Page 57 of Gentle Fox

Walter laughed maniacally. “Revenge, of course. For your father stealing the love of my life. I saw her first. She was supposed to be mine but he swooped in and showed her a better life, so of course she chose him.”

I wasn’t following along. “If you wanted Seraphina so bad, then you can have her. She’s available now.”

I remember my father saying it was Walter who introduced the two of them. He could have her and maybe get her offmy hands. The two were perfect for each other; both lazy and constantly complained that the world was against them.

Case in point.

“No, not that bimbo. Your mother. She was supposed to beminebut your father stole her from me.” Then his slimy grin turned. “You look just like her, you know. A perfect replica I would be happy to use as a replacement for what I lost.”

A sickening dread sat low in my stomach. “That was over forty years ago. You’ve held on to this grudge for that long?”

“You never forget the love of your life. Then your father went and let her die, taking her even further from me.”

“She died ofcancer!” I screamed. “There was nothing my father or thedoctorscould do!”

“Money was supposed to fix everything,” Walter lamented, waving the gun around in the air. “That’s what your father said, but did it fix your mother? Did it keep her in my life?No!” he screamed back. “Your father failed! That never would’ve happened if she was withme!”

He was delusional. There was nothing anyone could do for my mother, and believe me, my father tried. He flew in experts from around the world, but nothing helped. She was too far gone when they finally found it.

“Is that why you introduced my father to Seraphina? To punish him for not being able to save my mother?”

“I knew I couldn’t let him live for the sins he committed against me, but I had to bide my time. To find the perfect partner to help me. Seraphina was it, but she got too comfortable in her new life. It took me years to convince her to help me again. I had to promise his death would be worth it for her, but then he screwed that up as well.”

It was all starting to make sense—the falling out. My father figured out what was happening, or at least enough to know he could no longer trust his friend.

“You killed my father.”

A sadistic smile contorted his face. “I knew you were smart like your mother. Seraphina and Dennis were too dumb to figure it out. I had them convinced to squirrel away money so I could hire a hitman but I never planned to pay someone to do the job that was rightfully mine. I wanted to look your father in the eyes when I killed him.”

“My father died in a car accident.” I always assumed there was something fishy about it, especially after receiving his letter, but the investigators assured me the accident was caused by a recall from the car manufacturer. My father was scheduled to bring his car in just two days after the accident to have it fixed.

“It’s easy to stage an accident when there’s something wrong with the car. I made sure I was on the scene, and was the last face your father saw before death took him.”

“All because you didn’t get the girl in college.” I shook my head in disgust. “My father figured it out. It’s why he changed his will and sent me the letter to leave Baton Rouge. He knew you were up to something.”

Maisie was behind Walter now. I wasn’t sure if he forgot she was still in the shop, or he was letting anger cloud his judgment, but I made sure to keep my eyes off her. I didn’t need to give Walter a reason to remember she was here.

“He was always a stubborn bastard and Seraphina was too stupid to play the long game. He figured out she was siphoning money to me and tried to call the whole thing off but it was too late. There was no way I was delaying my plans just because she was a greedy bitch.”

They were both greedy.

“Then why continue working with them. Why come to Texas?”

“I needed them to think I was going to help them get their money, but I have other plans. I don’t care what happens tothem. My focus is you. If I couldn’t have your mother, then I’ll take the next best thing with the added benefit of getting your father’s money in the process.”

Gross. Walter was even crazier than I initially thought if, for one second, he believed I would go along with his plan. My mouth said as much before my brain could stop it.

“I’m not goinganywherewith you, and like hell will you get my family money. I would rather die than be with you.”

“Then so be it . . .”

The gun swung toward me but I was too focused on what was happening behind Walter to give the gun much consideration. Maisie was flying through the air and everything happened at once.

She screamed. Walter screamed. The gun fired. I screamed. Glass smashed. More yelling from voices I recognized, and then nothing.

Silence.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

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