Page 53 of Beyond Her Reach (Bree Taggert #10)

As it turned out, it was harder to slash your own throat than someone else’s.

At nearly midnight, Matt and Bree approached Elaine Gibson’s hospital room.

Matt nodded to the deputy on guard. Personally, he couldn’t have cared less if the murderer lived or died, but Bree wanted answers.

She had legal threads to tie. The DA, the press, and the public all had to be satisfied.

Marina had refused to talk, so Bree was left with Harrison’s mother.

“She’ll be angry with me. She wanted to die, and I didn’t let her,” Bree said. “So I’d like you to be Mr. Nice Guy. Get her talking.”

Matt sighed. “You always make me be the good cop.”

“You’re better at it than I am. People want to talk to you.”

“It’s a curse.” Matt always felt a little slimy after an interview when he agreed with killers and stroked their egos.

“We still need to find Harrison and Marina’s boys,” Bree reminded him. “I’ll bet Elaine knows where they are.”

They’d put out a BOLO on Marina’s vehicle, but so far, it hadn’t been spotted.

“Right.” His job wasn’t to punish Elaine. His goal was to get information.

Elaine’s skin was the color Matt would expect after losing a bunch of blood. She had missed the artery, though. The blade had been rotated, and most of the damage had been superficial. Messy, but superficial.

They entered the room. Elaine was awake and handcuffed to both bedrails. She’d already tried to rip out her stitches. With both hands restrained and her neck heavily bandaged, she could only roll angry eyes at them as they stepped up next to the bed.

“What do you want?” she snapped in a raspy voice. “You already ruined everything.”

“What did I ruin?” Bree asked.

“Harrison’s future.” Her eyes went white around the edges.

“Where is he hiding?” Bree asked.

“He had nothing to do with this,” Elaine spat. “I did it all.”

“I don’t believe you,” Bree said. “Maybe you’re just protecting him.”

Elaine’s eyes went small and angry. “He isn’t shrewd enough to make and carry out a plan this complicated.”

That Matt could believe.

“Convince me or I’m bringing Harrison in with you,” Bree said.

Elaine coughed. “If I tell you everything, will you leave him alone?”

“Yes,” Bree said, clearly lying. If the evidence pointed to Harrison, Matt knew Bree would not let him walk away. It was perfectly legal for a cop to lie to a suspect.

“Fine,” Elaine snapped.

“Why did you kill Kelly?” Bree asked.

“I did it for Harrison. So he and Marina could have a good life. Kelly was trying to destroy their future.”

“How so?” Bree asked.

“Harrison made all the money that paid for that house. He deserved it. Not her.”

“But they were married for many years. She raised his children. Your grandchildren.”

Elaine’s shoulder jerked. “They’re just like their mother. Weak. They don’t want anything to do with their father or me.”

“They’re already angry at him for leaving their mother,” Bree said. “Maybe they would have forgiven him in time, but now ...” She didn’t add that they’d never forgive Elaine for killing their mother.

Elaine didn’t look sorry. “Kelly didn’t deserve their devotion. She stopped caring about her husband’s needs. She was all about herself.” She cleared her throat and nodded toward the water pitcher on the table next to the bed.

Matt stepped up. He reached for the cup and brought the straw to Elaine’s lips. “So you wanted him to have a second chance.”

“Exactly.” Elaine licked her lips.

Matt set down the cup. “Because he deserves it. He’s worked hard.”

“He has. And Kelly was an ungrateful bitch. He chose the wrong woman the first time. He should still have the chance at a happy life.”

“And Marina was the woman for him?” Matt asked.

“She’s the first woman to love him as much as I do. She is devoted to making him happy.”

She’ll have to do that from a prison cell now. Matt felt bad for her little boys. Who would raise them?

“Was killing Kelly your idea or hers?” Bree asked.

Elaine rolled her eyes. “Mine. Marina is sweet. She’s a great homemaker, but she isn’t exactly a genius.”

Sweet?

Elaine continued. “In fact, it took me a while to convince her to help. But she’s exhausted and getting a little desperate to make ends meet.

When Harrison had to pay an emergency room bill for her son’s stitches last month, she understood.

She and Harrison need and appreciate each other. Really, they’re a perfect match.”

Her praise was disarming. How could anyone rationalize murder for money? Matt thought one thing was for certain: Marina wasn’t going to be a great wife and homemaker from prison.

“And Kelly just let you in?” Bree asked.

“Sure,” Elaine said. “Why wouldn’t she?”

Who would expect their senior citizen mother-in-law to slit their throat with a box cutter? Elaine’s bluntness turned Matt’s stomach.

“I gave her a chance to change her mind.” Elaine wet her lips with her tongue.

“I said, ‘Kelly, you have to let all this go. Sell the place as is. You’ve dragged this out too long.’ But she wouldn’t.

She insisted she had every right to maximize her profit from the house sale.

” Elaine made a tsk sound. “I panicked for a minute when I couldn’t find her knife block.

I’d planned to use a chef’s knife. I hadn’t been in the house since the previous spring.

I didn’t realize she still had all her good knives packed away.

The renovation should have been done months ago. ”

“So you just killed her?” Matt was horrified that this grandmother had killed two women in cold blood. Had she always been a psychopath? How many people like her were walking around, seemingly normal, until they snapped?

Elaine lifted a shoulder. “Yes.”

“Did you or Marina kill Janet?” Bree asked.

Elaine sighed. “As usual, I did all the real work, though Marina did provide logistical support. She did some of the initial scouting. For example, Harrison mentioned that Kelly was dating Troy. I decided her new boyfriend would be the best person to frame. Marina and I took turns watching his house and following him around. If one of us did all the spying, we might have been spotted.”

“How did you get into his house?” Matt asked. “We couldn’t find any evidence of a break-in.”

Elaine looked satisfied, almost smug. “I watched him enter the garage door code through a pair of binoculars. My original plan was to leave the box cutter in the house, but then I thought maybe you wouldn’t get enough evidence to get a warrant.

I had to make it more accessible to you.

I was going to crash the sports car in the woods anyway.

I just didn’t plan on you chasing me. I had to improvise the rest of that day. ”

“And the sock?” Matt tried to sound interested.

“I didn’t want an arrest or conviction to be dependent on one piece of evidence.

So, I left Kelly’s sock in the hamper because—once you found the box cutter in his car—you’d get the warrant and search his house.

You’d find the sock. I thought that would be the end of it.

Why didn’t you arrest him? That should have been enough proof. ”

Maybe for a TV show.

“The blood on the sock wasn’t Kelly’s,” Bree said.

Elaine looked thoughtful. “I nicked my finger while I was killing her. I didn’t realize it bled that much. Is that why you wouldn’t arrest Troy?”

“Among other reasons,” Bree said vaguely. “Why did you kill Janet?”

Elaine frowned. “Because you wouldn’t arrest Troy, and you kept going after Harrison. I figured I’d give him the best alibi ever. He’d be with you when Troy’s second girlfriend died.”

“That was clever.” The praise felt like a bone lodged in Matt’s throat.

“Except Troy also had an alibi for Janet’s murder,” Bree said.

Elaine shook her head. “Bad luck on my part. Usually, he’s home alone. The man has no social life.”

“How did you find Janet and Claudia?” Bree asked.

“Social media,” Elaine said. “People post way too much about their personal lives.”

Truth.

“Why did you kidnap Claudia? You killed the others.”

Elaine nodded. “In hindsight, that was a mistake. But I felt like I had to do something to get you off Harrison’s back. I wanted to kill her, but Marina talked me out of it. Like I said before, she’s sweet. I didn’t think it through. I was frustrated. I acted on impulse.”

“Where is Harrison? I’m sure you wanted him out of harm’s way,” Matt said. “In order for the whole plan to work.”

“Yes.” Elaine nodded. “I sent them to an indoor water park place for the weekend. A future stepfather and sons bonding trip. The boys were really excited.” She gave them the name of the resort. “I guess you have to call them. It’s a shame to ruin their fun.”

What the actual fuck?

She had murdered Kelly and Janet. She’d kidnapped Claudia and tried to kill her. And she was worried about ruining Harrison’s weekend?

“I suppose he took Marina’s minivan?” Bree asked.

“Yes,” Elaine said. “The Corvette doesn’t have a back seat, so Marina won’t let the boys ride in it. She’s such a good mother.” She narrowed her eyes at Bree. “So, you’ll leave Harrison alone?”

Bree made a noncommittal noise.

The nurse came in to change Elaine’s bandages. Bree wrapped up the interview. They walked into the hall. In the elevator, Matt said, “That might have been the weirdest Q and A ever.”

“She was so ... casual about killing two people and kidnapping a third. Like their lives meant nothing compared to Harrison’s comfort.”

“Makes you wonder, doesn’t it? Has she always been a complete sociopath, or did something snap later in her life?”

“Who knows?” Bree shook her head. “Doesn’t matter. She’s going to prison.”

“Do you believe Harrison had nothing to do with it?”

Bree lifted a shoulder. “We’ll interview him for sure, but verifying his alibi for Claudia’s kidnapping should be easy enough.

The hotel and water park will have cameras.

He was at the station while Janet was killed, and Elaine confessed to Kelly’s murder.

Barring a confession from him or solid physical evidence that proves he was involved, I doubt the DA would be willing to charge him. ”

Matt sighed. “What we think isn’t important. All that matters is what we can prove.”

“But I can believe that he isn’t cunning enough to have planned Kelly’s murder. He’s a jerk, but he’s no criminal mastermind.”

Matt snorted. “There is that.”

They took the elevator to the maternity floor. Matt needed an emotional palate cleanse.

They’d stopped at home to shower and change before coming to the hospital. Bree was in uniform, and no one stopped the sheriff. Matt’s mom and dad were in the waiting room.

His dad’s smile was a mile wide. “You’re just in time! The baby was born about thirty minutes ago. A strapping baby boy! Ten pounds, six ounces.”

“Whoa! Flynns don’t mess around,” Matt said, kissing his mom on the cheek. “Get him shoes. He can walk out.”

“Does he have a name?” Bree hugged his parents.

“Cady wants to tell you.” Matt’s dad, George, had tears in his eyes. “Go on in.”

“Are you sure?” Matt said. “I don’t want to intrude.”

“She’s waiting for you.” His mom smiled. “I told her you were on the way when you texted me.”

Bree hung back. “One person at a time.”

Matt heard his dad asking Bree all the medical questions about her nose as he walked away. He stopped at the closed door and used hand sanitizer. Then he knocked softly.

“Come in.”

Cady rested on pillows. Todd sat in the chair next to her, his head bandaged. Scratches covered his face.

Cady looked exhausted but also the happiest Matt had ever seen her. And the baby in her arms ...

Matt leaned over and kissed his sister’s head. “He’s perfect.”

“He is.” Cady beamed.

“How are you?” Matt asked Todd.

“ Ok . Concussion, but Ok .”

Cady grabbed for his hand. “He’s allowed to stay here as long as he remains in the chair.”

Todd squeezed. “I just made it in time.”

“Good,” Matt said.

“Come closer and hold your nephew.” Cady scooted over, wincing slightly.

Matt perched on the edge of the bed, and she transferred the bundle into his arms. Navy-blue eyes squinted up at him from a wrinkled red face. He looked a little like Yoda. “He’s perfect.”

Cady settled back on the pillows. “Meet Matthew George. MG for short.”

Matt didn’t bother to stem the tears.

MG was definitely perfect.