actually considering someone other than himself.

"She's the perfect scapegoat. She liked you, which made me dislike her. Initially, at least. As I got to know her, I realized she was nothing like you. I started to feel bad for a while, but business is business. That's what you always say, isn't it, Josh?"

"Are you the one who tampered with my water heater in New York? Who messed with my tire pressure?"

Adrienne's grin was all the answer Maddie needed. "Just having a little fun and testing the waters. If something had happened to you then, it would have just been a bonus."

"And you knew how to set up the hot tub?" Maddie continued. "Who was that intended for?"

"Either Josh or Nico would have worked. I was a pool girl for a summer at this nice hotel in Jersey. I actually saw that very thing happen to one of the guests there. I thought it was brilliant. It didn't take much research for me to figure out how to set things up."

"Your brilliance really could be put to good use, you know," Maddie said. "Instead of plotting all of this destruction."

"It was really quite fun. Slashing the tire on your side-by-side when no one was looking. Loosening the bolts on the balcony. Sending those notes . . ." She grinned again. "Each time, the look on your face was priceless. Truly, it was."

"You don't have to do this," Josh murmured.

"Enough talking!" Adrienne snapped, appearing irritated that Josh thought he could speak again. "I came here for a reason, and I'm not leaving until it's accomplished. Now Josh, you're going to start walking. And you're going to jump off that cliff."

"And if I don't?"

"Then I'm going to make Maddie push you."