Page 157 of Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds

“Because—” she began.

“Shut up,” Parker said. “Remember, your career!”

“Screw you,” Amber said, but took a couple steps away from him. “If his father finds out, he’ll cut him off. And Parker threatened my career if I didn’t help him get the files back. He has nude pictures of me that I let him take because I was a fool. Said he would release them. Well, fuck it. I don’t care anymore. I’m gorgeous. I’m talented. I’ll always have another role, clothed or naked.”

“On your back,” Parker muttered.

She lunged for him, but Mr. Kent and David pulled her away.

“Diana must have reached out to Ethan to tell him what she had,” I said. “And that would be through you.” I turned to Tristan. “Everyone knows you’re the only one who is in contact with Ethan on a regular basis.”

“Did she?” Jason asked him. “Did Diana talk to you about those documents?”

“I—I—yes,” he said haughtily. “She said she had a deal to make. I didn’t think it was worth Mr. Valentine’s valuable time, so I told her I wouldn’t.”

“What did she have on you?” I asked him.

“Nothing. That was it. I was shocked when she disappeared. Shocked!”

“She was murdered,” Jason said bluntly.

“Georgie. Or—or maybe Gino did it and blamed the kid,” Tristan said hurriedly. “Because of the gambling.”

I shook my head. “No. Too many people knew about his gambling. You knew too. Because your finger is on every single aspect of St. Claire. You love this resort. Gino embezzled money from the resort. You must have figured that out.”

“I will order a full independent audit of St. Claire immediately!” he exclaimed.

“And you knew that Diana went to Ethan’s house on Sunday and couldn’t find him there. The only way you could know that is if you saw her Sunday night. Yet you didn’t tell the police that you saw her. You said she left on the ferry and didn’t return.” It was so clear now that I said it. “You lied to the police.”

“No. You have it all wrong.”

I glanced at Luis. “Luis, you told Gino about Diana, didn’t you?”

“Yes, after her body was found,” Luis said. “Poor girl.”

“Gino really was investigating her murder,” I said, somewhat surprised. Maybe his threat to me, though nasty, was intended to be a warning because he knew a killer was on the island. “Did Gino figure out you killed her, so you had to silence him, too?” I said to Tristan.

“Tristan,” Jason said with an air of authority. “Why did you kill her?”

Tristan was backing up as if cornered. “I... I... I did it for you!” he shouted. “To protect you, Ethan!” He put his hand to his mouth, turned, and ran down the trail that led to the lake.

Jason ran after him. I was missing something, but with all the commotion, I didn’t know what I thought I heard. Tristan killed Diana to protect Ethan? From what? Learning the truth about what Parker did to him?

I heard a scuffle and grunts down the path. “Someone, call security! The police! Jason needs help.” I ran after them. I didn’t know if anyone followed me, but I couldn’t leave Jason to fend for himself. What if he was hurt? What if Tristan had a weapon? A gun?

My heart pounding in my chest, I ran as fast as I dared on the muddy trail, grateful that there were lights. The security netting was up around the hole along with a wooden barrier. Jason disappeared from view up ahead, where the trail forked. I heard him yell at Tristan to stop.

The tools were still next to the pit. I grabbed a hand spade, the only thing I could carry and might be able to use as a weapon because it had a pointed tip, and I followed the men.

“I did it for you!”

Is that what Tristan said?

I reached the trail that edged the cliffs above the lake and slid to a stop on the slick path. Up the trail that Brie said led to the helicopter pad, Jason and Tristan were in a wrestling match. Right on the edge of the zip line platform. Tristan was trying to push Jason over into the lake. The roar of the waterfall terrified me.

Tristan kicked Jason in the stomach, and he teetered on the edge. Then he fell.

“Jason!” I screamed.

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