Page 50 of One Last Secret

“So I know where to go in Costa Rica. Unless you think we can just guess.”

“Okay, there’s no need to get pissy,” Marcus replies, injured. “I just hate being here. The cops could be looking at us.”

“The cops are lookingforme. They think I was kidnapped. They’re not going to look for us in the place I was kidnapped from. They’re not going to look foryouat all.”

“Unless they see me here. Then they’ll beveryinterested in finding me.”

“So maybe shut up. That’s all we need. Now we need to go to Victor’s place and get the paintings. Then it’s off to Mexico, my darling love.”

She says the last part sarcastically, and Marcus replies with equal sarcasm. “Oh, what a joy to run away with such a beautiful and kindhearted woman.”

The front door closes, and I hear their footsteps retreating. My heart pounds as the truth settles in my mind. Lisa staged her own kidnapping and is now planning to steal Victor's life's workto pay her and Marcus's debts. They must be behind Victor's disappearance as well.

And now they’re going to his house to finish the job and then flee the country. I can’t allow them to do that.

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

My phone rings, and I stifle a scream. I quickly pull it from my pocket and silence it. I stand still for over a minute, listening intently. When I don’t hear anyone coming, I breathe a sigh of relief.

Then my phone rings again. I look at the number. Sean.

I answer and hiss, “Will you stop that?”

“WillIstop it? Are you delusional? You left me to rot in a jail cell overnight. You should be grateful that Immigration confirmed my right to be in this country, or I’d come after you out of spite.”

“So you’re out of jail?”

“Yes. Over Detective Reyes’s strong objections. She has nothing to hold me on. Actually, she does. We both trespassed, and you bloody admitted to it.Imanaged to convince her that we were friends of Lisa’s and acted the way any naturally concerned friend would.”

I sigh. “Well, I told her I only just met Lisa, so that explains why she thinks I’m lying.”

He offers a sigh of his own. “Christ, what a clusterfuck. I warned you about this, Mary. I told you not to come with me. If you’d let me handle things my way—”

“You’re right. You’re right, and I’ll apologize later, but I need you to listen right now. I’m at Lisa’s apartment. I just saw—”

“You’rewhat?Are you serious?”

“Sean, listen to me, please.”

“No! No, I will not listen to you! Are you kidding me? For the love of… you’re mental! You know that, right? You’re bloody mental?”

“That seems to be the consensus,” I reply drily, “now if you will shut thehell upfor one moment, I’ll tell you what I saw here.”

“By all means. I’ve already nearly gone to prison for you. Why not again?”

I roll my eyes. I’m not interested in having this fight right now. “Lisa faked her kidnapping, Sean. She was just here with Marcus. They owe debts to a loan shark, just like you speculated. They’re going to steal Victor’s artwork and sell it to a dealer in San Diego. I suspect a criminal one because I found a note that said to meet him in a public place. Then they’re going to pay the loan shark and flee to Costa Rica to escape their other debts.”

“Slow down. You saw Lisa and Marcus at the apartment?”

“Yes. They just left. They’re going to Victor’s place right now.”

It hits me that I’m still in the bathroom of Lisa’s apartment while the two criminals are on their way to make good their escape. I leave and rush to my own car. I don’t care if I’m seen now. If the police follow me to Victor’s place, so much the better.

“Shite,” Sean breathes through the phone. “They’re probably the ones that offed Victor then, too.”

I don’t care for his flippant way of saying it, but he’s not wrong. “Yes. I believe so.”

“And Celeste? We’re sure she’s run away?”

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