Mistress of the Game

chapter Thirty-Five

24 HOURS LATER

SUNLIGHT FLOODED THE WHITEWASHED ROOM. GABE opened his eyes and quickly closed them again. "What time is it?"

"Almost noon. You've been asleep for hours."

Lexi was walking around the room naked, opening the wooden shutters. Outside, the Indian Ocean lapped at the sand. Their private beachfront villa had spectacular views of the ocean on one side and of the paradise island of Ihuru on the other. Lexi had bought the house years ago for a song, back when property in the Maldives had crashed. Now it was once again a valuable piece of real estate.

Not valuable. Priceless.

There were about fifty countries around the world that did not have extradition treaties with the United States. Unfortunately for Lexi, most of them were either impossible to get to, especially at short notice, or were the sort of backward, festering dumps that made the idea of a stretch in federal prison start to look appealing. Lexi had no intention of raising Maxine in a refugee camp in Cambodia, or winding up as an exotic item on the menu in Equatorial Guinea.

And why should I when I have the perfect honeymoon house sitting waiting for me?

"Where's Max?" Gabe sat bolt upright in bed. He was sweating. "The crib's empty! Someone's taken her!"

"Relax." Lexi came over and kissed him. "She's downstairs with the housekeeper. We're safe here, darling. We're together. You don't have to worry anymore." Pulling back the sheet, she slipped into bed beside him.

"Let's make love."

It was their first time as husband and wife and it was beautiful. By rights, Lexi should have felt tired. It had taken a day and a half to get there. Thirty-six hours in which she'd eaten nothing and not slept more than a few snatched minutes.

After Danny French sailed her safely to the mainland, he drove two hours into rural Maine to a friend's farm. From there, Lexi hitched a ride on a single-engine crop duster to a larger, private airfield where a jet was waiting to fly her to Le Touquet in northern France. Then it was on to London, switching planes again before the longest leg of the journey.

Gabe was already in the villa when Lexi arrived, passed out on the bed with one arm draped protectively over Max's crib. She touched his arm and he awoke, hugging her tight, his relief too profound for words. Seconds later, they were both deeply asleep.

Now, lying naked in Gabe's arms, their lovemaking over, Lexi felt more awake and more alive than she had ever felt in her life. There was so much to do. She sprang out of bed and opened the closet, looking for something to put on. None of the clothes looked familiar. She hadn't been to the house in years.

"What's your hurry?" Gabe yawned, watching her discard one dress after another. "You're supposed to be on a honeymoon, remember?"

"I know, honey. But I have a lunch meeting at the Angsana Resort. I can't show up for it naked." Settling on a plain brown sundress, Lexi slipped it over her head.

"A lunch meeting? Here? Are you serious? Who with, for God's sake?"

"With my lawyer, of course," said Lexi. "He checked into the hotel last night, just like we arranged. If anyone can prove my innocence, it's Mark Hambly."

"Darling," Gabe reminded her gently. "You aren't innocent."

Lexi looked at him reproachfully. "Whose side are you on?"

Mark Hambly sipped his chilled Chablis and handed Lexi the latest copy of the Wall Street Journal.

"Congratulations. You made the front page."

Lexi scanned the article impassively. As usual, the Journal was frighteningly accurate on the facts. She was more interested in the picture. Some bright young thing had gotten ahold of a shot of Lexi in her wedding dress. She looked stunning. I was so right to go vintage. She returned the paper.

"You have to get me off this, Mark."

"I'll do my best."

"I can't stay here, I'll go crazy. I have to get back to the States."

"Whoa, slow down a minute, would you? You only just got out of the States. And that wasn't easy."

"I want my company back."

Mark Hambly laughed. "One thing at a time, Lexi. Let's focus on keeping you out of jail, shall we?"

"What do you suggest?"

Mark explained the various possibilities for a defense: Eve Blackwell was known to be of unsound mind. Lieutenant Carey hadn't followed proper procedures.

"But your best bet, honestly, is to pin all this on Kolepp. I don't know how you'd feel about that."

Lexi shook her head. "Uh-uh. No way. I can't do that to Carl."

"Why not? The guy's in Paraguay, totally cashed out. He's happy as a clam."

"Even so..."

"Think about it. The feds can't touch him. And what does Kolepp need to go back for? Nothing. He's not married. His company's gone."

Lexi thought about it. Mark did have a point.

"Or..." The lawyer took another sip of his wine. "You could take a page out of Kolepp's book yourself."

Lexi frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I mean forget going home. Settle down here. Chill out. Retire. Make a life. I'm assuming you have offshore funds you can access?"

"Naturally."

"So, why not? There are worse places."

Lexi gazed out over the tranquil blue ocean. Twin sailboats bobbed on the horizon, bathed in pale butter-yellow sunlight. She thought about Gabe, still naked and asleep in their bed. And baby Maxine, content and sleepy in the housekeeper's arms. I love them so much. For a moment happiness flooded through her.

Then she thought about Eve Blackwell. Happiness turned to rage.

"No. I have to go back."

"Okay." Mark raised an eyebrow. "It's up to you. But, you know, even if I get you off the fraud charge, you're going to have a ton of civil suits against you. All your U.S. assets will be considered fair game. You'll be declared bankrupt. Gabe, too. I can't protect you from any of that."

"I know."

"You'll be poor, Lexi. You don't know how to be poor."

"I know. But Kruger-Brent..."

Mark said brutally: "Kruger-Brent is finished, Lexi. I'm sorry. But you have to face reality. There's no way back from this. Not this time."

You're wrong. There's a way. There's always a way.

Later that afternoon, Lexi walked alone along the beach. The seawater was as warm as a bath between her toes. A gentle breeze blew the hair back from her face.

It's so peaceful here.

Gabe and Maxi were back at the villa. Mark Hambly was already on a plane, on his way back to New York to face the music on Lexi's behalf. It wouldn't be long before word got out that she and Gabe were in the Maldives. When that happened, the sleepy island of Ihuru would turn into a war zone. The paparazzi would attack by land, air and sea. Lexi would retreat to the seclusion of the villa. It was beautiful, but it was still a prison. She had to savor her freedom while it lasted.

Sitting down on the sand, she unfolded a piece of paper. She'd only received it two days earlier, but already Eve's letter was worn thin with use. Now Lexi read it again for the last time. Her aunt's beautiful handwritten Palmer script leaped off the page.

425 5th Avenue

New York

October 12, 2025

Dear Alexandra,

May I call you Alexandra? Of course I may. If you're reading this, I have already gone to join my dear sister, your mother, in hell. The dead may do as they please.

They all think I'm mad. But I'm not. I'm the only one in this family who has kept her head. I should have been running Kruger-Brent from the start. Then none of this would have happened.

I know what you've done. I know everything. You were right to get rid of my son. Max was a fool, weak like his father. But did you really think you would get away with bankrupting my company? You're a thief, Alexandra. You stole from shareholders and you stole from me, just like your mother. Thieves must be punished.

The police are on their way. I've sent them another letter, detailing everything. You have no way out, Alexandra. Not this time. You and your friend Mr. Kolepp can reminisce about what might have been from the comfort of your jail cells. Jail is worse than you can possibly imagine, Alexandra. Take it from someone who knows.

May God curse you and your children, as He cursed me and mine.

Good-bye, Alexandra.

Your loving aunt,

Eve

With the letter still in her hands, fluttering in the tropical breeze, Lexi hitched up her skirt and waded into the ocean. She walked far enough for the water to reach the top of her thighs. Then slowly, deliberately, she began tearing the paper into tiny pieces, scattering them on the waves like confetti.

Good-bye, Aunt Eve.

Good riddance.

I may not have won the game. Not yet. But I'm still here. Still playing.

For Eve Blackwell, it was all over.

But for Lexi Templeton, the game went on.