Fidelity (Infidelity #5)

Nox looked to Deloris who shrugged. “No idea,” she said.

When the limousine came to a stop, Nox didn’t wait for either Clayton or Isaac to open the door.

“What is happening?” he called as he jumped out of the car. “We’re leaving.”

I climbed out behind him.

“Mr. Demetri, Miss Collins,” Officer Emerson said.

“Please tell me this is a going-away party,” I said.

“No, ma’am. We’d like to take you back to the city.”

“No.” My head moved back and forth. “I don’t care what my stepfather has decided to do. Talk to Daryl Owen of Preston, Madden, and Owen. He represents me. He can deal with Alton Fitzgerald’s next power play.”

“Ma’am, Mr. Owen is aware we’re here.”

I opened my purse and pulled out my phone. Though I hadn’t heard the notification, I had one text message.



Daryl Owen: “YOU’RE NOT A SUSPECT. DON’T SAY MORE. I’LL MEET YOU AT THE STATION.”



I looked up, my brows knit together. “Suspect? What is he talking about?”

“It doesn’t matter. We’re leaving,” Nox said, placing his hand in the small of my back as the stairs to the private plane moved slowly to the ground.

“Mr. Demetri, we must insist.”

“No, you must not.”

“Stop,” I said. “Tell me what Alton has done. What bogus thing has he concocted?”

“Ma’am, your stepfather was found dead in his bedroom this morning.”

I fought to breathe. Had my childhood wish finally come true? “What?” I looked up to Nox in amazement and shock. How could we be happy about life with so much death?

“We have a few questions for both of you. There are eyewitnesses who say that you, Mr. Demetri, threatened Mr. Fitzgerald.”

“Who?” Nox asked.

“Come down to the station. We’ll get your statements and then, hopefully, you can leave.”

Nox reached for my hand.

“This can’t be happening,” I said.

Nox turned to Officer Emerson. “Fine, we’ll follow you.”

“No, sir. I’m sorry, but we’d like each of you to ride in a separate police car.”

“Why?”

Officer Emerson tilted his head. “We need your separate statements.”

Separate.

No. We were much stronger together.

“Charli?”

“I just want to go home. If this will get us home, fine.”

Deloris came closer.

“We’re headed back to Savannah,” Nox explained

“Did something…?”

I slowly nodded. “Yes, Alton died last night.”

Deloris’s hand covered her lips. “How?”

“We aren’t releasing any details at this time,” Officer Emerson said.

The room was the same. The same concrete block walls. The same two-way window. It was the same room where Chelsea and I had made our statements about Bryce, when we’d come voluntarily. Technically I was again in the room voluntarily. It was just that this time it felt different.

The door opened and Daryl Owen entered. His dark brown eyes were filled with concern. “Alex?”

Leaning against the far wall, I closed my eyes and wrapped my arms around my midsection. “I can’t believe it.”

“They’re going to ask you about Lennox. Everyone in that room at Hamilton and Porter heard him threaten Mr. Fitzgerald’s life. Can the two of you account for where you were last night?”

“Yes. We were at the hospital. They didn’t release me until this morning. Nox stayed with me.”

“There are doctors and nurses who can testify to his presence?”

“And the bodyguards he had posted outside my room. And…” I reached into my purse. After a prolonged look at the small gray peanut, I handed Daryl the grainy picture. “See in the corner. It’s dated today and time-stamped at 12:42. Nox and I were at the hospital all night.”

Daryl held the small paper. “You’re pregnant?”

“I am. We weren’t planning on telling anyone, not yet.”

“Is it…? I don’t have a polite way to ask this…”

I straightened my neck. “I never slept with Bryce. The baby is Nox’s. I didn’t know, but I’ve been pregnant since before I came back to Savannah.”

“The implications… the will… the divorce wasn’t filed, but now Mr. Fitzgerald is dead.”

“My baby is not a chess piece to be strategically placed in a plan to win Montague. Besides, if Alton’s dead, whom would his assets go to but his wife?”

“His son.”





“HIS SON IS in jail. His son is going to rot behind bars after what he did yesterday, not to mention the dead woman on his property. And furthermore, never in all of my life had Alton claimed paternity. You’re telling me he’s done it now?”

“It was a new will, just signed and witnessed two days ago.”