Page 65

CHAPTER 65

E llis twisted his head, and his eyebrows rose as if he hadn’t expected to hear that. “You’re smarter than I thought.”

Olive continued to stare at him, determined not to show any weakness. “You think you’re just going to kill me and Mitzi and get away with it?”

“You’re both out-of-towners anyway with very few connections. When you disappear, people will just think you left.”

She let out a soft grunt. “People do know I’m here, you know. I mean, I don’t have many connections, but I do have some very powerful ones.”

“We’ll think of a good cover story.”

“Just like you thought of a good cover story for Maria?” She let out a quick chuckle. “Sorry to break it to you, but everyone knows her death was linked to this scheme of yours.”

Ellis’s gaze darkened. “I need you to stop talking.”

Good. She was getting to him.

“I’m just telling you the truth,” she muttered. “Your plan has some holes in it.”

“It doesn’t matter anymore! I have enough money that I can live happily for a very long time. I can leave town and go start a new life. I can practically buy my own island!”

“And you can let everybody else clean up your mess? How noble of you.” Olive shook her head, not hiding the disgust in her gaze. “And what about Sabrina and Paisley? Are you going to leave them high and dry?”

“Sabrina will never approve of this when she finds out. The best thing I can do for her is to leave and not tell her anything. It isn’t ideal, but I’m going to have to make that work.”

“Not ideal?” Olive scoffed. “Sleeping arrangements on vacation aren’t ideal. You’re talking about abandoning your family.”

Ellis’s nostrils flared as his irritation grew. “Stop talking to me like I’m an idiot! I know exactly what I’m doing.”

“And you were the one on the motorcycle,” she continued. “I should have known. You were borrowing Matt’s motorcycle, knowing that was another way of making him look guilty. You were taking pictures of Rebecca to use as blackmail. Then you spotted me and knew I was coming to town to do this documentary. It made you nervous.”

“Fine. You’re correct. Are you happy now? Yes, you’re a smart lady. And you put the pieces together. But your intelligence is not going to do you any favors right now.” He raised his gun toward her chest.

Olive swallowed hard and braced herself for what would happen next.

“You don’t want to do that,” Olive told Ellis as she stared at him again.

“You’ve left me no choice.” He spit out each word.

“You always have a choice. You don’t have to make this any worse for yourself. Killing me will only end with you spending more time in jail.”

“You don't know what you’re talking about! I’m not going away for this. I already have everything planned.”

Behind him, Olive saw Mitzi working her bindings. Could she get them loose?

“I think it’s really cute that you’re this optimistic.” Olive knew she could be pushing Ellis’s buttons. But she had to buy more time.

His nostrils flared as he stared at her. “You are really annoying, you know that? Your persistence is going to get you hurt one day.” He paused. “Let me correct that. Today. Your persistence is going to get you hurt today .”

He straightened his arm as he pointed the gun at her, his limbs trembling.

He usually had people do his dirty work for him, didn’t he? He wasn’t used to being the one taking the shots.

“You just need to give it up,” Olive said.

“I’ve worked too hard to get to where I am to give this up!”

The gun trembled even more.

He was trying to work up the nerve to pull the trigger, Olive realized.

With enough time, he just might be successful.

“Now enough talking!” he yelled.

Olive braced herself. She couldn’t reach him in time. Couldn’t get the ropes from her wrists.

Just then, Mitzi lunged out of her seat, the ropes falling behind her. She tackled Ellis.

His gun clattered to the floor.

Olive tugged harder at her bonds, trying to get away. But the rope was too tight.

Instead, she watched as she continued to work.

Ellis was surprisingly strong and fast.

He flipped Mitzi over, trapping her on her back and pinning her arms down.

As he glared at her, he called out some choice names.

Mitzi wasn’t as strong as she normally was right now. Not after being tied up down here all night.

Olive had to think of a way to help!

She tugged harder, determined to get these ropes off from around her wrists, even if it meant breaking her own thumb.

Ellis grabbed his gun and held the barrel to the center of Mitzi’s forehead. “That was a mistake.”

As Olive realized what he was about to do, she yelled, “No!”