Page 119 of Fatal Intent

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

GRANT WAITED FORRex’s response to his accusation. Either the man would come out fighting or he’d run. Grant figured the odds at 50/50 for running.

“You’re out of your mind,” Eileen snapped. “Why would Rex and I kill Beau? I loved him. He was everything to me and our children. He was Rex’s best friend. You don’t kill your best friend.”

“You can try to sell it, Eileen, but I’m not buying.”

“I adored my husband. On what grounds do you say otherwise?”

“Women who adore their husbands don’t have affairs while they’re still married.”

“What? How did you…?”

Gotcha. “The money trail always tells the truth.”

Rex took Eileen into his arms, glowering at Grant. “It’s not what you think. Yes, we had an affair. Beau was gone all the time and Eileen had to raise the kids by herself. She needed him but he kept volunteering for all these dangerous missions.”

“And you didn’t,” Elias said, voice soft.

“I went where the military sent me,” Rex said defensively. “But I didn’t deploy as often as Beau.”

Yeah, because Beau was one of the elite Rangers and his superiors sent him on tough missions.

“Don’t you understand? I had to help Eileen while Beau was gone. Look, we didn’t mean to fall in love. It just happened. Would you walk away from the love of your life?”

Grant shook his head, disgusted by what he was hearing. “Betraying Beau is bad enough. Murdering him is a new low.”

Rex’s hands fisted. “You have no proof. You’ve got nothing or you wouldn’t be here without the cops.”

Gino, Barry, Chase and Ellis remained silent, watching the proceedings play out. They didn’t seem surprised.

“All I want to know is who pulled the trigger? Was it you, Rex? Or was it you, Eileen? Did you hate your husband so much at the end that your rage fueled the desire to kill him and gave you the grit to pull the trigger?”

“You don’t understand,” she whispered.

“No, I don’t. I’ll never understand why you didn’t go to a lawyer’s office to file for divorce instead of asking your lover to help you murder a man who sacrificed everything to protect you and his children.”

“No.” Eileen shook her head, tears trickling down her cheeks. “You can’t know that. You don’t have proof.”

“It’s the only explanation for why a Special Forces soldier would willingly give up his life without fighting back. He sacrificed his life to protect you, Anthony, and Blaze. You and Rex set up a scenario where Beau believed you and the kids were in danger of dying and the only way to save you was for him to sacrifice himself. He was a man of honor and integrity. You and Rex knew that and took advantage of it.”

“Is this true, Eileen?” Seth asked. “You killed your husband?”

She spun around to glare at Rex. “You said no one would know it was me.”

Teagan folded her arms across her chest. “If I were you, Eileen, I wouldn’t believe a thing Rex said.”

Without another word, Eileen stalked away from the group.

Silence fell. Gino glanced at Chase and inclined his head in the direction Eileen took, then said to Rex, “Hope you put your affairs in order before you contacted us.”

Blood drained from Rex’s face. “You’re going to kill me?”

“Nope. You’re going to confess all to the cops.” A wintry smile curved Gino’s lips. “That’s the only way you’ll be safe from us.”

“But we’re friends. You can’t threaten me.”

“Want to bet? Beau was our friend, and you killed him in cold blood. Can’t think of a more fitting justice than for you and your woman to spend the rest of your lives in prison, separated from each other.”