Deception (Infidelity #3)

I nodded again. The list came together in my mind: murder, abuse, hiding evidence, coercion of a judge, illegal activities including prostitution. Then it hit me. “The letter blamed me for Melissa Summer’s disappearance. Who would have any knowledge of that? And prostitution? That has to be referring to Infidelity.” I thought some more. “The writer called Charli Alexandria. It seems as though only her family uses that name for her.”

Deloris looked my way, her shoulders stiff as she contemplated. “It’s her name. Anyone who knows the Montagues of Savannah would refer to her that way. That isn’t enough for me to immediately jump to her family. I believe that’s the direction the writer wanted us to look. It’s the direction the person assumed would have the most impact on Alex.”

I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. “I shouldn’t have let her go.”

Both Deloris’s and my phone buzzed.

Text message.

Jerrod: “I JUST DROPPED MISS COLLINS AT 1214 FIFTH AVENUE. SHE SAID SHE WOULD SPEND THE NIGHT.”

“That’s Patrick’s building,” I volunteered. “At least she isn’t alone.”

Deloris nodded as she replied to the text message. When she was done, she said, “I’m glad she didn’t go to the apartment.”

“Get the surveillance set up there tomorrow. I want it complete. If she decides to move there, I need to know she’s safe.”

Unable to take the pressure anymore, I stood with an exasperated breath. “Fuck. This isn’t the way tonight was supposed to go.” I ran my palms over my stubbly cheeks. I should be balls deep in Charli right now, not sitting here with Deloris trying to put together pieces of a puzzle that didn’t fit.

“Did he walk her to Patrick’s apartment?” I asked.

“I assume he drove her to the building.”

Panic flooded my system. “I’ve been there before. He lives on the forty-sixth floor. Someone… anyone could—”

Deloris raised a finger as she put her phone to her ear. After a moment, she lowered the phone, disconnected the first call, and scrolled the screen. “I have Patrick’s number—”

“You tried Charli and she didn’t answer?”

What the fuck?

“She could have the ringer off.”

I paced back and forth, waiting for Patrick to answer. The anticipation set my already overwrought nerves into overdrive. Each one zinged to life until my skin felt stretched—too small for my bones.

“Mr. Richardson, my name is Deloris Witt. I work for Lennox Demetri.” Pause. “Yes, I see.” Pause. “Thank you. Please let her know that we wanted to ensure her safe arrival to your apartment.” Pause. “Thank you, Mr. Richardson. Goodbye.”

My lungs filled to capacity. “She’s there?”

“Yes. She wasn’t with him at that moment, but she’s there, in the apartment.”

“Wasn’t with him?”

“He said she was changing clothes. Lennox, she’s safe.”

I tried not to think about the black beaded dress she was no longer wearing or the gorgeous body that was now clad in something no doubt more comfortable. I didn’t want to imagine her across town, instead of glistening with perspiration beneath me.

“She was right.”

I turned incredulously at Deloris’s assessment. “Right? About leaving?”

“Not about leaving, but about stopping her. You couldn’t stop her.” Deloris shrugged. “I’m not doubting your ability, but legally, you can’t make her stay here.”

“I could if her Infidelity contract were real.”

“If it were…” she said, contemplating her response, “…you could appeal to her commitment to that agreement, but you couldn’t use it as justification in a court of law. Don’t forget, Infidelity doesn’t exist.”

For probably the first time, I wanted it to exist. I wanted Alexandria Collins’s signature beside mine. I wanted the right to demand her return. When I didn’t respond, Deloris spoke again.

“The most important one?”

I narrowed my eyes. “What are you talking about?”

“Alex said that though she’d read an entire laundry list of accusations claiming everything from abuse and extortion to murder, that she only asked you about the most important one.”

“Jo.” My one-word answer was all I could say.

“And you answered her. You told her you weren’t responsible.”

I shook my head. “I told her the truth. Didn’t you see how fucking frightened she was when you entered her office?”

“Lennox,” her tone softened. “Call her. Talk to her. Don’t let your guilt over Jocelyn infect what you and Alex have.”

I paced the length of the living room and stared out at the lights of New York City. From high above, the streets were filled with taillights, creating red ribbons of moving and stationary cars. Even late into the evening, traffic flowed in fits and starts.

“I can’t talk about it. I can’t think about it.” I spun back around. “If I do, if I try, it’s like living it all over again.” I shook my head. “Fuck. Make sure Charli’s safe. We both know the truth. The best way to ensure Charli’s safety is to keep her away from me.”

“Lennox.”

I hated it. But now that I’d said it, I knew I was right. “Find out who wrote that letter. Find out who knows my secrets.”

“Whomever that person is needs to be stopped.”

“First, I want to know why.” I took a deep breath and tried to look at the letter from a different angle. Not from my perspective, but from the writer’s. “What was the objective?”

“It specifically told Alex to get away from you, to leave you.”

“So it worked. Who besides Edward Spencer would benefit from that? Who besides him would want us separated?”

“What do you know about her family?” Deloris asked.

“I know she speaks regularly to her mother. I know the calls exasperate her. I know that her stepfather had something to do with taking away her trust fund. And from the business world, I know he’s an arrogant ass who, like Oren, believes deals are made with greased palms over Cognac.”

I turned back to the lights. If I took a step back, the window became a colorful mirror reflecting my own image. Instead, I stepped closer. The man in that reflection disgusted me. Charli deserved to be with someone who was above reproach, above the accusations in that letter. I didn’t want to believe that person was the slimebag Spencer.

My gut twisted as I turned again.

“How is there a connection between Edward Spencer and Melissa Summers?”

Deloris’s eyes met mine. “I tried to tell you. You said you didn’t want to know.”

“I fucking want to know now.”

“He’s the grad student.”

What the fuck?

“How had I not put that together?”

“Because you didn’t want to see it. You didn’t want to associate Alex with someone like Edward Spencer.”

“Where’s the letter?”

“Lennox, even with a tissue, fingerprints can be smudged. It’s better not to touch it.”

“What did it say about Melissa?”

“Just a minute.”

Deloris walked into the kitchen. I waited as cupboards opened and closed. When she returned, she had three large plastic bags, the kind that zipped closed at the top. With care and precision, she gently inserted each page into its own bag. Finding the right page, she handed it to me. My eyes searched for the passage.



Alexandria, I’m scared to death.

I also think he’s behind framing me with Melissa. He could be the reason she’s missing. By getting rid of her, he can remove me from your life.

Lennox is dangerous.

I’m begging you. Your mother is begging you.



“He’s saying I’m dangerous but he’s the one who raped and beat Melissa Summers?” My mind spun. “If Melissa dated him…” My stomach turned with the revelation. “…couldn’t she have told him about Infidelity?”

“She would’ve had opportunity. But by the letter of the agreement, she wasn’t allowed to tell anyone.”

“Obviously, she didn’t follow the agreement to the letter because if she had, she wouldn’t have dated someone other than her client.” I lifted my brow. “Do you still doubt that this was written by Spencer?”

Deloris pursed her lips. “I don’t think he, the Montagues, nor the Fitzgeralds have the ability to circumvent my security. Did he write it? I can’t answer that. Did he put it in here? I can answer that unequivocally no. I need to take these and dust them first. I should also dust the apartment… if we haven’t already done too much damage.”

“You want me to leave?”