Page 57 of One Last Smile

Oliver stops struggling with Lucas and looks at Eliza. I take a deep breath and release it slowly. The plan has worked. The killers have sabotaged themselves. “Eliza?” Oliver whispers. “You?”

“I’m sorry, Oliver,” Eliza says. “I know how much you loved Alistair.”

“No,” he says, shaking his head. “No, not him. You. You killed her.”

She pales again. “Don’t be ridiculous. I saw her leave with him. You were up in your room because you two had just fought, and—”

“No. I wasn’t. I met her the day after you two fought, and I went with her to the bar. I left her waiting for a cab.”

Eliza and Rupert both turn corpse-gray. “I…” Eliza stammers. “I… guess I saw her after.”

“Alistair was gone,” Oliver said. “He left the day before. She was alive when I left her, and I watched Alistair get on a fucking plane. But I remember you were mad at her because of the baby. I thought you were mad for me, but it wasn’t about me at all. You were mad because it was his baby, and you were jealous.”

“That’s not true,” she says. “She…” She looks at Rupert. “Damn it, she didn’t deserve to have his baby.”

“Oh, Eliza,” Veronica says, her voice thready. “What did you do?”

“I didn’t do anything!” Eliza shrieks. “I didn’t kill her?”

“Then why lie?” Oliver asks. “Why tell everyone you saw Alistair with her? And why wait to say that until now?”

“Because I didn’t think I…” She catches herself and then looks at me. Her face screws up in hate. “She’s lying. That’s what she does. She just stuck her fat meddling bitch nose into my life, and…” She looks at Rupert and anguish fills her eyes. “My mother? After everything? I did everything for you. So we could have our life.”

“Why?” Oliver says. “Why, Eliza? I loved her.”

“Oh, she was a stupid, slutty, selfish cunt, Oliver. She thought she was going to have Rupert’s baby and parade around like a proper lady, and everyone would look at how pretty she was. She didn’t deserve it. Damn it, she didn’t fucking deserve it! I just wanted her out of the way! I just wanted her to give back what was mine!”

“Eliza,” Rupert warns. “Enough.”

“Oh, shut up!” she shouts. “You cad! My mother? Really? After you promised to protect me!”

“Stop it!” Rupert yells.

“Enough!” Sebastian shouts.

Everyone falls silent. Sebastian takes a deep breath and asks, “Rupert, is there any more evidence that could link Eliza to Minerva’s murder?”

“Sir. I swear to you—”

“I have evidence,” I interrupt.

I pull the necklace I found in Rupert’s office from my other pocket. “The inscription on the pendant reads M.M & R.C. A gift from you, I presume, Dr. Chalmers?”

Rupert doesn’t answer, but he is shaking visibly now.

Sebastian stares coldly at me for a moment, then turns again to Rupert. “Could the police find her if they looked?”

Rupert hesitates a moment, then deflates. “No. We made sure to dispose of the body.”

“Oh God,” Veronica cries, burying her face in her hands and bursting into tears.

“You selfish bitch,” Oliver spits at Eliza.

“Enough!” Sebastian shouts again. He takes the report and shreds it. “Rupert, you are going to retire to America. You will never be heard from again. Eliza, I will find you work with your mother’s family in South Africa.”

“Minnie’s family lives there too,” Veronica reminds him.

“And Eliza will never so much as look in their damned direction,” Sebastian says. “She’s had a falling out with Minnie, and her guilt is too great for her to overcome. Ever. Oliver, Eliza is your sister, and you will put this family first. You will ruin my life, your mother’s, your brother’s, and your own if you say a single word. The same goes for you, Lucas. Mary, we will pay you a bonus of one million pounds. You will hand me that necklace, and you will never breathe a word of this outside of this room. Lucas, you’re going back to boarding school, and Mary, you’ll be out of the country by this evening. I’ll arrange a flight. If this ever gets to the authorities, I will make sure that you suffer for it. I will not have this family’s name ruined by scandal.”

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