Double Bluff: A Standalone Why Choose Romantic Mystery by Ruby Vincent

Author:Ruby Vincent [Vincent, Ruby]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ruby Vincent
Published: 2026-03-05T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

There was no such thing as feeling better so soon after losing your mother, but hours later when Lily, Alex, and I drove down the same dirt road for home—it felt like the pit had shrunk just the tiniest bit.

“How are you doing, Lilybug? Do you remember what Mommy and Daddy told you?”

“Yes,” she said, putting down her ice cream cone. We took her to Bonsai Beach to tell her in the simplest non-murdery terms that Omma was gone. She cried for a while but stopped by the time we reached the ice cream parlor.

She'd been asking us innocent questions about heaven ever since, and if Omma was happy there.

“The police offcers are back,” she cutely mispronounced. “But they’re nice and there to protect us.”

“That’s right, sweet girl,” I spoke up. “They might ask you some questions about Halmeoni, but me or your daddies will be with you the whole time.”

“You promise, Mommy?” She poked her head through the gap, staring up at me with those big, purple eyes. “You’ll be with me forever now?”

“Lily, I...” Why was she asking only me that? Was it because of Sue’s neglect, or because she knew I wasn’t her old mommy?

Fact was I never did ask Lily what she meant that day. First, because Alex got in the way, and then because I wimped out like a big fat chicken.

Confirming that Lily knew I wasn’t Sue meant opening the door to what happened to the real Sue, and I could lie to Alex, Rhodes, and Micah. But I didn’t want to lie to her.

“Yes,” I murmured, feeling Alex’s eyes on me. “I promise I’ll be with you forever. No matter what happens, I’ll always be there for you.”

“Okay,” she chirped, dropping back to finish her ice cream.

Alex was still eyeing me as he slowed before the gate, waiting for it to open.

“Sue,” he began, “about what we said this morning about you staying. We should—”

I shot forward, dropping my ice cream all down my shirt and lap. “Wait, what are they doing! Stop!” Throwing open the door, I fell out of the car. “Stop, let her go!”

Balogun and Kaplan held open the main doors, clearing the way for the two officers hauling Courtney out in handcuffs. With a goggling, nosy crowd trailing behind them—filming everything.

“Stay back,” Kaplan bellowed, dropping the jolly, laid-back act quick. “Do not interfere, Mrs. Kim.”

“My foot’s about to interfere with your ass, bitch!”

He blew back, brows disappearing into his hairline. Pretty sure no one had ever said that to him before.

“Get off of her!” I threw myself at the officers holding Courtney, and found myself being thrown right back.

My obstruction caught and twisted my arm around my back, putting me in a screaming hold. “Calm down, Mrs. Kim,” Davis ordered. “Don’t get yourself arrested right along with her.”

“Why is she being arrested?” I demanded. “What the hell’s going on?”

“She’s under arrest for the murder of your mother,” Kaplan said. “Ha-eun Kim.”

I dismissed that as soon as he said it.

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