Page 48 of Relentless
“And this is Ethan Warwick,” Kara said.
Evelyn drew back as her gaze swept over him. He had the uncomfortable feeling of being examined. Like a bug or something under a microscope. After a beat, a slow, knowing smile spread across Evelyn’s face. “So, we finally meet,” she said, holding her hand out. “I wasn’t sure I’d ever see her pull her head out of her ass about you.”
Ethan barked a laugh, and Warren chuckled. Kara turned beet red.
“It took a while,” he said, shaking her hand. “But we got there, and that’s all that matters.”
Evelyn nodded. “At the end of the day, yes, that’s all that matters. Now, come in for some lunch. It’s nothing elaborate, but it will give us sustenance and something to do while you tell me why you have two security guards following you.” She gave Cass and Bill, who’d remained on the perimeter of the property, a pointed look.
“It’s complicated,” Kara said.
“It usually is,” Evelyn replied, ushering them in.
When they were seated around the table, their plates filled with cold chicken, pasta salad, and fruit, Kara relayed what she knew about Sunil, Shelley, and Danielle. Then she told Evelyn about HICC’s suspicions and what they were doing to investigate. She also asked if Evelyn would be willing to talk with Sabina and her team about her recollections of their last assignment.
Evelyn was aghast at the implications. If Ethan was reading Warren’s reaction right, he thought the woman had just gained herself a full-time bodyguard. He didn’t know if the man was qualified, but he’d suss it out before they left.
“Of course, I’d be happy to talk to your sister. What more can I do?” Evelyn asked.
“Just stay safe,” Kara said, reaching over and squeezing her friend’s arm.
“Could you answer a few questions about your accident?” Ethan interjected, nodding to the crutch that rested against the wall.
Evelyn’s brow dipped, and Warren frowned. “Of course,” Evelyn replied. “I’m happy to tell you, but it was an accident.”
“It sounds that way. But we believe Sunil’s was, very expertly, also made to look like an accident,” he said.
She pursed her lips, then nodded. “Of course. It was after the rehearsal dinner, and I was stringing some special lights along the path from the reception area to the wedding suite.”
“Did anyone know that you were planning to do that?” he asked.
She hesitated, then nodded. “Several people. Friends and family, of course. And because it was something the staff would normally take care of, I had to convince them to let me. It took a lot to get them to agree, but eventually, they did. Had to sign a waiver, of course,” she added with a wry laugh.
“Why did you feel the need to string them yourself?” Kara asked.
“It was…something special between my niece Hayden and me. When she was very young, she used to have nightmares. My sister’s husband is Hayden’s stepfather. Her biological father died in a car accident when Hayden was four. She was with him. As you can imagine, it took its toll on her.” Evelyn paused, her mind no doubt going back to that time. Then she continued. “She used to love Tinker Bell. I know Tinker Bell sometimes gets a bad rap, but when Hayden was young, she loved the little fairy. At some point, a story evolved between the two of us that Tinker Bell was always watching out for her. And if she was ever scared, all she needed to do was follow Tinker Bell to find love and safety. When she’d come to stay with me, I’d fill her room with little Tinker Bell lights and then line the hallway from her bedroom to mine. That way, if she woke with a nightmare, her way to me would always be lit.”
“That’s very sweet,” Kara said, her voice soft.
“When my niece and Remi decided to marry, I was overjoyed. He’s a wonderful young man who absolutely adores her. I got it into my head that I would string the pathway from the reception area to the wedding suite with the same Tinker Bell lights I’d strung when she was a child. I wanted to remind her that Remi, and her marriage, were where she could always find safety and love.”
Ethan hesitated before asking his next question. The story, and Evelyn’s reasons,wereincredibly sweet. But that didn’t mean someone else hadn’t taken advantage of that.
“You said several people knew?” he asked. “Who, specifically?”
Evelyn considered the question before answering. “Well, not Hayden and Remi, of course. But my sister and her husband knew. As did the staff at the venue. Aside from finagling their agreement, they had to provide an additional electrical supply and set up the posts along the path that I attached the lights to.”
“And did anyone on your last work trip know about the wedding?” he asked.
Kara shot him a look, obviously picking up on his trail of thought. Was it possible that Evelyn had inadvertently mentioned it to the killer and he, or she, had used the information to their advantage?
Evelyn’s brow furrowed as she no doubt sifted through her memories. “I don’t travel with my own computer so used one at the hospital to order the lights,” she said. “Sunil was there. Peter and Lucky popped in, too, but didn’t linger. Astrid and Shelley were there as well. Shelley helped me pick out the right ones.”
“So you and Shelley talked about the wedding?” he pressed.
She nodded. “We did. Quietly, of course. I didn’t want to upset Astrid after, well, I assume you know what happened to her fiancé. I’m not sure if Sunil heard or not. If you’re thinking someone might have known my plan and then rigged the ladder to fall, that leaves a lot to chance. Especially since it was completely random where I set the ladder at each post. Not totally, of course. But the exact spot was arbitrary. And the ground was only wet in that one area because a sprinkler had leaked earlier in the evening.” She paused then flashed a smile at Warren. “Warren happened to be walking by and caught me.”
“Not quickly enough. You still hit the ground and hurt your ankle,” the man said.
