The Iron Tiara

“Van also spouted off about being screwed over by some guy they recommended he hire. Have either of you ever heard the name Ben Diamond?” She looked at Anthony, then Christy.

Anthony watched to see if Christy’s expression would give away that she’d heard that name before. Shasta had told them both that Veronique had mentioned the name to John the night of Christy’s attempted murder. Anthony hadn’t been able to verify the man’s existence or if he’d had anything to do with Veronique’s sudden decision to show up at his house and then the camp. His gut was telling him there was a connection, but the only people who would be able to verify it would be the missing Ben Diamond, Van or Veronique. He would interrogate the latter in the most painful way possible.

“No.” Christy shook her head. “That’s not a name I’ve ever heard. What about you Anthony?” She turned to look at him.

He was impressed with her poker face and had the instant thought that maybe he should teach her how to gamble.

“Never heard the name. What did Van say he hired him for?” Anthony asked, although he was certain he knew the answer.

“Well, he never said while he was being recorded. And of course, he hasn’t told us anything else since he’s been arrested because it’s a sure thing that whatever it is will only implicate him further.”

Anthony nodded, secretly relieved that if Ben Diamond was the reason behind Veronique’s visit to his house and the camp, it would never come to light. If they found the man and he led them to Veronique, it might interfere with what Anthony had planned for her.

"And if the two lawyers recommended him to Van they must be able to tell you how to get in touch with him," Anthony added, fishing for more information.

"True," the woman admitted. "We tried the number they gave Van, and of course it's been disconnected. They fessed up to using this man before, but said that after a job, he always got a message to them that included a new name and phone number. If this Ben Diamond screwed over Van like Van claims he did, it's safe to assume that Mr. Diamond will not be giving the lawyers a way to contact him. There's no doubt he's long gone and won't be coming back."

Anthony nodded.

“I need to speak to Christy alone,” Detective Cochran said as she stood up, the meeting obviously over.

Anthony and Christy stood up as well and Christy said, “I’ll walk you to the door.” She gave Anthony a look that said she would explain later.



That night after they’d made love, Anthony held her close and asked, “Do you want to discuss what Detective Cochran told you about your mother? I’ve been waiting for you to bring it up, Owani. Do you need to talk?”

“No. There isn’t anything to talk about. Other than starting paperwork to declare her legally dead, there’s not much else to say.”

They were silent for a moment when she added, “I guess you think I’m awful. I’m not even sure if I believe she’s dead and worse yet, I’m not sure if I care. Does that make me heartless?” She leaned up on her elbow to look down at his face.

“I don’t think you would even know how to be heartless, Owani,” he told her as he pulled her face to his and planted a kiss on her nose. He then kissed her chin, each eye, her forehead and then finally, her mouth. She pulled back and continued to look down at him.

He saw the pain in her eyes and softly caressed her cheek with the back of his hand, the dimness in their bedroom not hiding the stark contrast in the color of their skin. Not loving her parents the way a child should didn’t surprise him in the least. But Anthony knew it was more than that. Her lack of love for Van and Vivian went deeper. Anthony suspected that Christy clung to many secrets hidden in her heart and he’d patiently waited for her to reveal them to him. To trust him enough to share a deep pain he’d recognized in her eyes long before the incident at the camp.

For two months they’d spent hours wrapped in each other’s arms, their lovemaking going beyond the physical. With each kiss, each caress, each whisper they experienced a mating of their souls that connected their hearts. He reveled in being the first to teach her about the physical aspect of intimate pleasure and she brought that facet to a new plane for him. An emotional one that he’d never experienced before. She’d invaded his heart, his muscles, his bones. Christy even flowed through his blood, and he knew that any separation from her would be tantamount to having his heart ripped from his chest. Since he would never give her up or let her go, he knew that he would have to settle for being there when she finally decided to share her hidden pain. And when she did, he would help her heal from whatever she’d kept locked away. This was his woman; he would give her as much time as she needed.

She removed herself from his arms, plopped back on her pillow, and stared at the ceiling. “I've been trying to help Detective Cochran with something,” she blurted out. Before he could reply, she added, “The reason she wanted to talk to me privately was to discuss our little arrangement and I told her before she left that I was going to tell you anyway so she didn’t have to be so secretive. She didn’t mind. As a matter of fact, she thought someone like you might even be helpful.”

“Someone like me?” he asked.

“Yeah, you know. A criminal.”

He chuckled and said, “Let’s hear it, Owani.”





Chapter Thirty-Eight





Naples, Florida 1978





Still staring at the ceiling, Christy explained to Anthony how she had suspected that Van was somehow involved in her grandmother's death four years before.

"Christy," he said, his voice gentle. "Wasn't Bobbi in her late seventies when she died? I understand how your hatred of Van would cause you to suspect him of every bleak circumstance that happens in your family, but thinking he caused your grandmother's demise, a woman in her seventies, might be pushing it. He had nothing to gain from Bobbi dying."

Christy sat up and crossed her legs. Looking down into his face she absentmindedly started drawing circles on his stomach when she told him, "Yes, he did have something to gain. His freedom. I think Bobbi must've figured out what he was doing with the dealerships. She would've had him sent to prison."

This comment caught Anthony's attention and he asked, "You mean how he's poorly managed them and they're losing money? I don't think you can send someone to prison for being stupid."

"No. It'll be easier if I explain from the beginning." She took a deep breath and said, "Bobbi was in perfect health. Yes, she was seventy-eight, but she was active and spirited and robust for her age. But the fact that she was considered elderly caused the local coroner to waive an autopsy."

"Okay..." he said, not understanding where she was going.

"An autopsy might've proven that she didn't die from natural causes, but Vivian had my grandmother cremated so now we can never be sure."

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