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“It’ll matter to my parents,” I say. “They’ll ask me. They’ll want the truth from me.”

I think about it for a moment before my stomach drops and I answer my own question. “She knew about Belyaevskin. That he was hospitalized and dumped his evidence with journalists. She must have. Why else would she wait this long to post her video? The timing is more than coincidental. You can’t tell me she couldn’t have jumped into her car when Ellis was asleep and took off. Or even if she didn’t trust their private security and thought they were loyal to Ellis, she could have talked to anyone while they were in protective custody on the base after the attacks. Atanytime she could’ve asked for help. Ellis didn’t have a gun to her head 24/7, and we all know it. She damned sure hasn’t been a hostage for the past couple of years. She posted her video to get ahead of the news about Belyaevskin and save her own skin.”

Leo’s sigh tells me all I need to know. “Try not to think about any of that, pet. Itreallydoesn’t matter now.”

“Any word on those other fuckers being apprehended?” I ask.

“In progress,” Jordan says. “They’re trying to locate them now.”

“Well, at least now we know why McMurtry really cancelled their Secret Service detail,” Leo says.

We focus on him.

“Because Ellis knew they’d report him to law enforcement,” he explains. “Protective details will overlook a lot of sketchy shit that’s unethical, but the active planning of a crime? Especially of this magnitude? Fomenting domestic terrorism?” He shakes his head. “Ellis knew the agents would turn them in. This wasn’t covering up marital infidelities. The agents would have worn wires and gotten every bit of intel they could to lock him and his cohorts away for life. This was a long-term plot. Years in the making.”

“And Stella went along with it,” I weakly croak.

“I don’t think so, pet. From his own words it sounds like Ellis kept her out of the loop. Choose to believe the best.”

“After how she lived her life?” I bitterly snort. “I don’t think I can give her the benefit of the doubt.”

Yeah, giving her the benefit of the doubt would be taking the easy way out. Especially when I know the truth must be far more complicated than Stella admitted.

Plus, she thought she’d survive this. Meaning I can’t believe she would have recklessly told us everything. It was yet another of her endless attempts to make herself look as good as possible and portray her actions in the best possible light so she could hopefully escape any charges being filed against her for being an accessory after the fact.

Like she wanted the weight of public opinion on her side before she begged me—or Ciro—for a pardon.

Actions the public would agree with her taking after she’d exposed the conspirators and claimed she suffered under an abusive spouse.

Right?

How shitty is it that my thoughts go there in the first place? About my own little sister?

Except…Leo’s right. we’ll never know the full truth. Not now.

Meaning I’ll remain forever mired in a limbo where I believe my sister was a co-conspirator and simultaneously a victim. Part of me will always grieve there’s no longer the potential to have a genuine, close, loving relationship with her.

Ironic, huh? I spent most of my life living in a closet.

My sister died in one.

CHAPTERSEVENTY-SIX

Since Leono longer has security clearance to be in the SitRoom, even though I could break protocols and order that he’s allowed there, I know he won’t let me do that.

“I’ll handle the logistics of bringing your parents here immediately,” Leo says. “Let Jordan take care of you downstairs, okay?”

I nod.

Jordan gently herds me into our bathroom and gets me cleaned up, makes me wash my face, brush my teeth and gargle, gets me a fresh shirt and tie, and another blazer.

I stand there as Leo sits in the wheelchair and watches Jordan tie my tie for me and fits my cufflinks in place.

Leo holds his hands out to me, wiggling his fingers. “Pet.”

I turn and take his hands.

He squeezes them, hard, and waits until my gaze focuses on his. “Let Jordan, Casey-Marie, and Declan do their jobs. And Angie, obviously. All right?”