Page 67

CHAPTER 67

T en minutes later, Olive was escorted into the interrogation room where Rebecca sat.

“You only have five minutes,” Monty said.

She thanked him and then turned back to Rebecca as the door closed. The woman sat on the other side of the table in the room, her eyes red as if she had been crying.

Olive lowered herself into a seat across from her. “So you were being extorted . . .”

That explained the burner phone and those photos of Willow she’d seen.

Rebecca didn’t make eye contact with her. “I actually was diagnosed with a spot of melanoma on my chest. That was real.”

“But it turned into all this?”

She shrugged, the action full of melancholy. “I don’t know what to say. Everybody was just so kind and generous, and it made me feel so good to see how they cared. I guess part of me didn’t want it to end, even after my spot of melanoma was removed and I was deemed okay.”

“So you faked everything?” It still seemed outrageous to Olive.

Still avoiding eye contact, Rebecca wiped underneath her eyes. “I’m not proud of what I did. And Matt really hated it. Then we tried to get out of it, and we got that anonymous letter from someone saying he knew what we were doing and would expose us unless we paid up.”

“That had to be a shock.”

“Matt and I felt like we didn’t have any choice but to keep going. Even when we tried again to back out of it, the stakes just rose. This guy started sending pictures of Willow, and letting us know that if we didn’t comply, she would be either hurt or taken from us.”

More tears welled in Rebecca’s eyes as she stared at the wall. Then all at once they began flooding down her cheeks.

“And I don’t know what will even happen to Willow now.” Her voice cracked as she said the words.

Against Olive’s wishes, her heart panged with compassion. “Where is Willow right now?”

“I was going to ask the police if Sabrina could watch her. But now that I know about Ellis . . .” She shook her head. “So she’s staying with Chelsea. I know she’ll be safe there, even if Chelsea is furious at me.”

“I’m sure she is.” There was no need to hold back the truth.

“This is all my fault, not Matt’s. He deserves to be free.”

“I guess that will be up to the court to decide.”

Rebecca’s gaze met hers again. “Were you ever really filming a documentary?”

Olive shook her head. “I was here to investigate you. Someone was very concerned that innocent people were being scammed.”

She didn’t bother to mention Chelsea. She’d told the woman she wouldn’t.

Rebecca didn’t say anything.

“I can only guess you’ll have to liquidate all your possessions and get rid of the beach house you bought. If only you could get the money back from all the trips that you took . . . but that’s gone now.”

Rebecca’s chin trembled, but she didn’t say anything.

Monty opened the door and indicated Olive’s time was up.

That was fine because she had nothing left to say to Rebecca. Part of her didn’t even feel sorry for the woman. She’d dug her own grave.

Sure, everything had blown up. But that didn’t change the fact that Rebecca had swindled innocent people out of their hard-earned funds.

Now, as Olive had told Rebecca, it was up to the court to decide what kind of justice she’d face.

That evening, Olive and Jason met at their favorite park—the one where they’d come when they were teenagers. The place where they first declared their love for each other.

So many memories flooded her, especially as she watched the sun set across the lake there.

They sat on a bench and watched the sky turn colors.

“I heard that all the money raised for the fundraiser is being given back to the people who donated,” Jason said quietly. “If they don’t want the funds back, it will go to a local cancer society.”

“That’s good to know at least. But there’s still been so much damage done . . .”

“You’re right. But at least we put an end to it. You put an end to it.”

She reached over and squeezed his hand. “You definitely helped. Besides, we looked into all this because of you.”

“I’m glad I could help.”

Olive let out a breath, heavy thoughts still lingering in her mind. “I still don’t know who that man was at my old house. But I don’t think he had anything to do with this case.”

“You think he had something to do with you? Your family?”

She considered what to say. Jason still didn't know all the details.

“My dad was up to some pretty dirty things—I’m still not sure what exactly. Even though more than eight years have passed since he died, that doesn’t mean his actions didn’t have long-lasting effects.”

Jason glanced at her and squinted. “So you think someone from your dad’s past has been watching you? That they followed you here, just waiting for you to go inside that house so they could attack?”

Olive hesitated another moment. “Honestly, I’m not sure. I still haven’t put all the pieces together.”

Then she told him about the text messages she’d received and the note reading “Like father, like daughter” that had been left for her at the house.

Jason grimaced. “I don’t like the sound of that.”

“I don’t either. But something from my dad’s past is still following me today. I need to figure out what.”

“I get that. I just don’t want to see you hurt in the process.” Concern filled his voice.

“Believe me, getting hurt isn’t my goal. But I have no idea exactly what’s in store.”

Another moment of silence passed as the sun sank deeper on the horizon.

Olive didn’t let go of Jason’s hand. It was a simple gesture, yet the action wasn’t full of promises she couldn’t keep.

“What’s next for you, Olive?” Jason asked.

She let out a deep breath. “Another assignment, I suppose. I’m heading back to Indianapolis after this, and I’ll see what Rex has waiting for me.”

“You ever get any time off?”

“I guess I would if I asked for it. But I usually don’t have much to do so I prefer working.”

“I see.” Disappointment tinged Jason’s tone.

Olive wished she did have an excuse. That maybe she and Jason could get together.

What would that be like?

“Ollie . . .” Jason started. “I still care about you. I’ve been trying to fight it. To make excuses as to why we can’t be together. And many of those reasons are valid. But that hasn’t changed my feelings.”

Her heart thumped in her ears.

She knew she should deny her own feelings and put an end to this before it started.

But for the first time in a long time, she didn’t want to.

“I care about you too, Jason,” she started. “But I don’t know what that looks like.”

“Maybe we don’t need to know what it looks like.” He shrugged. “Maybe some things are worth the risk.”

As Jason leaned down and brushed his lips against hers, she didn’t fight him.

In fact, she leaned into him and relished the moment.

Being with him felt just as good—if not better—than when they’d been teenagers.

As they pulled away, the two of them exchanged a soft smile.

“It’s a good start, at least.” Olive grinned again.

“I’d say.”

“Maybe I can see about taking some time off on occasion.” She shrugged. “After all, Chicago and Indy aren’t that far away.”

“I think that sounds like a great idea.” Jason leaned in for another kiss.

When the sun disappeared below the horizon, they both knew they needed to leave.

As they walked back to Jason’s Range Rover, her phone buzzed.

“One minute,” she murmured, pausing when she saw Nova’s name on the screen.

She quickly read the message. Then she read it again.

The blood drained from her face.

She had to be reading this wrong.

But she knew she wasn’t.

I’ve been working at the hospital. Found something strange and thought you’d want to know right away. That house where your family lived? I told you a shell corp owned it. It turns out that shell corp is connected with Lloyd Stewart.

Olive’s throat burned.

Lloyd was Jason’s father.

Why in the world would he own that property?

She glanced up at Jason as he leaned against the SUV waiting for her, a grin on his face.

Her heart twisted as an ache captured it.

Did Jason know about the property? Was that why the first place he’d gone when he arrived in town was to Olive’s old house?

She wasn’t sure.

But until Olive found out, she couldn’t trust him—even though she wanted to more than anything.

~~~

Thank you for reading Deception . If you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving a review.

Coming next: Artifice .

Three missing teens. One coastal retreat. Zero room for error.

When the teenage son of a prominent Boston family vanishes from Lighthouse Harbor—an exclusive therapeutic retreat for troubled youth—private investigator Olive Sterling is called in to find him. The pristine coastal town appears picture-perfect, but beneath its charming New England exterior, something sinister lurks.

Going undercover as a wealthy benefactor, Olive infiltrates the rehabilitation center where something doesn't add up. Strange behavior from the staff, whispers of experimental treatments, and a suspicious death labeled as an accident all point to a dangerous conspiracy. As two more teens disappear, the stakes escalate.

Complicating matters is “Sean,” a curriculum consultant whose penetrating questions and convenient timing make Olive question his true motives. Their undeniable attraction only adds to her confusion—is he an ally in her investigation or someone with his own dangerous agenda?

With time running out and a storm approaching the treacherous coastline, Olive must uncover the truth before another life is lost.