Born of Corruption A Born of Illusion Novella by Teri Brown

Author:Teri Brown
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2013-03-10T22:00:00+00:00

Five

I slump on the sofa, waiting for the cops to leave my house so I can go meet our lawyer at the station house. They took Jack off in a police car after I’d finished giving my statement. Officer Abelli was actually kind of nice, considering. He just asked me to tell him what had happened. Instinctively, I wanted to whitewash the whole incident, but that’s kind of hard to do with two dead bodies. Besides, I have no idea if my lies would help or hinder what was going on with Jack.

Olivia stands and I startle. My nerves are like stretched-out rubber bands. Eventually, I am going to snap.

“I’m going to go to the little girl’s room,” she says. “Do you want me to have the cook make more coffee?”

I shake my head and she hurries off.

Jack’s last words replay over and over in my head. “Call your uncle. Tell him it was all my fault. He’ll keep you safe,” Jack had said before kissing me good-bye.

Keep me safe from what?

The officers let Curt, poor confused Mrs. Spetford, and Nico go home. They told Anna and Olivia they were free to leave as well, but both chose to stay with me. I’m sitting in my coat, waiting for the police to get done with whatever it is they’re doing so I can go to Jack.

I turn to Anna, who’s sitting next to me on the sofa, her eyes closed. “I don’t think they’re going to charge Jack with murder,” I whisper. “They can’t. I know he didn’t do anything in spite of the gun. Who could have done this, and why?”

She twitches her shoulders. “I can’t imagine. I didn’t know Reggie or Eugenia before tonight. You’re in a better position to know who might want Reggie dead.”

What was Jack doing with a loaded gun? And why did he tell me to tell my uncle that it was him? What was him?

It’s too confusing on too little sleep.

Out of the corner of my eye I see Olivia beckoning me from the dining room. Puzzled, I murmur, “Excuse me,” to Anna. She nods without opening her eyes.

Olivia grips my arm and pulls me into the kitchen. The officers must have already removed Eugenia’s body from the basement and finished with their investigating in here because we’re alone. “Your uncle sent someone to talk to you. He’s waiting in your suite.”

I frown, wondering how he got into the house without detection. Sun is streaming in through the window. In the early-morning light and with little makeup left, Olivia looks haggard. Clearly the night’s events have even taken a toll on my unflappable assistant.

I reach in the pocket of my coat to feel the outline of my pistol, cold and reassuring.

“Go inside and tell Anna I’ll be right back.”

Olivia opens the door to the servants’ stairway. “Here. This way you can get up without being seen by the police.”

I’ve never actually taken these stairs before and I like them a lot better. They’re cramped and steep, but there’s no shattering view four stories down.

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