His posture changed in some indefinable way that put Leia’s senses on alert. She turned to look out the window, but there was nothing there. She told herself she was jumping at shadows, but the skin on the back of her neck continued to prickle. “Is there water in the cooler?” Dirk didn’t answer, so she stood and went to the cooler on the table. It was full of soft drinks and bottled water. “Want something, Bane?”
“I’ll take some water,” a soft voice said from the doorway. Leia wheeled and stared down the barrel of the gun Candace held in her hand. Her other hand held the small box of the artifacts that had been on the tree stand at Koma’s. “Surprised?” Candace asked with a gentle smile. “Toss me the gun, Bane.”
Twenty-seven
I wondered when you’d get here, babe. Untie me.” Dirk twisted so she could get at his bound hands, but instead of going to him, Candace shut the door behind her and strolled toward Leia to take the bottle of water from her hands. The gun never wavered. She picked up the gun Bane had shoved toward her.
Leia kept her gaze on Candace. The beautiful face still held no trace of evil or guile that she could see. The cornflower eyes had a disingenuous smile in them. The full lips were curved in what seemed to be genuine joy. She managed to smile at Candace. “Are you here to rescue us, or him?”
Candace uncapped her bottle of water and took a swig, but the gun didn’t waver. She set the bottle down with a deliberate motion. “Neither, I’m afraid.” She picked up a hank of rope and tossed it to Leia. “Tie up lover boy. Good and tight. I’m going to check your work.” Leia hesitated, but Candace’s beautiful mask slipped as her lips thinned, and her nostrils flared. “I’ve always liked you, Leia, but I forget those kinds of details when I’m mad. Do it now, or I’ll have to shoot him.” She gestured at Bane with the gun. “Sit down.”
Leia carried the rope to where Bane sat. She knelt in front of him, and he held out his hands.
“Hands behind the chair, idiot.” Candace strode across the floor and pointed the gun at Bane. “I’m losing my patience here.”
“Untie me, babe,” Dirk said again. Candace didn’t look at him, and he began to bounce in his chair.
“Shut up, Dirk,” she said. “I don’t want to have to shoot you too.”
Leia glanced at him in time to see his jaw drop. What was going on? She finished tying up Bane, then stood behind him. Candace’s perfume, a heavy floral scent, overpowered the room with a nauseating effect.
“Bring me the rope.” Candace pushed a camp chair in front of her and motioned for Leia to sit.
She didn’t seem to notice the tiny penknife Eva had dropped into the chair. Leia quickly slid into the seat and grabbed the knife as she sat so Candace didn’t catch a glimpse of it. Candace began to lash her hands together behind her back. Leia’s gaze met Bane’s. Candace finished her task and stepped back. Leia tipped her head to look up at her. “Why, Candace? Tony loved you.”
Candace gave an elegant shrug as she walked toward the propane stove. “He was getting suspicious about me and Dirk. Besides, I thought with him dead, you’d be quick to help me out, and I could use you to force your dad to give up the artifacts.”
“Did you feed him puffer fish?” Leia asked. Another incident floated to her memory. “It was in his fish oil capsules, wasn’t it? The ones you gave him before we went diving.”
Candace shrugged. “I had to time the effects. Once the poison took effect, all Jermaine had to do was cut the weight belt.”
“Jermaine? I thought he was one of Westerfield’s men.”
Candace smiled. “Jermaine was young and rather smitten. He wanted to please me.”
“There’s not really a baby either, is there? It was all a ploy to get my sympathy.” Leia knew her voice dripped with disgust, but it still didn’t match the level of contempt she felt.
“Candace, cut these ropes.” Dirk’s voice rose, and he thumped his feet on the floor.
She glanced back at him as she picked up the lighter. “You haven’t figured it out yet, have you, Dirk? I want it all. The money, my freedom. There’s going to be a convenient accident with the propane stove. Such a tragedy while you were waiting for help to arrive.” A smile played around her perfect lips. “But the murderer has been caught and deserves to die in the fire. I can play the grieving widow a few more weeks, then move to the mainland when I can’t make a go of the shop by myself.”
“No!” Dirk began to struggle against the bonds. “We’re going to be together.”
“You seemed so brokenhearted,” Leia murmured to Candace. She was actually sorry for Dirk.
“You mean like this?” Candace’s lips began to quiver. Tears made her eyes look luminous, and one rolled down her cheek. She dashed the tears away with the back of her hand and began to smile. “Tony was right about one thing—I was good enough to make it in Hollywood, but I never got the breaks. Maybe I will now. I’ve certainly had enough practice.”
“How—” Leia couldn’t finish.
“How can I cry at the drop of a hat?” Candace smiled. “I just remember how I felt the night my sister was crowned homecoming queen. That brings on the tears every time.”