“That changed after he met his beloved Zarina.”
“Zarina? God, men just can’t keep it in their pants.” Then she shakes her head. “No, I don’t believe it. Raif would never give it all up for one water sprite.”
“Not even his own daughter?”
Her eyes open wide, and then she gives a bitter little laugh. It is as if she finally understands. “The bastard!” she whispers. “He thought he could steal from me just so he could have the family he always wanted.”
She holds out her hand. “Give me the key.”
“Why? It’s not worth a single penny to anyone but Zarina. It’s not like you can sell it to get the money back.”
Realising this is true, she drops her hand.
“How did you know it was me?” she asks, her voice hard now, the sweet breat
hy tone gone.
“Because you lied. You said you didn’t care about a safe deposit key, and yet here you are tearing this place apart for it.”
She shrugs. “Raif gave me a key to his house. I came because I lost one of my credit cards here. I was looking for it. I’m sure the Agency will understand.”
“Nice try,” says the little voice. “But Storm’s going to find it suspicious that you never told him you were married to the murderous Dr Carrington.”
“What marriage?” she says. “One you saw in a vision? Who would believe that?”
“We both know it is real. You admitted it.”
“It’ll be a bit difficult for you to get hold of a wedding certificate from a secret marriage ceremony that may or may not have taken place in Otherworld so many long years ago.”
“Agent Storm is very good at finding things. He has so many contacts.” I have no idea if this is true but the little voice sounds sure of it.
Beatrice scoffs. “Even if he could prove it, I married a brute. He was a terrible man. It was all I could do to escape from him with my life. You said it yourself. And of course I hid the marriage. I was so ashamed of him and what he did. It would have ruined my new life and my new business. People will understand.”
“You’ve been so clever,” says the little voice.
She takes another step towards me. “You’ve been suspicious of me from the start. How did you really know it was me? I have to know.”
“Because you did love him,” the little voice says. “Grictor. I’ve been wondering about that. Such an ugly name for a woman like you to choose for herself. I had to ask myself why. And then I saw the nameplate on your office. Beatrice Ann Grictor. Ann Grictor. An anagram for Carrington.
An anagram! So that’s what’s been bothering me, tickling the edges of my mind but never quite revealing itself. I cannot believe the little voice kept it to herself.
“Even while separated,” the little voice says, “You couldn’t bear to not keep his last name. You still love him. You’ve been part of his life all along, haven’t you?”
Beatrice gives a little laugh. “Very clever.”
“Did he tell you to come to London to get cozy with the ambassador?” the little voice asks. “All so you could start trafficking water sprites? You must have been really sneaky to pull the wool over Raif’s eyes.”
“What do you care about Raif?” she scoffs. “You’re angry about the note I sent threatening Constantine Storm’s life, aren’t you? How did you feel knowing you might have lost the man you love? The way I felt when you took my husband from me. You. You’re the reason my husband is dead!”
She smiles suddenly. “And now here you are. In my power.” She raises her hand, and I see what I didn’t see before. There is a gun in it. She points it at me.
The little voice does not even flinch. She does not seem shocked. “So you admit it?” she says. “You killed Raif Silverstone? And you used Lynesse Jones as a trick to confuse investigators?”
“And they fell for it,” she spits out. “But you just had to stick your nose in. Yes, I killed Raif. He stole from me. My husband was dead. My life was over, and he stole from me. I couldn’t go to the police. They would discover the extent of my involvement in my husband’s business. That bastard thought I was weak. He dared to steal from me. Who did he think he was?”
“And what about Lynesse?” the little voice asks. “I’ve been wondering why she never fought back. She saw you coming. She was a succubus. She could have fought back.”
“Don’t be so naive. You really aren’t a succubus. Feeding on energy is like eating meat. Just because you can eat it doesn’t mean you will devour a person who is attacking you. Only a psychopath would do that, and Lynesse was not a psychopath. Or perhaps she was just afraid of me, like she had been of my husband. Of his power over her.”