Page 153 of The Black Trilogy

“No! That would make me seem weak. Plus it’s an open plan office. I can hardly avoid people.”

“In that case, do you want to ride in with me in the morning? I could pick you up after my meeting?”

“Yeah, I’d like that. Assuming I’m still alive, that is.”

After today’s session with Alex, I had my doubts.

“I’ll come over at ten and hang around till you’re ready to go.”

Nick lifted me off the piano and set my feet down on the floor. I nestled into him as he wrapped an arm around my waist, the way he always used to do when we were dating all those years ago.

“Come on, let’s get a smoothie. We both need one after that workout.”

He walked me through to the kitchen.

“I’ll have strawberry and banana.”

“Not the kale and wheatgrass Toby’s lovingly prepared?”

“Don’t. Just do— Oh, freaking fudge.”

Miriam stared through the window, and her mouth curved into an evil grin when she saw Nick’s hand resting on my hip.

Enough was enough, and I’d had it.

“Emmy, no,” Nick said, but I ignored him and stormed out the back door towards Satan’s pet manatee.

“Ahh,” Miriam cackled. “Did I interrupt a session with your fancy man? Charles hasn’t been dead for five minutes, and you’ve already taken up with someone else in your little love nest. I’ll be adding adultery to your list of crimes.”

It rarely happened, but I was literally speechless.

What did she know about my crimes?

Thankfully, Nick stepped in and answered for me. “Even if we were having a session, as you so charmingly put it, Emmy’s husband would have to be alive for her to cheat on him.”

Nick sounded calm, but I could feel from the way he gripped my hip bone that he was anything but. I moved a bit to release the pressure. Who wanted a hip replacement at thirty years of age?

“Well, you would defend her, wouldn’t you?” Miriam said. “The pair of you were probably at it long before Charles died.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Miriam,” Nick snapped back at her.

“Not to mention the fact that everyone says she killed him. The Black Widow, that’s what the papers are calling her.”

I’d always prided myself on never losing my temper, but Miriam would try the patience of a saint. And I was certainly no saint.

“Miriam, I know why you’re here. You want cash. I’m well aware of your financial situation and, unfortunately for you, I have the money and you don’t. My husband didn’t leave you anything. And if you think that walking into my house and accusing me first of adultery and then of murder is going to loosen my grip on the purse strings, I’ve got news for you; it won’t.”

“My lawyer says you manipulated Charles so he left me out of his will. He tells me I’ve got an excellent case. I am Charles’s only living relative, after all.”

Barely. If she kept that up, she’d be next in the ground. “Apart from me, you mean. I was married to him. For eleven years, Miriam. Eleven years, almost twelve, during which he probably spoke to you once every six months despite the fact that you only live fifteen miles away. And do you know why that was? Because he couldn’t freaking stand you. Now get out of my face and get off my property before I have you physically removed. And best of luck to your lawyer; he’s going to need it.”

“Listen to you, Miss High and Mighty…”

“Enough! Now, I’m calling my security team. It’ll be entertaining watching them cart you off. I’ll remind them to bring the elephant gun, and then I’m gonna make popcorn.”

I turned on my heel, stomped into the house with Nick, and slammed the door behind me so hard the glass rattled. Then I broke a nail hitting speed dial on my phone and absolutely didn’t curse. Finally, I got through to the security guard on duty in the gatehouse.

“Get Miriam out of here. Right now. And while we’re on the subject, why did you let her through the gates in the first place?”

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