Page 35 of Betrayed

Chapter 11

THE TAILLIGHTS OF HERsilver Mercedes coupe had long since faded into the darkness, yet he stood in the parking lot staring after her thoughtfully. It didn’t take a degree in human behavior to know he’d barely scratched the surface with the pretty, extremely cautious submissive. A car door slammed nearby. When he looked up, Cap who had just settled a drowsy Megan into the passenger seat, was approaching.

“Early night,mon vieux?”

“That’s the norm with a set of twins at home, I’m afraid.” He nodded his chin, indicating the long empty driveway behind him. “But you know what they say about all work and no play. What about you?”

“The latter, I’m pleased to say.”

“With the lovely widow?” Cap seemed surprised. “Won’t that make things sticky? She’s in deep, unless that’s part of your plan, to get close and win her trust. If so, I have to say you go above and beyond in your service to the Crown.”

“What?”

He paused. “Jonas didn’t brief you?”

“I haven’t spoken with Jonas this evening.”

Cap scowled. “Shit. That means you have extraordinarily bad timing, my friend. It seems Marilee was married to Derek Hoffman, the engineer at BSE. She may have been involved in her husband’s scheme after all.”

The news stopped his heart in his chest. He stared at Cap for a long, painful moment before it lurched and started beating again. “Impossible! I can’t believe she is involved. She seems so...”

“Innocent. Don’t they all?”

“But her last name is Pierson. It’s on her file here.”

“Yeah, we’ll have to ask Dex about that, but I suspect she was using her maiden name or an alias for confidentiality. Many of our members do, but there is usually a notation in their private file.”

“Fucking hell!” His mind reeled at the thought of Mari being involved in the selling of weapons to terrorists. Not possible! “I’ll have to see the evidence to believe it.”

“It is damning against Hoffman. Her guilt is by association, so far, but I don’t have all the details. There are also suspicions about Hoffman’s death, what with his wealth amassing so quickly and it all passing to her after his death, compounded by a lucrative life insurance policy. She had motive.”

“Are you suggesting she murdered her husband in addition to being a spy?”

“No, but something doesn’t add up. Hoffman was an aerospace engineer which doesn’t equate to a three-quarter-million-dollar residence and $100K cars with two kids in college. That lifestyle is well beyond his income bracket and the modest revenue from her boutique. This couldn’t have gone on without her notice.”

In frustration, Arturo speared his fingers through his hair. How could this be?

Strange and disquieting thoughts raced through his head as he tried to add up all that Mari had revealed tonight about the control Derek had over her. Was it possible for a husband to hide such wealth from his wife?

No, but perhaps a master could keep it from his slave. A chill shot up his spine.

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