“She mentioned that.” Paterno nodded. “Alex put it back in your jewelry box the next day.”
“And I thought I was going nuts.”
“She didn’t know how you broke into the office, though.”
“I stole my mother-in-law’s keys . . . was she in on this?”
“Nah! Clean as a whistle. Horrified by the whole mess. She knew Alex and Marla were having problems, and that the company was in trouble, but she had no idea how far it had all gone. I spoke with her and she was upset, but that nurse, Tom, he gave her a sedative and was seeing to her.”
“Good. What about Dr. Robertson?”
“We’re still talking to him, but he’s a big part of this, probably end up losing his license and doing time. As for the man you thought was your husband, Alex had already stopped by the nursing home earlier today and made arrangements for Conrad Amhurst. He’d already called his attorney, was anxious to get the estate probated and fast. But I guess that’s all water under the bridge now. The lawyers will have to battle it out.”
“I just wish it was over,” she said.
“It will be. Someday.” Paterno slanted her a look. “This was all about money, you know. The Cahills were nearly broke, Alexander had lost a bundle in the market and other investments, then his hush money—to Reverend Favier—”
“The Reverend Donald,” Kylie muttered.
“Yes, to him and to Monty and to Phil Robertson all added up. The donations to this hospital and Cahill House were lavish, all hush money. Alex’s only chance to pull out of it was for Marla t
o inherit. When you balked at letting him and Marla keep the baby, he faced financial ruin. He couldn’t allow that and hired Monty to kill ‘Marla,’ as they’d had an affair a few years back and she’d tossed him over. Even Monty was duped. He didn’t know that you weren’t the woman he was trying to kill until he saw her walk into the bedroom earlier today.”
“Where is he?”
“Another hospital. Under guard. His right arm will never be the same, but it won’t matter. The way I figure it, he’ll be locked up for the rest of his life and maybe then some. His sister is with him. Shocked, of course, but praying for his soul.” Paterno snorted. “She’s gonna have to come up with a lotta Hail Marys and Our Fathers to get the guy upstairs to find forgiveness for Montgomery’s black soul.”
“I don’t think the Holy Trinity of God church employs the rosary.”
“Maybe they’d better start. It works for us Catholics.”
They took the elevator to the basement parking garage and Paterno led her to a squad car. “This isn’t normal procedure you understand.”
“But then you’re not exactly a ‘by the book’ kind of cop, right?”
“You got it.” She looked through the window and found herself staring at her half sister.
“You two sure look alike,” Paterno observed.
“A curse.”
Marla’s eyes thinned in a silent, horrid fury. Her makeup had long since faded and if looks could kill, Kylie would already be six feet under. “Got anything you want to say to her?” Paterno asked, and Kylie shook her head.
“It’s all been said,” Kylie thought aloud, and all the envy she’d once held for Marla turned to pity and disgust. “I need to be upstairs with Nick.”
“Just thought you’d like a chance to tell her what you think.”
“Later. In court.”
Marla glared through the glass, her pretty mouth pulled into a sneer of disapproval, and though Kylie couldn’t hear the words she spouted, the one she recognized was “bastard.” The barb used to hurt. Now she didn’t care.
“Take her away,” Paterno said to the officer in charge.
He couldn’t see, couldn’t speak, couldn’t . . . oh, God, he couldn’t move his hand. He tried to pry open his eyes but his eyelids wouldn’t budge. They weighed a ton and seemed glued shut over eyes that burned with a blinding, hideous pain.
“Nick?”
There was a touch, someone’s cool fingers on the back of his hand. “Nick, can you hear me?” The voice, kind and female, sounded as if it carried from a great distance . . . far away, from a spot on the other side of the pain.