Page 18 of Trial of Deceit (The Family’s Oath #1)

Jediah’s smugness and nonchalance were infuriating.

Ashari couldn’t stop the tear from rolling down her cheek.

It fell onto her side of the book. Jediah paused to look over, and Ashari broke from her trance and slammed the book shut.

She grabbed it and stood, turning her back to him as she heard him stand.

“I won’t betray you. Can I go back to my life now?” she asked, hoping he ignored the break in her voice.

“There’s no life to return to.”

She sneered, still refusing to look at him, and said through gritted teeth, “I know that. I just want a chance to say bye to the kids at the daycare.”

“Okay,” he said before leaving the room.

The tension left her shoulders, and she fell to her knees and sobbed until her sobbing morphed into cackles. That brief interaction with Jediah was maddening. But she didn’t mind. She’d needed to be insane to play his sick game.

Regardless of her history, she was Senior’s daughter. The F.B.I. might not want her back after the many omissions she’d made in her reports, but she’d come too far to turn back now.

Jediah Richardson would go to prison if it was the last thing she did, but first she had to make him believe that she was truly his, and not the protégée of Toby Payne.

As the last parent and child left, Ashari slid her hands into her back pockets and looked around the room. She sadly smiled at the hand paintings on the left wall. Charlie had done them with the kids.

This daycare had lost some of its light, a bitter secret Ashari would have to hold on to for a long time.

A worker came up behind her. “Yu wan’ close up, Ash?” she asked. “Today should be Charlie’s day, but she naa answer anybody call.”

“Really? Me did outta town, so me will drop by her apartment when me go home today,” Ashari lied through a smile, and the worker nodded. “I’ll close…” Her voice trailed off as something caught her attention from the front window.

Reine was across the road, screaming at a guy who was rubbing at his neck. She stopped yelling, and he reached for her. She stepped back, wagging a finger at him before storming off. The guy looked at her as she walked away before sighing and walking away in the opposite direction.

Ashari waited to see if any of Jediah’s guards would pop out and follow the guy or Reine, but no one did. Worry seeped into Ashari. Was Reine okay?

“Close up fi me,” Ashari said to the worker. She grabbed her bag and ran out of the daycare. She caught up to Reine and grabbed her arm. “Reine, you good?”

Reine shook her head. “Mi boyfriend upset me.”

Ashari’s brow raised. “Jed allows you to have a boyfriend?”

Reine shook her head. “No, yu know how him stay…”

Ashari pursed her lips. She knew all too well. Jediah had only allowed her out of the abandoned wing after she showered and gained enough weight.

“Please don’t tell him,” Reine continued.

“I won’t…” Ashari’s voice trailed off as she stared at the mark on Reine’s arm from the guy’s tight grip. “Why’d he do this to you?”

“Mi sleep over his house last night, but Jed thought I was at a friend. We have a big argument, then mi go sleep. I woke up this morning with him atop of me when him know mi don’ ready and—” Reine held her head down, covering her face and choking on a sob.

Ashari laid a hand on Reine’s shoulder, rubbing it. “I’m so sorry, Reine… You should tell Jed.”

She shook her head. “Him a go get mad at me.”

Ashari thought for a moment. “Okay, here’s what you’ll do. Go clean up, get some makeup or a sweater to hide the mark, then go home. I have to run to my apartment, but I will check on you later.”

Reine nodded and forced out. “Thank you.” Reine walked away, and Ashari looked in the opposite direction, where the guy was walking toward a car park.

Ashari reached into her bag before tailing Reine’s boyfriend. He entered a car, and she snuck into the passenger side.

His eyes widened. “A no taxi this, lady! Come out!”

Ashari pressed a pocket knife against the man’s neck. “Shut up and drive.”

He nodded and obeyed. Ashari waited until they were on a street that had no cameras, then ordered him to park behind a dilapidated building.

She pressed the knife further into his neck. “You like taking advantage of women?”

“A Reine this ’bout?” he asked with a scoff, and she pressed harder. His grip tightened around the steering. He hissed as the blade pricked his skin, drawing blood. “Mi just gi her something fi relax.”

“What?” Ashari asked, and he motioned toward the glove compartment. Ashari kept her gaze on him as she blindly opened it, searching around until her fingers grazed a bottle. She pulled it out and looked at the label. She shook her head. “This is a roofie. You have no idea who you’re messing with.”

He scowled. “Who yu be fi care?”

“A woman who cares about other women,” she said, moving the knife from his neck.

She brought it down to his groin quickly.

A scream pierced the air as the knife ripped through his pants and lodged into his penis.

Ashari twisted the knife before withdrawing it.

She brought it down again, stabbing over and over until his screams were too much to bear, so she sliced across his neck to silence him.

She watched as he moved a hand from his groin to his neck.

Blood sprayed about the car, choking him while he reached for the door.

Ashari hit the lock on the passenger side, preventing his escape.

His body gave out, and he fell forward onto the steering wheel.

His pain struck eyes stared at her, blood dripping onto his lap as the horn disrupted the silence.

Ashari’s eyes widened upon realizing what she’d done.

She cursed before thinking quickly. She struggled to move the body onto the backseat without removing it from the car.

She couldn’t risk extending the crime scene.

Finding some wipes in the glove compartment, Ashari rubbed at her skin frantically.

She was clean on the outside, but the darkness inside her was growing.

Burning.

She reversed and drove the car to the last place she’d expected to go. She slowed the car before the gate.

The security guard walked toward her with a clipboard. “Place don’ open to the public, Miss.”

“I know…” Ashari said. “But you can let me in.”

He looked at her, then glanced onto the back seat. Ashari forced a smile, thankful she’d covered the man’s body with some clothes. “Wa dat?”

“You know say you shouldn’t question me?” she asked, and he looked at her.

“Lady, leave and don’ mek mi have fi move yu car.”

Her eyes narrowed on him. “I’m Jed’s wife.”

His brows furrowed, then he roared in laughter. “If Jed did even have a fiancée, mi woulda know.”

Wait… what? No one knew about his fiancée?

“Well, he does,” she stated firmly. “Go ahead. Call him. And you don’ need me name. Him will know a me.”

The man scoffed before walking away to the security hut.

Ashari tapped her fingers against the wheel, holding her breath until she heard a screech .

She exhaled as the gate opened, then the security allowed her to roll forward.

She glared at the guard while driving past him, heading to where Jediah had brought her.

She exited the car, and a worker came over. She told him what she needed, and he nodded.

Ashari couldn’t stay to watch, so she hurried back to the security post, hurled herself through the gate, and vomited until there was no vomit left in her.

She vaguely heard the security speak to someone over the phone. After she finished vomiting, he led her inside the security hut and offered her a bottle of water. She declined it. She sat on the chair, briefly looking up at the ceiling before closing her eyes.

Jaia. Charlie. Romar. Stranger.

Who was she becoming?

What would she tell Senior? She couldn’t think of a good lie. There was never a good reason to kill a civilian who was unrelated to the case.

Her eyes opened when a vehicle pulled up. A few seconds passed before footsteps stopped by the hut. She didn’t have to look to know it was Jediah. The strong aroma of tobacco was very telling. Only he would smoke such high quality cigars.

She stood, keeping her gaze straight as she walked past him to the car.

Jediah offered her a hand, but she declined and entered the car.

He sighed before he entered after her. He glanced at her before driving away.

She quietly looked through the window as they journeyed to a nearby building.

Ashari was so busy studying the structure of the one storey house, she almost didn’t notice when Jediah opened her door.

Her eyes dropped from his face, unable to bear his unreadable stare, and settled on his outstretched hand.

Irritability surged inside her, and she pushed his hand away, causing him to sigh again as she hopped out of the vehicle and moved a short distance away.

Jediah walked past her. “Come,” he grumbled.

Ashari wrapped her arms around her body before complying. Dried blood on her skin made her desperate for a shower.

Jediah held the door open for her to enter.

After taking a few steps inside, Ashari froze.

She snapped her head to the side, her breathing short and fast while panic surged into her eyes.

She dropped her arms to her side, keeping her fingers outstretched so she could easily grab any object and turn it into a weapon of defense.

This was the building Dimitri had killed Charlie in.

Ashari couldn’t die here.

“J-Jed—”

Jediah slammed the door shut and ignored Ashari. He walked past her to enter another hallway. Ashari apprehensively chased after him.

“Whatever you need will be in the room,” Jediah said while motioning his head toward a closed door. “Meet me out there when you’re finished.” He motioned his head down the hallway they came from.

She nodded and opened the closed door. It was a bathroom… One that had a shower.