Page 87 of My Ex-Fiance's Best Men

“A…” He pauses to go over the note in his hand. “Crystal Baldwin.”

Penny sits up. “That’s her sister. She’s a target of our investigation, as well.”

“Well, shit,” Wayne aptly concludes.

“How is that even possible?” Penny asks. “Phoebe hasn’t gone in front of a judge, bail hasn’t even been set. I thought you were going to speak to the ADA?”

Did Crystal find out about Phoebe’s arrest from the media? Did her mother tell her? Maybe Helen spotted them during the raid.

Either way, we need to find Phoebe, and fast.

28

PHOEBE

“Thanks for bailing me out, I guess,” I mumble.

“You’re welcome. It’s what sisters do, right?” Crystal replies, both hands tightly clutching the steering wheel as she drives us to Manhattan.

“Sisters. Right,” I mutter. “How’d you know where I was?”

“It’s all over the news,” she says with an ugly laugh. “Though it took me a while to find out what precinct you were in. That was a pretty big raid, apparently.”

“Yeah, I did not see it coming. Where are we going? Where’s Dominic?”

“Fuck if I know. Dominic is the least of your concerns, though.”

She won’t look at me, and it’s bothersome, to say the least. A bad feeling creeps up my spine, quick to replace the temporary relief I experienced when Crystal came to my jail cell, accompanied by a police officer.

I sift through my purse with trembling hands. “I don’t have my phone.”

“You’re not going to need it,” Crystal bluntly replies.

“Okay, what is going on here?”

“You made a huge mess, Phoebe, that’s what’s going on. I thought I could help you, I thought I could get Mom to back down from the whole inheritance thing.”

“You did?”

I sound surprised, and for good reason since Crystal has been working hand in hand with our mother to screw me over. A moment passes in heavy silence as I gaze at her profile. She looks tired underneath a hastily applied layer of concealer and light powder. Crystal never leaves the house looking less than perfect. I notice her hair isn’t brushed, either.

She doesn’t seem to care, her fingers nervously tapping the wheel as she takes a tight turn.

“Crystal, talk to me.”

“What do you want me to say, Phoebe? Your lifestyle choice might’ve been shaky at best for Mom to use against you in court, but this arrest? The illegal gambling? It’s a huge scandal. Baldwin Enterprises will never recover unless you do your part.”

“My part?”

“She’s waiting for us at the office. That’s where we’re going.”

“To do what, Crystal?”

“You need to avoid the legal shitstorm headed your way. I’m sorry it has come to this. I thought I could stop her, but you gave her just the right ammunition with this stupid stunt.”

My blood boils. The rage pulls a red veil over my eyes as I struggle to breathe and find the right words in my defense. This is beyond ludicrous.

“Crystal, she was there!”