Page 109 of Don't Bet On It
“But—”
“Tallulah, let us do this,” Zach insisted, drawing my eyes to him. “This is our problem. He’s always been our problem. He’s only as bad as he is because we let him get away with murder for a very long time. We’re going to make sure that when we put his coffin in the ground this time that he doesn’t crawl back out.”
“That’s exactly what we’ll do.” Cora stood. “Give me an hour. I’ll have the lawyers put together contracts for the board members in question. Zach, I need you and Ruby to talk to them. I’m going with Tallulah.”
“No problem.” Zach shot me a sympathetic smile. “It’s going to be okay, Tallulah. Nobody blames you for this.”
I blamed myself, though. That was the problem.
Ronan’s hand landed on my back, warm and comforting. “I’m going too,” he said, his eyes on Cora as if daring her to argue with him.
“Of course you are,” Cora replied, not missing a beat. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
WE WENT TO SHARON’S TRAILER. IT WAS MIDAFTERNOON,which meant she was likely getting ready for a night out on the town. She slept until three o’clock most days and didn’t even bother venturing out until after eight o’clock. Her car was in the driveway, so I knew she was home. Still, I dragged my feet during the walk up to the front porch.
“It’s going to be okay,” Ronan assured me in a low voice when we reached the front door. “I’ll be here with you for all of it.”
I smiled sadly. “I just… Whenever I think she can’t surprise me, she always manages to do just that. It’s disturbing how often she manages to pull it off.”
“You had the misfortunate of being raised by a selfish individual,” Cora said, reminding me that we weren’t alone. “On one hand, you benefitted from it. You’re a survivor, and that will never change. On the other, you were never allowed to be a child. That’s not fair, and that’s not right.
“If I could go back in time and save you from this, I would,” she continued. “I didn’t save my own children from the machinations of their father, and I regret that.”
“Not everything should fall on your shoulders,” I argued. “She’s my mother. She’s not your responsibility.”
“She’s not your responsibility either,” Cora replied. “Unfortunately, I think that’s the one lesson you still haven’t learned.” She reached over and squeezed my hand. “Perhaps one day.”
I held her gaze for what felt like a really long time and then nodded. “Maybe one day.” I felt stronger when I knocked on the door. Then I took a step back because I knew exactly what to expect when Sharon answered.
Sharon was in a pink feathery robe when she appeared, her hair pulled back from her face and thick eye makeup on one eye. She was clearly in the midst of her evening preparations, exactly as I’d thought she would be.
“Tallulah.” She smiled but didn’t look happy to see me. “And the boyfriend.” Briefly, her gaze rested on Ronan. When she flicked her eyes to Cora, I was gratified to see the color draining from her features. “Mrs. Stone,” she said in a low voice. “I was not expecting you.”
“I should think not.” Cora smiled, but her gaze was icy when it locked with Sharon’s suddenly cloudy stare. “May we come in?”
Sharon shook her head, as if emerging from a dream. “Of course. Where are my manners?” She stepped back and gestured for us to come inside. “Please, have a seat.” She gripped her hands together as she led us into the tiny living room. I hadn’t been inside the trailer in years—I had no reason to visit the woman—but nothing had changed. It was a little more rundown, which was to be expected, but the decorations were exactly the same.
“I have to admit that I’m a bit thrown,” Sharon said. Ronan and I sat down on the couch, but Cora remained on her feet. Apparently, she didn’t think this would be a long conversation. “I never expected to see you in my home.” She smiled at Cora again, although she was obviously nervous.
“It wouldn’t have been my first choice,” Cora confirmed. “Since you’re openly plotting with my ex-husband, though, I figured it was best to get this handled.”
When the situation warranted it, Sharon was a good actress, which was about to go on full display. Her mouth dropped open in apparent abject surprise. “What did you just say?”
Cora, however, seemed fed up. Ryder had made the last two years of her life absolute hell. She appeared to be well and truly over the entire situation. “You heard me.” She gestured to the remaining chair in the living room. “Sit down, Sharon. We need to get to this.”
“I don’t think I like your tone.” Sharon sniffed.
Cora made a big show of sitting down herself and gestured toward the remaining chair again.
On a long-suffering sigh, Sharon did as instructed despite her defiant attitude. “In fact, I know I don’t like it,” she lamented.
“You’ll live.” Cora was blasé. “So, here’s the situation.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “We know that you slept with several Stone Group board members in an effort to collect blackmail information for Ryder. He’s going to use your proof, which I’m guessing is photos or videos, to try to force his way back on to the board.”
Sharon reminded me of a cartoon character, her eyes were bugged so far out of her head. “W-w-what?” She was like an animal in a trap, prepared to gnaw off her own limb to escape.
“You heard her.” My voice came out chillier than I expected. When I looked at this woman, all I saw was disappointment. She was supposed to be the adult. She was supposed to have taken care of me. Because of her, I was an unholy mess. I wanted that to stop. I wanted to be a better person—for Ronan.
And for myself.
