Page 40 of The Billionaire's Royal Crown

“Why?” Maddie questioned. “Why are you asking my mom questions?”

“Maddie, please,” Victoria said as she slid a lock of Maddie’s hair behind her ear. “I’d be happy to come down, but I’d prefer my legal counsel to be with me.”

Detective Nelson arched an eyebrow again. “That’s your right, though you aren’t being charged with anything…yet.”

“Yet?” Maddie’s voice turned into a high-pitched squeal. “Why are you questioning my mom?”

“Because,” the detective answered, “your mother was quite possibly the last person to see Mrs. Kingsley alive.”

Maddie’s eyes went wide as her knees started to buckle. Nate grabbed her to steady her as tears rolled down her cheeks. “No, Mom.”

“Maddie, it’s okay. I’m just going to answer their questions. Nate, can you tell Clifford to meet me there?”

“Yeah,” he answered, his voice just above a whisper.

The detective motioned for Victoria to follow them.

“No!” Maddie whined, clinging to Nate as her mother calmly followed the police from the house.

Nate stroked her hair, holding her close to him as the door clicked shut. The implication of the officer’s last words was obvious. They may not have slapped the handcuffs on her, but she was their top suspect. They thought Victoria Kingsley was a murderer.

CHAPTER 11

ELENA

Elena ended the call with Nate, sinking onto a bench in the garden. Her heart sank from the weight of the words exchanged over the call. Their relationship had been difficult to start with, and now that they were finally able to publicly announce their engagement, life threw a series of curveballs that stalled their plans once more.

“Your Highness?” Caroline asked. “Are you ill? Should I tell the ladies’ guild you won’t make the award ceremony?”

“No,” Elena answered with a sigh, “I just needed a moment. Things are…difficult for Nathan.”

“Oh, no. I had hoped for some good news from him.”

“It seems good news is not the theme of the day, Caroline.” Elena rose and adjusted the hem of her skirt. Julian’s words lingered in the back of her mind, like a dark cloud she couldn’t dispel. She took a deep breath, trying to center herself amid the swirl of duty and personal turmoil. “Let’sgive out this award for the loveliest bloom, then we’ll have much to discuss.”

Caroline offered her a smile as they strolled forward toward the fountain at the park’s center. They skirted past the chairs set up and already filling with the flower guild’s members.

“Oh, Your Highness,” the president of the society said as she approached. “Thank you ever so much for being here. We were so excited that you would present the award for the best bloom of the season this year.”

“I’m so pleased to do it. Caroline showed me pictures. It seemed the competition was quite fierce. They all looked lovely to me.”

“Oh, you are so kind. Well, the best bloom was not only spectacular, but had staying power. That gave her the edge.”

Elena offered a polite smile as the women continued to fill in the seats facing the dais. She slid into her own chair next to Caroline, her mind as far from the award ceremony as it could be.

She wondered how Nate was fairing. Were they dealing with something else on the investigation front or had the focus turned to others?

And what of the royal decree? Given the news she’d received this morning from Julian, she didn’t hold out much hope.

In front of her at the podium, the woman yammered on about the blooms they’d seen, how judging was handled, and more about the final selections.

Elena tried to focus on her speech, but her mind kept drifting away to Sterling City.

She perked up as the woman finally mentioned the award. “And we are so pleased to have Her Royal Highness with us to present the award for this year’s best bloom.”

The woman slicked a lock of her brunette hair behind her ear as she twisted toward Elena.

With a smile, Elena rose and crossed to the trophy on the table.

---