Page 73 of Diamonds & Deception

“Give me one good reason why.”

“I know who killed your sister and Lenora.”

She spins and lifts her face to mine, her eyes wide and scared. The bag and Daisy’s leash drop by our feet.

“Who?”

“Come. Let’s sit.” This time, she lets me guide her to the couch. I take a seat next to her. Not touching, yet not too far either.

“Who killed them, Drake?”

“You may not have realized it, but your research and questions showed me who. I didn’t know Carly and was not aware she was dating Owen. He never mentioned anything about a girlfriend to me, but we don’t have that kind of relationship. I’m his financial adviser.”

“Owen killed her? I went to his bar. I talked with him and he didn’t seem...” she trails off and shudders a cry.

“No. Not Owen.” I take her hand and hold it on the couch between us. “Eddie. He wanted to partner up with Owen, but I advised Owen to turn him down. Eddie doesn’t like hearing no for an answer and paid him back by... killing Carly. I didn’t realize it at the time, but it’s why Owen didn’t openThe Localon Memorial Day weekend like planned. He was mourning the loss of his girlfriend and keeping the down low on his cousin’s betrayal.”

“Oh, my god.” Nora covers her mouth with her free hand. Daisy whines and sits at her feet. “Why didn’t Owen go to the police?”

“I don’t know. Right now this is all speculation, but it adds up. Owen’s a Donahue. Betraying one of his own, especially Micky’s son, could cause even more harm, and more deaths. My guess is he stayed quiet and out of the spotlight until recently.”

“He didn’t even know Lenora. Owen or Eddie.”

I struggle with my next words. Releasing her hand, I stand and take off my suit coat, draping it over the back of the couch. I’m stalling, trying to get more physically comfortable, even though it’s not possible.

“Drake? Did Eddie Donahue kill Lenora too? Why?” She stands and crosses the room to me, piercing me with her blue eyes.

I can’t look at her sadness. I close my eyes and let out a deep breath. “I called Eddie into my office Friday night and warned him to keep his drugs away from my casino. He doesn’t do well with being told what to do. That night, my security team caught him doing a line of cocaine in the bathroom. They hauled him out, and I banned him for life from Four Aces.” I open my eyes and read the confusion on her face.

“I don’t see the connection. Lenora flew into Boston Friday night and came straight to her apartment. We didn’t leave until Saturday afternoon for lunch.”

I rub my jaw and stare over her shoulder out the window. “Before leaving my office, Eddie warned me to watch my... lady friend. He must have heard about me datingLenora, found out where she lived, and...”

Nora takes a sharp breath in. “He meant to kill me.”

I flick my gaze at her and clench my molars together. “If I hadn’t—”

“No. No, Drake. This is not your fault. Don’t you fucking dare take the blame for Lenora’s death. Eddie Donahue killed her because he’s spineless, evil, murdering...” She breaks down in sobs and I wrap my arms around her, hugging her tight to my chest. “If I hadn’t pretended to be Lenora, she’d still be alive.”

My stomach clenches with her sobs. She’s carrying the weight of the loss of her stepsister on her shoulders and now her best friend’s death. I want to take away her pain, but I don’t know how.

“It’s not your fault either, Nora. You’re right. Eddie is spineless and evil.”

We stand in the middle of my living room, Nora sobbing and me trying to hold my composure. We don’t move until her body stops shaking, and Daisy shakes out her coat, her leash slapping against the coffee table.

“I’m going to let Daisy out. You understand why you need to stay inside, don’t you?”

Nora drops her arms from around my waist and steps back. “Eddie thinks he got away with killing your... the girl you were having sex with.”

“If he sees us together—”

“So I’ll walk Daisy alone.”

“Nora. Don’t be stubborn. I can’t have a third death connected to me.” It’s not even about the third death. I don’t know what I’d do if I lost Nora. I’m still hanging on to hope that we can mend the hurt between us.

“Third?” She picks up Daisy’s leash and then lifts her gaze to mine. “Oh my god. You blame yourself for Carly’s death too?”

“If I hadn’t told Owen not to partner with Eddie...” I let the alternative hang in the air.

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