Page 45 of Brazilian Revenge

She had vanished from his life.

Maybe he was as lonely as she was. That had always bonded them in the past—their lack of ties with anyone else. That misleading family dynamic had blinded her to the awful, sick person he could be. That he is.Don’t lie to yourself. He had killed Jacinta, and had threatened to hurt others.

I’ll never forgive myself if he does. God. There she was: being treated like a member of the family by Addie and Bruno, and pampered by Maria. These people could have snubbed her, but they took her in and offered her a hand. Were they also a reason why she’d agreed to stay? Because she enjoyed the idea of being a part of the package?

The phone rang, and Addie walked to the console to grab the cordless. Even though she was six months pregnant, Satyanna could definitely notice the growing bump contrasting against her lithe body. Satyanna smiled to herself. Everything would be all right.

Addie gasped.

Satyanna turned to her and stood. Addie’s face paled, and her eyes widened. She spoke in fast Portuguese, too fast for Satyanna to understand. Besides, Addie didn’t have the god-awful accent that she did. Addie nodded as she listened, and tears claimed her eyes.

Apprehension zipped down Satyanna’s spine. “What happened? Tell me.”

Tears rolled down her cheeks, unbidden. “Maria is dead.”

Satyanna drew back, like someone had cut through her stomach. Her heart skipped a beat or two. “Dead?”

“Y-yes. She went to the street market today, as she did every Tuesday to get some fresh fruit. Someone slashed her throat, and a couple vendors who recognized her called the police.”

“What is happening now?”

Addie touched her chest. “Leonardo was her emergency contact and he was notified. He went to the police, and told them all he knows. They’re starting an investigation.”

“Wow.”

“They will probably want to talk to you, too.”

“This is…”

“Crazy?” Addie sobbed. “I’m sorry. I have to call Camila and let her know. Maria worked here for so many years, and everyone loved her.”

“O-of course. Let me know if I can do anything.”

More than what I’ve done already. This was all her fault. She brought Harry back to their lives, and until he was reunited with her, he would keep endangering people. She’d known he was crazy, but a killer? There was no denying this time. It was all his doing.

Sadness poured over her, and she grabbed Lyanna from the floor. She gave her a hug. No one would hurt her daughter. She needed to find where Harry was, even if she herself would be the bait.

…

“Do you need anything else from me?” Leonardo asked the sheriff.

The man, who seemed too young for his job, tossed the files across the table and smirked. “No, senhor. We’ll call you if we need any more information. Thanks for your cooperation.”

“All I ask is…don’t leak this to the media. The deceased wasn’t a celebrity or anything, so maybe there’s a chance we can hide this for now,” he asked. Sadness welled up in his throat, but he swallowed hard. The deceased. Never had he imagined he’d be calling the lovely woman who had helped keep his family together for many years deceased. Maria had started working for them ten years ago. And now she was dead.

The sheriff nodded. “I’ll talk to the detectives on the case.”

“I already sent Harry Clemonte’s picture to the Federal Police. I don’t want him to be able to leave the country,” Leonardo said.

The man gave him a half smile. If he had been a committed sheriff, he would have questioned Leonardo’s antics, pulling strings and going over his head. But, just as Leonardo suspected, the sheriff didn’t care, or rather, didn’t make enough money to care. Which meant that would be a cold case. Not if he had anything to do with it.

“Going home?” his driver asked as he walked out of the precinct.

“Yes.”

Clemonte had been very smart. Besides the dead nanny and a housekeeper, no one else knew of him or remembered him. There were no personal objects in his house—and he had explored, without the stress from the first time, every corner and nook. Nothing. His place could have been a new development’s model home.

Damn it.

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