Page 55 of One Last Smile

He turns to the door, but Sebastian strides forward. “Wait a damned minute. You told Veronica that she said she’d be alone. What is the meaning of that?”

Veronica steps in between them, trying to hold Sebastian back. “Darling, please!”

“Don’t darling me!” Sebastian snaps. “What’s going on here?”

“Father!” Eliza shrieks. She rushes down the stairs. “Don’t hurt him! Please!”

Dr. Chalmers blanches again and cries, “Don’t come down, Eliza! It’s a trick!”

She stops at the foot of the stairs and turns even paler than he does. “What? A… what?” She looks at me, and I smile and say, “I believe I can explain.”

“Well, someone had better explain,” Sebastian thunders. “I come downstairs to hear a man I consider a friend tell me he’s here to meet my wife alone, and my wife lies to me and says it’s over something to do with you, Eliza. Now he’s telling you that it’s a trick? What sort of trick? Why are you here, Doctor? Lie to me at your own peril.”

“You’re here to meet my mother?” Eliza says in a thready voice, her eyes locked on Dr. Chalmers.

Oliver and Lucas remain at the top of the stairs, watching the whole situation. Oliver is stunned. Lucas is less surprised but has a wary look on his face, as though he’s ready to bolt at the first sign of trouble. Considering the look on Eliza’s face, he’s right to be wary.

“I apologize for the misunderstanding,” Dr. Chalmers says quickly. “Eliza, I’ll see you at work. Veronica, I’m sorry. Sebastian, there’s nothing to worry about, Mary—”

“What’s she got to do with this?” Sebastian thunders, taking a menacing step closer. “Why are you here to meet my wife alone?”

Eliza gasps. “You said you were done with her. You said I was the only one—”

Veronica releases a cry, and her hand comes to her mouth.

“No,” Rupert says. “Eliza, it’s not what it looks like. It—”

“What?” Sebastian yells. “Are you sleeping with my daughter?”

Rupert begins to tremble. “N—no. This isn’t what it—”

“You bastard!” Eliza shouts.

I decide it’s time I step in. “I can explain.”

All eyes turn to me. Rupert’s are filled with fear, Eliza’s with venom, Veronica’s and Sebastian’s with confusion.

I take a breath and say, “I believe that Rupert Chalmers is the murderer of Minerva Montclair. And… I’m sorry to say, but I believe Eliza helped to cover it up.”

Veronica releases a soft gasp. Sebastian stares blankly at me. Eliza begins to shake visibly, the color drained completely from her face.

Rupert completely falls apart. “What? That… how did you… that’s…” He screws his face up in a comical approximation of anger. “That’s completely preposterous!”

“It isn’t,” I reply. “I have proof that Eliza and Dr. Chalmers are in a romantic relationship, and I have proof that they covered up Minnie’s pregnancy and then murdered her because they learned that Dr. Chalmers is the father.”

Veronica shrieks and turns to Dr. Chalmers in horror. Rupert begins to splutter again. Oliver stiffens in horror and looks at Eliza. Eliza looks at me, and if she could, I know she would strike me dead on the spot.

Sebastian continues to stare blankly. “What’s this now?” he asks in a slightly distracted voice.

I reach into my coat pocket and pull out the photographs. Eliza shrieks and starts toward me, but I give her a warning glance and say, “I’ve sent copies of all of this to the police, so don’t think you can tear these from my hands and escape justice.” That’s a complete lie, of course, but it stops her in her tracks.

“The police?” Veronica says.

I show her the photographs. She gasps and turns to Rupert, who appears about to faint. “You… Oh, you miserable bastard! You come here to declare your love to me, meanwhile you’re shagging my daughter every morning before work.”

Eliza cries out and turns to Rupert, lips trembling. “What?”

“That’s right, Eliza,” Veronica says, anger replacing her shock. “Your lover just walked in and kissed me and said I texted him to run away together.”

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