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Grabbing a glass of champagne from a passing waiter, Eliza held it to her lips and sipped. She watched, waited. Penny’s eyes flicked toward the door, then down to the key card. Then across the room and then back to the key card. It was clear she was torn.
Then, like a swift streak of lightning, a sheet of steel seemed to descend over the young woman’s features. Her neck snapped high to attention. Her shoulders jerked with rigidity. Her tentative smile evened to a thin line. And like that, her decision had been made. Eliza watched, her heart sinking, as Penny made her exit from the ballroom.
Eliza reached the hall just in time to see the elevator doors slide shut. The arrow pointing upward had been selected. Closing her eyes, Eliza let her body sag against the wall, just out of sight. She pressed a hand to her forehead.
For a moment, she debated following Penny. Eliza could storm in like a battering ram and rain fury upon both of them, but what good would that accomplish? If Roman and Penny wanted to be together, a few biting words from Eliza wouldn’t stop them.
So Eliza straightened her dress and marched back to the bar. Once there, she secured two more glasses of white wine and returned to Marguerite’s side.
“Has Roman left the party?” Marguerite asked as Eliza handed her one of the two wineglasses. She quickly tacked on an explanation. “He put my jacket somewhere, and I was looking for it.”
“I’m sure you were,” Eliza said sweetly. “But that darling husband of mine is otherwise occupied at the moment. If you wait, I’m sure he’ll come back for you.”
TRANSCRIPT
Prosecution: Did Roman Tate ever talk about his wife to you?
Penny Sands: A little bit.
Prosecution: Did he ever talk about their wedding?
Penny Sands: Their Vegas elopement, you mean? Sure. He mentioned it.
Prosecution: Did he explain why it was urgent they get married so quickly?
Penny Sands: I’m assuming they were in love. That’s what people do sometimes. They fall in love and get married.
Prosecution: Did he ever tell you that Eliza Tate had an expiring visa?
Penny Sands: I don’t remember.
Prosecution: The way I see it, Mr. Tate did his wife a favor by marrying her. For a while, Mrs. Tate felt indebted to him. She earned a lot of money and gave her husband a nice life. But how long was she supposed to pay her debt to him while he spent her money and had affairs with younger women?
Penny Sands: I’m not sure what you mean.
Prosecution: I’m wondering if it’s possible that Eliza Tate didn’t want to deal with her husband— and his mistresses—any longer.
Penny Sands: I wouldn’t know the answer to that. You’ll have to ask Eliza.
Prosecution: It’s no secret that there’s bad blood between you and Mr. Tate. Ms. Sands, did Mrs. Tate ask for your help in murdering her husband?
TWENTY-ONE
Five Months Before
September 2018
The gauzy curtains twitched in the breeze, the air breathing life into the nearly translucent fabric. Penny lay curled on the plush comforter with crisp, white sheets draped just so over her naked figure. She watched the curtains dance with whimsy, the doors beyond thrown open to the morning sunlight as another Los Angeles heat wave sent warm whispers down her bare legs.
The door to the bathroom opened with a click. Penny didn’t need to look back to see the striking figure cross the room. She waited until he slid under the covers to join her. Roman slipped his tanned arm over Penny’s shoulders and let his index finger and thumb trace circles on her exposed belly.
“God, I could get used to this.” Penny cuddled against him, basking in the sunlight and the tickle of a long, slow kiss at the nape of her neck. “It’s magic. Pure magic.”
Roman murmured an unintelligible agreement. It’s sort of his thing, Penny thought, rolling to face him. She traced his jawline, thinking when a man looked like Roman, he didn’t need to use English words. His nonsensical mmms and aahs were enough. And what he didn’t say aloud, she could read in the depths of his gorgeous eyes.
“I love you,” Penny blurted.
A silence followed, and though it was somewhat long, it wasn’t awkward. Roman leaned forward and touched a kiss to her forehead.
