Page 123 of Deception

“We have a roster.” He shrugged. “Turns out this pays much better than my old job. I just have to make sure nobody gets in my way. You were making that very difficult. I know you’re not a documentary filmmaker.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“And she’s not a temp worker at the hospital either.” He nodded at Mitzi.

“Dr. Peters is helping you, isn’t he?” Olive asked. “It’s amazing what people will do for a paycheck. Who’s the guy in the green Mercedes?”

“Just another one of my workers.” He paused. “But you do know that the fact you’re asking so many questions, and I’m answering them isn’t a good sign for you, don’t you?” He smiled.

“It means you’re going to kill me like you killed Maria and the nurse.”

CHAPTER 65

Ellis 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.