No Place to Deceive Read online

  “It wasn’t my idea.” Charles waved her off. “Every night Heidi fed the idea to me. We’ve got to get him out of the picture, Charles, she kept begging. Then we’ve got to get rid of the other wife, too.”

  Olivia felt a long chill rise through her body. “You’re the one who made the threatening call to Christine?” she breathed.

  “That’s right.” Charles threw his head back. “I wanted the other wife to know what was coming up ahead. That way she’d be more jittery, and slip up. She’d look over her shoulder wherever she went and make big mistakes. That’s how it happens.”

  “Heidi sent you down to Key Biscayne to take out Mort first though, didn’t she?” Olivia glared at him. The pieces all suddenly fit together. “You two killed Mort in cold blood.”

  “That’s right, Heidi sent me down.” Charles grinned. “It’s a shame you asked me so bluntly. I got there right before the storm and waited for the bastard. We knew he’d be there because that’s what he did, walked in that spot at the beach during all kinds of weather. The idiot enjoyed storms, enjoyed trouble. The minute I saw him I rushed up to him from behind, grabbed him, and put my hands around his neck. He gave one shout, tried to twist around to see me, but it was over in a second. I threw him down onto a big rock, standing there, and he died the minute his head hit it. It was too quick, too easy. Then I had my fun, bashing his face in.”

  “Your fun?” Olivia was breathless.

  “You never said it was fun before,” whimpered Heidi.

  “We all have our fun in our own ways, don’t we, honey?” Charles pulled Olivia a little closer to him.

  “You’re both monsters,” Olivia breathed, furiously.

  “Oh, really?” Charles sneered as his hands started closing around her neck.

  Outraged, Olivia suddenly rallied. She decided to use her last burst of energy to swing sideways into Heidi and with her full strength, knock her down.

  Olivia lunged to the side and crashed her body into Heidi’s. Stunned and off balance, Heidi fell to the floor with a sudden shriek. The next sound Olivia heard was Heidi’s head knocking on the wooden floor. Then her painful moaning.

  “What the hell did you do? What the hell happened?” Charles was beside himself as he swiftly let go of Olivia and swooped down to Heidi’s side. “Heidi, Heidi, open your eyes. Talk to me.”

  In that moment Olivia gasped for air and, trembling, fled out the open back door into the backyard. Once outside she dove into the tall bushes in the yard, hiding. Her heart was pounding. She was here, she was alive. She crouched down for dear life and drank in the cool evening air. Outside it was silent. Charles did not come out after her. Olivia had no idea what was going on inside.

  First thing she had to call Wayne, and then she’d find a path to the driver waiting for her at the end of the driveway.

  Wayne picked up the instant his phone rang.

  “I’m in the back of the house, hiding,” Olivia whispered.

  “Hiding?” At first Wayne seemed uncomprehending. “Don’t move. Stay where you are. I’m not far away. I’ll have local police get there instantly.”

  “Not far away?” Olivia was confused.

  “I took the next flight after yours.” Wayne breathed hard now. “I couldn’t let you do this alone.”

  “Heidi was at the address Nate gave me with her lover. Heidi’s lover tried to kill me, the way they killed Mort. They did it together.” Olivia could barely speak. “I had my recorder on with me. It’s over. We’ve got them.”

  “My God,” breathed Wayne, “you were right again! How could I have been so stupid? Please, please forgive me!”

  CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

  It seemed like no time at all before Olivia saw a swarm of police spreading out over the back of the house. What had happened to Heidi inside? Olivia kept wondering, as she stayed crouched and motionless inside a tall bush. Charles had not come out either, looking for Olivia. He was either frightened of being discovered or probably assumed Olivia was gone after all this time. Of course that didn’t mean he wouldn’t be after her shortly. Olivia knew too much now to be safe.

  As one of the policemen came close to her hiding place, Olivia stuck out her arm to reach out for him.

  “Oh my! Okay,” he muttered under his breath. “Don’t move. I’ve got your back.”

  The policeman slowly took Olivia’s arm and pulled her out of the bramble, beside him. Her dressed was torn, her face scratched, and Olivia felt as though she would faint.

  “Your partner’s on the way,” the policeman whispered to her. “The other cops are going into the house now.”

  Olivia cringed, not knowing what they would find. Was Heidi still alive? Was Charles there with her? Or had he killed Heidi too, to wipe out the evidence?

  “I heard you’re a heroine,” the policeman said to her excitedly. “Congratulations.”

  But Olivia couldn’t make sense of what he was saying. Instead, at that moment, she saw someone running toward her from the side of the house. To Olivia’s deep relief, it was Wayne.

  “Olivia,” Wayne called out, pulling her to him. “You’re okay?”

  “I’m fine,” she whispered.

  “I’m sorry, so sorry.” Wayne’s words tripped all over one another. “I realized what an idiot I was when you boarded the plane and I immediately took the next one. You mean so much to me, too much! That’s why I’ve been such a fool. It won’t happen again, though, I promise. Forgive me, please.”

  “I’m so glad you’re here,” Olivia whispered, putting her head down on his shoulder.

  “Glad isn’t the word for it,” Wayne answered, as he held her closer, then gently picked up her face and once again drew Olivia into a long, powerful kiss.

  *

  Police soon circled the house, creating a dragnet before a few officers decided to venture inside.

  Dead silence surrounded the area, as everyone waited to see what they would find.

  To everyone’s relief, in a few minutes the police emerged with Heidi and Charles, alive and well. A flurry of activity took place then as both Heidi and Charles were immediately tossed into a police car, which swiftly took off down the road.

  “They’re both alive, they can walk!” Wayne was ecstatic. “Case solved.”

  “I thought they’d both be dead,” said Olivia, “that they’d kill each other off.”

  “Don’t worry, they’re as good as dead now, with the evidence you’ve got,” Wayne murmured.

  “I have a cab waiting for me down at the end of the road,” Olivia said. “Let’s go to it.”

  Olivia felt a bit wobbly as she started to walk. Wayne propped her up as they headed to the cab, which was still waiting for Olivia down at the end of the road.

  “What’s going on?” The driver turned to greet Olivia.

  “Thanks so much for waiting,” she whispered.

  “Sure thing,” he replied. “Something told me there as going to be trouble as soon as you left the cab. I mean, I immediately thought, what the world is a young woman like her doing in a place like this? Then, later the police poured in.”

  Olivia and Wayne got into the car and the driver pulled away then, turning on the radio.

  “Case of man murdered in Key Biscayne solved,” came blaring over the news.

  “Solved? Solved?” the driver exclaimed. “Is that what happened here? You solved the case?”

  “The news is out already.” Olivia turned to Wayne.

  “Once again, the bravery of Olivia Wells has turned a tragedy into a victory,” the reporter went on fervently.

  Olivia and Wayne smiled at one another as they drew closer together. “I’m so proud of you,” he whispered. “Thank God you didn’t listen to me!”

  Olivia smiled. “I listen a lot of the time and I value your input. This time I just couldn’t.”

  “And you were right, one hundred percent right. Not only that, to celebrate we’re leaving for a vacation immediately after everything has settled down,” Wayne
added. “We’ll go anywhere you like. You need it, I need it.”

  The idea sounded wonderful to Olivia. She couldn’t think of anything better than being away alone with Wayne. “Can’t wait,” she said, snuggling closer to him.

  “And we’re going even if other calls come in for cases,” Wayne added. “And they will, I guarantee you. The phone lines in our office are probably ringing off the hook now that the news has come out. But remember, this time, it’s us first.”

  “Agreed,” said Olivia as they drew together in a long embrace, and as Wayne had predicted, her phone started ringing.

  “Don’t pick it up,” Wayne warned. “Some will be calling with congratulations and some will be desperate to hire both of us for a case that’s just waiting to be solved.”

  *

  There was one stop that had to be made, though, before Olivia and Wayne could depart. The next day both families gathered in the police station in Nashville. It was odd to see them all together now. The sense of both shock and relief in the room was palpable.

  Calia and Nate, looking devastated, sat on the side close to one another. Penny and Lance were standing beside both of them, offering comfort. On the other side of the room, Angie had his arm around Christine, and Andrea sat by herself at the end of the table, tapping her fingers on it solemnly. She looked dazed, forlorn, and frightened. Chief of Police Andy Pern was also there, to oversee the meeting.

  The moment Olivia and Wayne entered, everyone stood up in appreciation.

  “I know I speak for everyone here when I offer incredible thanks to both Olivia and Wayne,” he started.

  “Yes, yes, thank you, thank you,” everyone said all together.

  “I was just waiting for you to get here,” Pern added, “before I make a few announcements.”

  All eyes turned to Pern in anticipation.

  “This has definitely been a rough road for everyone here,” Pern started. “Not only does the police force wish to formally acknowledge and thank Olivia and Wayne, I’m sure the families do as well. We’re in awe of the bravery displayed by Olivia and the outcome of the case. This was the last thing anyone expected.”

  “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” those in the room repeated again.

  “Right now, the case is officially over,” Pern continued. “Heidi and Charles are in custody without bail.”

  Everyone gasped. It was shocking to hear that so conclusively. The case was over; what happened next?

  Pern then turned to Andrea. “And,” he continued, “the information Andrea contributed was essential to solving the case. Therefore, we’ve received the request that any other possible charges be dropped.”

  Andrea’s head dropped down when Pern said that. Olivia knew Pern was referring to possible blackmail charges against Andrea. She wondered who had requested that they be dropped.

  “This request was made by Mrs. Christine Townsend,” Pern went on.

  Andrea’s eyes shot open and she stared at Christine. “Really? Really? Thank you,” she murmured.

  “Thank you,” Christine responded back to her.

  Christine’s response surprised Olivia tremendously. It seemed like her ordeal had changed her. Was it possible that something positive could come out of this nightmare?

  “Naturally, we are concerned about the well-being of both Calia and Nate,” Pern continued then.

  “I’ll see to it that they’re cared for,” Lance spoke up boldly, the new head of the family now. “If Calia and Nate wish they can come to live in Key Biscayne and my sister and I will look after them.”

  Calia’s head dropped into her hands as she started sobbing. “I do want to come, I do,” she murmured. “And Nate will come with me, too.”

  Lance put his arms around both of them then. “I’ll do my very best for you, I promise,” he said.

  Christine and Angie got up then and walked over to Olivia. “You did a wonderful job, both of you,” Christine said as she threw her arms around Olivia. “We’ll never forget this.”

  Penny ran over and joined them, close to tears. “We lost a father but now we have two new siblings. Who knew?”

  Olivia felt overwhelmed. This was why she did what she did. There was no better reward than moments like these. Wayne, too, was deeply touched.

  “Nothing in the world makes us happier,” he replied, “than to be part of the healing.”

  “What’s next? What are you doing next?” Lance came over and joined Wayne and Olivia.

  “Well, for starters, Olivia and I are taking a little vacation alone,” Wayne announced proudly.

  “Good for you,” said Penny, smiling. “You’ve definitely earned it.”

  Wayne smiled. “Yes, we have and it’s definitely time,” he responded.

  But Pern swiftly interrupted. “Well, maybe it’s time and maybe not,” he said. “Right now we have at least three urgent calls for Olivia and Wayne.”

  “Oh no,” breathed Olivia as everyone shuddered.

  But she wouldn’t be taking any of them.

  At least not now.

  COMING SOON!

  Book #6 in the MURDER IN THE KEYS series!

  Please visit Jaden’s site, where you can join the mailing list, hear the latest news, see additional images, and find links to stay in touch with Jaden on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads and elsewhere:

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  Books by Jaden Skye

  THE CARIBBEAN MURDER SERIES

  DEATH BY HONEYMOON (Book #1)

  DEATH BY DIVORCE (Book #2)

  DEATH BY MARRIAGE (Book #3)

  DEATH BY DESIRE (Book #4)

  DEATH BY DECEIT (Book #5)

  DEATH BY JEALOUSY (Book #6)

  DEATH BY PROPOSAL (Book #7)

  DEATH BY OBSESSION (Book #8)

  DEATH BY DEVOTION (Book #9)

  DEATH BY BETRAYAL (Book #10)

  DEATH BY REQUEST (Book #11)

  DEATH BY ENGAGEMENT (Book #12)

  DEATH BY SEDUCTION (Book #13)

  DEATH BY TEMPTATION (Book #14)

  DEATH BY INVITATION (Book #15)

  DEATH BY WEDDING (Book #16)

  THE TOM’S RIVER SAGA

  A PERFECT STRANGER (Book #1)

  MURDER IN THE KEYS

  NO PLACE TO DIE (Book #1)

  NO PLACE TO VANISH (Book #2)

  NO PLACE FOR VENGEANCE (Book #3)

  NO PLACE FOR MARRIAGE (Book #4)

  NO PLACE TO DECEIVE (Book #5)

  THE KILLING GAME

  INVITATION TO DIE (Book #1)

  INVITATION TO MADNESS (Book #2)

  INVITATION TO AGONY (Book #3)

  Tap here to download Jaden Skye books now!