Page 40 of Wicked Lies

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“Why don’t you just admit it.”

“I already told you I stabbed Jimmy.” Cheryl stared at her hands.

“Nah, admit that you’re working with Frank and that he planted you here to keep eyes on me.”

“What? No.”

“Samson saw you talking to him the first night you worked at the Oasis. Said you both looked real intense. Like maybe he was telling you what to do and how to get to us—then you break into my office with your hands in my safe.” Nick shook his head. “I can’t believe I was so stupid. You’ve been working me from the very beginning.”

“You’re wrong, I never—”

“Save it.” Nick pushed off the couch. “I gotta hand it to you, you really sold it. You really had me believing you were the victim.”

Little by little, the pieces were coming together. Samson was right all along. Frank realized his relationship with Angela was falling apart, so he sent in Cheryl.

“What’s the payoff? What’s he giving you to pull this off?” Nick glared down at her. “Is spying on me gonna reduce Jimmy’s debt? Is that the deal you made?” Nick nodded to the door. “You can go tell Frank his little plan didn’t work, and while you’re at it, tell him me and Samson have only begun to fight.”

Cheryl slowly stood, but he refused to look at her. He’d fallen into her spell too easily, but he wouldn’t make that mistake a second time.

She headed toward the door, then turned around. “You’re wrong about everything.”

“Stop with the bullshit 'cause it ain’t working.” Nick shoved his hands in his pockets, ignoring how her lower lip quivered. “And don’t start with the tears 'cause that ain’t gonna work either.”

“You can think whatever you want of me, but at least listen to the truth.”

“You wouldn’t know the truth if it bit you in the ass.”

“The reason you couldn’t find out anything about Jimmy is because Frank killed him.”

Nick blinked a few times, then his eyes narrowed. “What?”

“After I stabbed Jimmy, I got scared and ran, then I felt guilty, so I went back, and that’s when I saw Frank slit his throat.” She sucked in a deep breath. “I had no idea you worked for Frank, or I never would’ve come here.”

“You two could still be working together.”

“That intense conversation Samson saw me and Frank having was him blackmailing me. He has the knife with my fingerprints on it.”

“And he keeps his mouth shut as long as you report to him.”

“He threatened to pin the murder on me if I didn’t break into your office.” Cheryl closed the distance between them. “I get it if you can’t trust me, but I didn’t know if I could trust you either. I was shocked to see Frank in the club that night. I had no idea he was connected with you or the Oasis.”

That could be true. Frank kept a low profile. Even the people close to him knew very little about him.

“You have to believe me, I never wanted to hurt you.”

That also explained Frank’s cryptic remark about Jimmy being paid in full. When Nick called and told Frank he didn’t get all the money, he must’ve gone to the Pit and finished him off. Jimmy paid up with his life.

After an endless silence, Nick headed for the bar, poured a generous amount of whiskey into the tumbler, and gulped it.

“Frank also had Samson beat up,” she mumbled. “It was all part of his scheme to mess with both of you, but I didn’t know about any of it beforehand.”

It was totally fucked up, but that was the game Frank played. He’d done the same thing to Samson and him back in the day. Prey on the weak until they crumbled, then pick up the pieces and arrange them to fit his own needs. He’d go to any lengths to keep them under his control, even holding a murder charge over Cheryl’s head.

Cheryl turned back toward the door without another word.

“Wait.” The one word escaped his lips.

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