Page 73 of Revenge (Corrupt Empire 3)

Chapter Fifteen

Avery

I stared at the detective for the longest moment. How the fuck had they worked that out? I mean, I knew they were connected, but no one else should. Except perhaps all of his sick associates. They must know someone was gunning for them now. That someone being Aiden. I clutched his hand tighter, wanting desperately to be anywhere else but there right now.

But the detective had said it was nothing for me to worry about. Did that mean they had no idea who it was? I hoped so. I couldn’t stand the thought of Aiden going to prison. Nor me for that matter considering what I’d done. I still felt so much guilt and remorse over the whole thing, but I had to get on with my life. I had to move forward. No matter how much Tristan’s death weighed on my conscience.

“You do? Wait… why haven’t you asked my uncle to come in? He’s also next of kin.”

Detective Reynolds looked at the officer for a moment before levelling her gaze back on me.

“I cannot give you the full details as our investigation is still on-going. However, Charles Daniels is a person of interest in the case and we will discuss it separately with him.”

I looked at Aiden. How was Uncle Charlie a person of interest? What the hell had the police found?

“Information has come to light regarding Mr Shaw’s involvement in illegal activities, some of which are connected to your father. I would ask that you do not share this information with the public.”

“Illegal activities? Do they relate to Daniels Holdings?”

Reynolds shook her head.

“No, they are regarding your father’s personal affairs. We suspect the murders were committed by more than one party and that the motive may have been revenge, but nothing is certain. Again, this is speculation and this information is confidential.”

I nodded.

“I understand. What’s said here won’t leave these walls.”

Reynolds gave me a grateful smile before her face cleared and she was back to business.

“I understand you recently announced an engagement between yourself and Mr Shaw. Yet, now you’ve informed me, you’re already married to Mr Lockhart. Would you care to explain the circumstances here?”

Aiden squeezed my hand. I hope he trusted me to spin the police a story laced with the truth. Whatever I did, I couldn’t allow them to suspect it was me who’d killed Tristan and had been there that night.

“Our relationship was a secret from our family until today,” I said. “And I had reason to believe Frazier Shaw wanted me to marry Tristan because he wanted my inheritance. You see, we found out there’s a clause in my trust fund which grants my husband full rights to it.”

Reynold’s raised an eyebrow.

“And this made you pronounce an engagement with Mr Shaw?”

“Well, Aiden and I wanted to find out if we were right. I know we probably shouldn’t have hatched our own plan to catch him out, but Frazier had been pestering me for weeks. I just said yes to get him to stop. I never had any intention of going through with it.”

The detective gave me a sceptical look, but I shrugged.

“I see. Might I ask when you and Mr Lockhart got married?”

“Five weeks ago.”

Reynolds looked directly at Aiden.

“And when did the two of you meet?”

Aiden leant back slightly, eying her with a smile.

“The beginning of the year, when Avery returned to work.”

He looked over at me, affection in his eyes.

“Sometimes there’s just that instant connection. I must admit, it has been rather fast, but when you know you’ve found the one, you know.”

---