Chapter Sixteen
As the man on TV said, time to make it work. That was exactly what Sarah Jane had in mind.
Phil couldn’t stop blubbering on as they rode the elevator to her room. She patted his hand absentmindedly while her mind whirled into action. Plan. She needed a plan. That bitch had convinced Phil to talk. He hadn’t spilled everything, but enough that Sarah Jane had to accelerate things.
They got off on the twentieth floor, Phil still apologizing. Once inside her room, she couldn’t take it anymore.
“Shut up and let me think.”
He dropped into a desk chair and silenced his constant chatter.
The subtle approach hadn’t worked last night. She wouldn’t go that route again. The hired thugs, Stoliz and Daniels, could still be useful, however.
“Do you know where she’s staying?”
“She’s at the Bellagio.”
“With the sheriff?”
“I don’t think so.”
Sarah Jane thought back to the way Hank had watched Beth this morning. Would he let her stay by herself after last night? Doubtful.
“Where is the sheriff staying?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then stop sitting there looking all sad and pathetic and find out.”
His eyes widened.
Darn it, she didn’t mean to be so harsh with him. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped at you like that. It’s just we’re so close to making everything perfect. It’s only Beth standing in the way of us being a family together.”
He sat up straighter in his seat and his face lost its confusion. “Give me five minutes.” He grabbed his phone.
While Phil talked on the phone, she got her suitcase out of the closet and laid it on the bed. She tossed in the contents of the dresser drawers and closet. Next, she gathered her toiletries from the bathroom. It took less than five minutes to pack up her room.
“The Palms. Got it.” Phil clicked off the phone. “What are you doing?”
“Getting ready to lead everyone on a wild goose chase while you work with Stoliz and Daniels to take care of Beth and the sheriff.”
“What do you mean ‘take care of’?”
She zipped shut her suitcase. “I mean kill them.”
He jumped up from his chair. “Mother—”
She stopped him with a flip of her hand. She hadn’t come this close to getting her revenge to be stopped by that bitch. She’d waited too long and risked too much. She had to make Phil understand.
“Your father favors her at work, do you like that?”
“You know I don’t, but—”
“As Ed Webster’s son, shouldn’t it be you that he lavishes attention on?”
“Yes, but he doesn’t believe I’m his son.”
“He will. That’s what I’m trying to explain to you. That’s why we have to do this.” She patted down his collar. “It’s them or your family. Which do you care about more?”