Page 118 of Mercy (The Sins Trilogy 3)
Blackmail Margot Blackwood?That icy, disdainful woman? Sam didn’t have what it took to intimidate or manipulate someone like her, even with a recording. I can’t imagine her saying anything that could put her in a situation that would allow Sam to bend her to his will. “I already played the music box. It’s just Debussy’s ‘Claire de lune.’”
“Did you wind it all the way up before playing it? And let it wind all the way down?”
I shake my head, placing a hand on his bruised knuckles. “Do you think whatever Sam had is attached to the end?”
“I don’t know.”
“Should we just give the music box to your mother? I mean, we don’t want her to be worried about whatever Sam had falling into the wrong hands. Like Marty’s.” The item means nothing to me. Regardless of my personal feelings toward Margot, nobody deserves to have something nasty out there that can be used to manipulate them. Despite the fallout between Tony and Margot, she’s still his mother, and he probably has some feelings for her.
Tony looks at me for a moment, thoughts fleeting through the dark green depths of his eyes. Then finally, he looks away. “I want to listen to it first.”
“Why?” What if it’s something humiliating and embarrassing for Tony? Isn’t it better to not know?
“Because I have to be sure.”
* * *
Anthony
Ivy is looking at me, concern clouding her eyes. It’s a little hard to take, because I can’t shake the nasty feeling that Mother had something to do with Ivy’s disappearance and coma.
After the cops took Marty away, I came home and brooded, imagining a hundred different scenarios that Sam could’ve used to blackmail Mother. And of those, which ones would lead him to send the recording to Ivy.
I keep coming back to one thing: he thought Ivy wouldn’t give it back to my mother. Which means it’s got to be something that would be personally upsetting to Ivy.
Mother and Ivy haven’t been in touch for nine years. The only thing that would upset Ivy enough to not hand it over to Mother would be if it had something to do with the accident on the highway.
I don’t know what Ivy will do when she finds out. I don’t know what I’ll do. But I’d rather be sure, rather than spend the rest of my life wondering.
Ivy squeezes my hand. “It could be just something embarrassing, nothing serious. Or maybe it really is some terrible secret. Knowing it is going to change things… and might make your mom angrier with you.”
“Angrier?” A hollow laugh tears from me. “That…isn’t possible.”
Sadness fleets over Ivy’s beautiful, expressive face. I run my thumb over her cheek, wishing I could erase the shadow, hating it that I’m partially to blame. If I’d just stayed away, like Mother warned me to, maybe nothing would’ve happened to Ivy. On the other hand, I doubt I would’ve been able, even if I could have seen the future.
“I need to know, Ivy. For my own sake.”
“Okay. The music box is in my office.”
“Let’s go now—” I shake my head, appalled at how impatient and thoughtless I’m being. “Actually, why don’t we grab dinner first?”
Ivy puts a hand on my shoulder. “Are you going to be able to eat?”
Not really, but that isn’t important. “You must be hungry.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“You’ve been busy, and—”
She puts a finger over my lips. “I can go to the office and grab the box. I have an access key for after hours. Why don’t we do that and pick up some takeout on the way home?”
