Page 170 of Riordan's Revenge

Everly sent a shy smile Riordan’s way. “Are you okay?”

His expression was kind. “I’m good. I need to tell you that I’ll clear up the mess in your old house. It’s yours now, but Cassie’s brother and I trashed the place.”

She tilted her head. “Ours. We’ll sell it and split the profits.”

He started to refuse, but she shut him down, batting back his words.

“Ours. We’re both his children, and he owed you. I’m your big sister so don’t argue.”

I took a healthy sip of strong coffee, watching on and seeing something sweet after a world of pain. Riordan surrounded by family. Not shutting himself away but opening up.

Genevieve guided us to the sofas. She sat curled up against Arran. “So Moniqua was the murderer all along. That feels so crazy to me.”

I wrinkled my nose. “Same. I gave her a job. All that time she was killing women in an attempt to prove herself and climb to the top of a gang. I’d almost respect that, if she’d targeted the right people. But fuck her. Not only that but also for wanting my boyfriend. Fricking ghoul.”

Riordan hugged me close. “I didn’t suspect a thing or even consider her as a suspect. Not even when I read her name on your list.”

Genevieve nodded. “Honestly, same. Yet the evidence was there all along. I even saw her with the knife she said she’d used.Arran showed me a picture he took last night. She was cleaning it in her flat a few months ago, this was right when I was meeting Arran, and it feels like such a clear warning sign when I think back.”

Murmurs agreed with her.

The metaphorical smoking gun.

She continued, “I was so sure Cherry’s murderer was someone she knew. That it was more targeted than that.”

Arran shook his head. “I thought it was a message to me.”

“Same.” Shade raised his eyebrows.

Riordan said, “All that time and it was a woman on a campaign of terror in order to get a fucking job.”

Genevieve exhaled. “It’s just so hard to believe a woman would do something like that.”

Her boyfriend checked his phone. “The DNA matching results will be in soon from her weapon, but I don’t think we’re looking for anyone else.”

I eyed him, still not entirely over the fact that he and Shade had second thoughts about Bronson but hadn’t said a word.

Genevieve sat forward. “After you left last night, Manny brought Lara to us. She was already crying when we took her into the office. I didn’t even have to glare and she was spilling a confession. The first note she delivered was done in ignorance. Moniqua handed it to her, and she passed it on to Alisha, then got scared after Alisha’s murder. She didn’t want anyone to blame her, and didn’t want to lose her job, so she kept her mouth shut. After that, she was blackmailed. Moniqua wanted her to join the Four Milers, and one of their members set her up in the fancy apartment she’s been living in. She was at risk of being thrown out by her mother so felt she had no choice but to obey them or be homeless.”

Her gaze settled on me, her indignation clear. “That’s when she slipped the note into your room.”

Slowly, I nodded, working it out. Lara would have had access to the cam girls’ floor. Most of the staff could move freely between the lower floors. It was one of the reasons, other than me knocking the camera out as a joke, that we hadn’t been able to pinpoint who’d been there.

“Then she brought a letter to me,” Riordan muttered. Our fingers intertwined, and he squeezed my hand. “I’m a fucking idiot for believing it.”

I hugged his arm. “No you’re not. Moniqua knew exactly what to write.” To Genevieve, I asked, “Did Lara confess to listening in on my telephone call in the management office?”

My friend nodded. “She’d been tasked by Moniqua to spy on Arran and Shade whenever she could. She volunteered for extra shifts in stocking up the bars so she could hang around out of hours. She listened in on you and fed it back. Do you know what sucks? She cried as she confessed it to us and said how bad she felt. I can’t believe the nerve. I thought we were friends yet she used her position here to set my brother up.” She peeked at Riordan. “That’s what happened, isn’t it?”

He inclined his head. “I got a letter signed by Cassie telling me we were over. I thought it was real.”

I thumped my head against him. “I gave her everything she needed to shred us.”

Multiple gazes stuck to us. Arran’s and Shade’s knowing, Genevieve’s and Everly’s curious.

“So you two are a thing?” Genevieve finally asked.

I huffed. “Why does everyone keep doubting it? I told you all he was mine forever ago. I’m going to marry him.”

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