Chapter Twenty-Four
“You’re smarter than I gave you credit for.”
Ridley watched as David poked through the contents of Raina’s dresser. He had forced her to walk from the bathroom back to the bedroom. He hadn’t raised his voice or said anything threatening. Then again, he hadn’t needed to.
The gun in his hand was more than motivation enough for her.
“Apparently I’m not smart enough. I actually thought you were helping me.” She backed up a few steps and leaned against the wall. “How did you get here?”
He glanced back at her, seemingly amused by her attempt at polite conversation.
“I got a sweet deal on a bus pass. You know you should really sign up for that CoupOn site. I’ve saved so much money.” Finished with the bottom drawer of the dresser, he shoved it closed before moving to the nightstand and picking up one of the books stacked on top. He flipped through its pages carefully before moving to the next.
“I’ll pass. I doubt I’ll be traveling much anymore. So, you’re alive.”
Ridley clenched her fists. He was looking at the books so leisurely, as if trying to decide which one he wanted to read. Arrogant bastard. She’d spent the past week agonizing over his death and he was acting like he didn’t have a care in the world.
He cursed suddenly and then swiped the stack of books to the floor before picking up the lamp and looking under the base. When he looked back at her there wasn’t a trace of anger on his face. If she hadn’t just witnessed his little outburst she wouldn’t have known anything was wrong.
What the hell is he looking for?
“Do you know how easy it is to fake your death? When people find a mangled car with a body in it, they tend to assume it’s you.”
“Don’t they check fingerprints or dental records? Something?”
He just laughed. “Someone’s been watching CSI reruns again. Sure they look for that stuff, but since the body I left in the car belongs to the real David Finemore, I’m sure the coroner found nothing amiss.”
He smirked at her before running his hands over the comforter.
“Even if there had been something to find, the body would have likely been too burned to give them much to work with. Fire covers a multitude of sins.”
Ridley shook her head in disgust. “Good to know. I’ll remember that if I ever decide to become a criminal.”
“Haven’t you heard? You already are. Tsk tsk, tsk, now why would you steal fifty grand from your new boyfriend?”
Oh God, what if he’d done something to Jackson?
It took everything within her not to ask. So far, he hadn’t done anything overtly violent. He’d just stolen money and stalked her until she thought she was going crazy. The last thing she wanted to do was bring Jackson to his attention.
“It was you.” Ridley swallowed the tears in her throat.
“Yes, it was me.” He laughed—a cold, hard sound. “I had to do something to get you away from him. I’m not sure why you’re so shocked. No matter how much evidence you have to the contrary, you always want to believe the best of people.”
His eyes met hers and she shrank back against the wall. How could she have ever been attracted to him? Had his eyes always been so empty? Maybe it was the hair. He looked so different with dark hair. Forbidding.
“I like that about you, Ridley. You almost make me want to be a better man.” He winked at her before kneeling to look under the bed.
Ridley glanced at the window as soon as his head was out of sight. It was early morning and there was no one to hear her if she screamed. She didn’t dare try to run. He’d only catch her and then he’d be even more pissed off. There wasn’t anything nearby she could grab as a weapon, either. Her best bet was to keep him talking as long as possible.
As long as he was talking, she was still alive.
“Okay, you win. You got the money. Everyone thinks you’re dead. I don’t understand why you’re here. Shouldn’t you stay hidden?”
He sat on the edge of the bed casually, as if they were just hanging out. “That was the plan. Little setback though. I need my necklace. It wasn’t in your apartment in Florida or your car or anywhere in this fucking house! So, where is it?”
“I don’t know.”
David hissed in a breath. “I’ve been really nice so far, Ridley, my dear, but I’m losing patience.”
She couldn’t understand why he’d come all this way for a piece of jewelry, but then again all her jewelry was fake. The jewels on the necklace he’d given her were probably real.
“Why would you even care about that now? With all the money you stole, you can just buy another one.” Ridley edged toward the side of the bed, frantically trying to think of a plan. As soon as he realized she didn’t have the necklace anymore, she’d have nothing to bargain with.
And he’d no longer have any reason to keep her alive.
“It doesn’t matter why I need it. I gave it to you because I figured it would be easy to come back and relieve you of it later.”
David sighed and then stood. He raised his arm and pointed his gun directly at her chest. “But you had to make this difficult.”
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