AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Not buying. Gloria’s not here to defend herself, and we all remember what kind of person she was.”
Taylor clears her throat. “Others. On the team.”
“Laura and Celeste by any chance?”
Taylor raises her eyebrows and then nods. “Right. Laura and Celeste.”
“Nice try. I’m not buying. They were a couple of bad seeds, but they weren’t involved in this.”
“But they—”
“Taylor,” I say, “get to the fucking point. You’re obviously not above selling out someone else, so get to it.”
“Well—”
We all jerk as the front door opens.
A woman walks in, Taylor’s wife, presumably, except—
I drop my jaw.
“Nancy Mosely?”
19
BUCK
Now we’re getting somewhere.
Margo Caprice…or Nancy Mosely… Whoever the fuck she is, she’s also a tall and athletic type, but still not as tall as Aspen. She’s dressed in a pantsuit, and her dirty blond hair is pulled back into a professional looking bun. She’s not as attractive as Taylor, but she’s got a killer body.
“Who are these people?” she asks, but then— “Aspen Davis?”
Aspen, who’s already standing, says simply, “In the flesh.”
Taylor gulps on the couch.
Hell, she should do more than gulp. She’s seen what they did to Aspen.
“Margo…” Taylor begins.
“What the hell are you doing here? We thought you were dead.” This from the wife.
“Apparently I’m not. What’s up with the name change, Margo? Or Nancy?”
No response from either Taylor or her wife. Taylor, who pretended she couldn’t even remember this woman…and now we find out she’s married to her? Something is wrong between this woman’s ears. Taylor did say she wanted to protect Nancy…but to deny her?
“Listen,” I say, “you have information we want.”
“I feel like I’m looking at a ghost,” Nancy says.
“You’re not.” From Aspen. “I’m as alive as you are. But Gloria? She’s not. And I’m here to find out why.”
“Gloria’s dead?” Nancy’s eyes widen.
“She is,” I say. “Most likely because of something she knew. And I’m thinking maybe you have a little more knowledge than you’re letting on.”
“I don’t know what you’re—”
Taylor cuts Nancy off. “Save it. I’m so sorry. But they know.”
“Know what? What are you talking about, Taylor?”
“For God’s sake.” I rub my forehead against the headache that’s threatening to emerge. “Start talking.”
I think about pulling my gun out of my ankle holster. That might get them talking.
But damn, I don’t want to be that guy.
Aspen apparently doesn’t have that problem.
She takes her shirt off again, pulls the gun out of its holster, and holds it on Taylor.
Start talking,” she says.
I open my mouth to say something, but then I close it. Aspen has already made the move, and I can’t stop her now.
“I’m not leaving without finding out who was behind what happened to me,” Aspen says. “And you know what? You’ve seen what I look like now, Taylor. And Nancy, take a freaking look. I’d take my bra off so you can see my further disfigurement, but I’ll let you use your imagination. You can call the cops on me if you want. But Buck over there? He’s armed as well. He’s an ex-Navy SEAL.”
“Even ex-Navy SEALs aren’t allowed to hold guns on people,” Nancy says. “It’s against the law.”
“Is it?” Aspen drops her mouth into an O. “And all this time I thought it was only a crime to arrange for the abduction of people.”
“What are you—”
“The two of you sold me into slavery,” Aspen says.
They both turn white. Did they really not know what they were doing?
“We know that you know how it happened,” I say. “So start talking.”
“We can’t.” Taylor says. “They’ll kill us.”
“Oh? And who are they?”
“There’s this guy. He…”
“He what?” From Aspen.
“He… “
“Taylor,” Nancy says, “you’ve got to shut up.”
“No,” Taylor says. “I’m not going to shut up. I can’t. I’m sorry. I can’t save you, but I can save myself.”
“You conniving little bitch.”
“All right,” I say. “We’re not interested in a lover’s spat. All we’re interested in is the truth.”
“Right,” Aspen agrees. “Who the hell is this guy you’re talking about?”
“Oh my God,” I shake my head.
“What?”
“Taylor Wallace. Wallace Leathers.”
“Yeah? Except no longer. He fucking disowned me.”
“Gregory Simpson Wallace.”
“That’s my uncle,” Taylor says.
“Right. I don’t know why I didn’t put two and two together.”
“The business belongs to my father,” Taylor says. “His name is Harrison Wallace.”
“I understand. But Greg Wallace… He’s on the list.”
“What list?” Aspen asks.
“The list, Aspen,” I say. “Of the men. The men who visited the island.”
Aspen’s jaw drops, and her complexion… I’m sure I’m imagining it, but she looks…green.
She’s wondering… She’s wondering if the uncle of the woman sitting next to her is responsible for any of her scarring. Physical or emotional.
“Where’s your uncle now?” Aspen demands.
Taylor gulps. “In prison.”
“Good. And your father?”
“My father didn’t—”
“That’s not what I mean,” Aspen says. “Why the hell did your father disown you?”
Radio silence from Taylor.
“We’re going to have to tell her,” Nancy says. “Because if I’m going down, Taylor, you’re going down with me.”
