Chapter Fifteen Her

Chapter Fifteen Her

Present Day

Kathryn turned in her usual fine performance. Haughty with just a hint of real emotion. Unfortunately for her, I wasn’t in

the mood for fake or genuine Kathryn today.

“ You’re not wanted here should be the town motto.” After her big speech, the lingering question was if she knew about my run-in with Peter Cullen

or the details of his battle with Richmond. Not that I was going to give her the satisfaction of asking for her help in any

way.

“We will come to an understanding,” she said.

“I should probably sit down for this.” But I didn’t.

“You should be in jail. One word from me to the press and everyone will know Richmond didn’t fall. That his scheming, greedy

wife inherited far too much when he died and that made him an unwitting target. The conclusion will be clear. You killed him.”

She stopped to take a deep breath. “You do not deserve it, but I will refrain from pulling every string and calling in every

favor to make sure you’re arrested and fully disgraced in exchange for a few items.”

I braced for what promised to be a spectacular list of ridiculous demands.

“I will regain ownership of this house and all the contents in it, including anything that belonged to Richmond. You may keep whatever clothing you brought with you, though if this outfit is an example you would be wise to throw the contents of your closet away.”

She couldn’t help herself. That was the only explanation for this nonsense. “You’re really selling this plan.”

“Further, all accounts and investments will be returned to my name. That includes transferring the proceeds from the trust

Richmond inherited from his parents. Elias can figure out those details. In the meantime, we will agree to a sum to pay you

for your time. A hundred thousand should be more than adequate for the few months you insinuated yourself into our lives.

I’ll have Elias write up whatever agreement is needed to make all of these arrangements happen.”

The mention of the trust pissed me off more than her unwanted visit. Blood money, pure and simple. “Is that your entire offer?”

Her sour expression suggested she didn’t like being questioned. “It’s not an offer. It’s the deal. The only deal I will make

with you to keep you free so you can run off and destroy the next family.”

“First, and I can’t stress this enough, I don’t want anything to do with the money Richmond inherited from his parents.” The

account, all twelve million and change, was separate and untouched by me and would stay that way until I figured out which

worthy charity Richmond would have despised the most and donated it there. “Second, you can shove that offer or deal or whatever

you want to call it up your ass.”

Kathryn frowned. “That language is unnecessary.”

“You don’t have any leverage here. You already received all you’re going to get in the divorce settlement.” An impressive sum because I’d demanded Richmond assume responsibility for the kids’ reasonable expenses, give Kathryn the house she lived in, pay alimony, and divide the non-inheritance liquid accounts, with her getting a higher percentage. Kathryn had been married to the jackass, so she’d earned it.

“You don’t belong here. More importantly, you don’t deserve to be here.” Kathryn looked around as if she were talking about

the house, but she obviously meant in New York .

“Yet my name is on the house title, not yours.” A fact she liked to forget.

“Richmond made it clear your marriage was a joke.” Some of the stiffness left Kathryn’s shoulders. “He intended to divorce

you as soon as possible, but your actions made that impossible.”

Now, that was interesting. How did Richmond intend to make that happen? Bigger question... what did Kathryn know about

my blackmail and what really happened twenty-seven years ago? “I didn’t kill him.”

She snorted. “No one believes that.”

Fair enough. “Are you still in mourning? Because that funeral display was impressive.”

“My grief was very real.”

Was . She appeared fine and in fighting form now. “Uh-huh.”

“I’m not going to debate this with you, Addison. Detective Sessions is a friend. He knows Richmond’s death was not an accident.

With the right amount of pressure everything you schemed to take from me will be lost, along with your freedom. You belong

in a prison cell, but I’m giving you one chance to avoid that, but you have to walk away now and stay away.”

She couldn’t possibly think this posturing would work, which made me wonder if her impromptu visit was really some sort of scouting expedition. Subterfuge. She seemed obsessed with regaining entry to this house. No clue but this visit had my mind spinning and not in the way she’d planned.

“Here’s my counter.” Kathryn started to interrupt me, but I cut her off. “No, listen. I want to make sure you hear me. I’ll

keep everything, and you’ll get out of my house and never come back. In exchange, I won’t immediately start spilling your

messed-up family secrets.”

Her body stilled. “What does that mean?”

“I think we both know.” Well, I knew. I had no idea what she knew but she’d stepped over a line. “I could remind Detective

Sessions and his boss, and whoever else will listen, that if someone killed Richmond the most likely suspect is his bitter

ex-wife.”

“You’re a pathetic, low-class, opportunistic bitch.”

She sounded just like her ex. “I’ve been called worse.”

She grabbed her clutch and stuck it under her arm again. “You’ll regret this.”

“I doubt it.”