Page 145 of Rescued by the Single Dad

“You don’t get it, do you? You ... your whole family ruined my life. Your brother in high school, and you, blabbing to the authorities, which had my dad sent to prison.”

“Your dad helped my father hide my mother’s dead body. He was also just as dirty as my father was. Tangled up with gangs and drug traffickers. They deserved to go to prison.”

A muscle ticked at the corner of Inez’s jaw. “My mother made us move away.”

Brooke considered for just a moment to say, “At least you still had a mother.” But she thought better of it and kept quiet.

“We never could escape the scandal. Never could get back on our feet. She killed herself when I was nineteen.” Her bottom lip quivered a little, and the gun in her outstretched hand shook.

Was Inez having second thoughts?

Was Brooke actually getting through to her?

“Oh, Inez, I’m so sorry. I had no idea. You never told me.” She narrowed her gaze. “In fact, you’ve led me to believe your mother is still alive. You’ve gone to visit her before.”

None of this made any sense. This was the first Brooke heard of Inez’s mother killing herself. Why didn’t she say anything until now? Why didn’t she tell the truth?

Also, how long had she been planning all of this? To sexually extort a twelve-year-old and blackmail her father, that had to take time. A lot more time than the thirteen days since she pushed Brooke off the yacht.

Inez’s gaze hardened again, and her hand stopped shaking. “You moved to L.A. and built yourself this dream life. Forgetting all the lives you destroyed.”

“I turned in my father because he killed my mother.”

“Only thinking about yourself. And that’s how it’s always been. Even as your assistant. Do you know what I have done for you? How hard I have worked for you? Securing you roles that you weren’t going to be offered.”

That itchy feeling returned.

Another lightbulb.

Brooke’s head shook, and the taste of sick coated the back of her throat. “No. No, no, no. Inez, you didn’t. How? Maren Gagne? Carol Warburton? Phoebe Watts? Please tell me you didn’t. Please, Inez.”

“You were better suited for that role than Maren. Everybody knew it. I cut her brakes.” As Inez unraveled the truth, so did she, looking even more unstable with every passing admission.

That sick taste intensified. Bile and acid formed a thick film on the back of her tongue. Her stomach spun.

“Carol ... wasn’t supposed to die. Or her husband. I just wanted to hurt her. Like Maren. Put her out of commission. But things escalated. They saw my face ... so ...” She shrugged.

Brooke’s eyes widened in horror. “And Phoebe?”

“Slipped peanut oil into her smoothie and made sure none of the epi-pens were where she thought they were. After Carol died, I just decided it was easier. Cleaner, honestly.”

“I ... I never wanted to get those roles because other actors died. I wanted to earn them. Oh God ...” She turned to the side and vomited up the grilled cheese she’d had for lunch with the kids. “You killed people, Inez.”

“I did it for you. Even after everything you did, turning in my dad, I loved you. And yet, you were still this selfish, ungrateful bitch. No matter how many times I told you Flynn didn’t deserve you, that you could do so much better, you just kept … ugh!” she growled. “Only when he started doing that shit to your phone did you finally believe me.”

Brooke’s mouth dropped open. “You deleted my messages, unplugged my charger and threw my phone in the pool?”

“Because you were being a fucking idiot. Did you ever clue in that it was me buying you gerbera daisies every week and putting them in your trailer?”

Brooke’s mouth still hung open. She blinked at the woman she thought she knew. The woman she considered a friend and someone she could trust.

Inez scoffed. “Of course not. Your head is so far up your fucking ass you couldn’t see what was right in front of you. You’re just the same bitch who ruined my life the first time. Who made my mother kill herself. And who never saw me as anything more than her fucking slave,” she screamed that last bit and the gun shook, her eyes taking on a maniacal gleam. “I've wanted to be like you ever since we were kids, Brooke. I idolized you. I even forgave you for turning in my dad when you gave me a job. I thought she loves me, too. We were like sisters. I ... wanted to be you. And I thought I had my chance, you know? I booked an agent, and they were starting to get me small roles.”

Brooke knew nothing about that. Why didn’t Inez say anything? Why didn’t she ask Brooke for help?

“I dyed my hair the same color as yours. I’m wearing green contacts.”

“Inez ... I had no idea you were interested in acting. I can help you. Let me help you.”

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