Lucas admitted to himself that Devin was a wild card, never more so than now. “She knows the stakes for Amelia,” he answered evasively.

“Could she have found something out?” asked Ivan.

“Yeah,” Craig added. “Like the truth about her sister’s marriage?”

“There’s no truth for her to find out,” Lucas all but shouted. “Konrad loved Monica.”

“You’re protesting a little too much,” said Craig.

Lucas pinned him with an angry glare. “I’m protesting exactly the correct amount. Konrad’s not here to defend himself-”

“Understand our positions,” said Ivan. Sweat had popped out on his forehead. “Steve knows we’ve been loyal to you.”

Byron moved ever so subtly to position himself behind Lucas. “I’d hoped y’all were loyal to honor and integrity. And that was something you had in common with Lucas.”

Peter lifted his glass in a toast to Lucas. “If Steve takes over, I’m walkin’.”

Lucas gave Peter a nod of appreciation, admiring the man’s reliability.

Craig sat forward. “It’s not that simple.”

“It’s exactly that simple,” said Peter, all traces of humor gone. “Either you’re with us or against us.”

“Code of the West,” said Byron.

“This isn’t some classic movie. Good guys against the bad guys,” said Craig. “It’s complicated. And we have to think strategically. There might still be time to come to a deal with Steve.”

“Nobody’s making any deal,” Lucas stated with conviction.

“Speak for yourself.” Craig came to his feet. And after a moment’s hesitation, Ivan came to his also.

Lucas slowly rose to face them. “You two have obviously made your choice.”

“The writing’s on the wall,” said Craig. “Steve’s star witness is going to support him.”

Ivan tugged at his collar.

“Then good luck to you, boys,” Byron offered in a falsely hearty tone. “I hope Steve welcomes you both with open arms.”

There was a minute of uncomfortable silence before the two men left.

As the door banged shut, Peter leaned back and stretched his legs out on the rug in front of him. “Well, good to have the rats off the ship, I guess.”

Lucas grunted. “The ship’s still sinking.”

Peter swirled the golden brandy in the bottom of his glass and gave a shrug. “I can swim.”

Byron ambled over to an armchair and eased down into the thick cushions. “At least those two won’t be in the water to steal our life preservers.”

Lucas couldn’t help but chuckle. “I don’t think we have life preservers. I think Devin is going to hold our heads under until we stop struggling.”

“You must have really ticked her off,” Byron ventured.

Lucas wished he knew what he’d done. If he had a clue, he could at least try to fight back.


The ocean waves bubbled up on the rocky beach of the secluded San Juan Islands resort where Devin was holed-up with Amelia and Lexi.

Her lawyer Hannah Snow had taken the ferry from Seattle and now joined them on the wooden deck in front of the cottage, shaded by massive cedar trees that blocked the hot, noonday sun.

“Your only job is to tell the truth,” said Hannah, crossing her tanned legs beneath a simple, sleeveless, white linen dress. “The decision is up to the judge.”

Devin hated the thought of playing into Steve’s hand. But she wouldn’t lie to protect Lucas. She could live with any outcome, except for one where she lost Amelia.

“The judge understands why I left?”

Hannah nodded. “I only get to tell the truth, too. But I gave the judge a written brief. She’ll know you didn’t maliciously kidnap Amelia.”

Devin’s stomach clamped tight. “You didn’t use the word kidnap.”

Hannah reached out to pat Devin’s knee. “Certainly not. I told her about the reporters, and that you had to leave the mansion on short notice.”

Lexi chimed in from the padded, wooden bench swing where she’d curled up in a corner. “And that’s not shading the truth.”

Hannah quirked a smile. “No, it’s not. I also told her about Texas.”

Devin leaned her head back, scrunching her eyes shut against the crackling, blue sky. “I just want this to be over.”

Hannah came to her feet. “It’ll be over in three more days. You’ll come to the office Thursday morning?”

“I will,” Devin agreed. “Lexi is going to stay with Amelia.”

“Good. We’ll go over your testimony then.”

“Am I allowed to give my opinion on the stand?” Devin couldn’t help remembering Lucas’s accusations about hearsay and opinion versus fact.

“The truth as you remember it,” said Hannah, straightening her purse over her shoulder. “That’s all you need to do.”

“And let the chips fall where they may,” Devin couldn’t help muttering.

“The judge will make sure it’s fair, reasonable and legal.”

“Why doesn’t that make me feel any better?”

Hannah’s expression was compassionate. “You know worrying won’t help, right?”

Devin nodded. She was trying hard not to worry, but so many things were going wrong in her life lately. “Thursday, then?”

“I’ll be there.”

Hannah took her leave down the short staircase to the resort road where her rental car waited.

“I hope I’m not making a huge mistake,” Devin said, as the engine caught and Hannah put the sedan into reverse.

“Have you fully considered your other options?”

Devin had done nothing but fully consider her other options for three nights running. But there were no other viable alternatives. She couldn’t trust Lucas. She couldn’t trust Steve. And she couldn’t commit perjury for anyone.

“There are boats to Canada every day of the week,” Lexi pointed out. “Just say the word.”

Devin appreciated the sentiment, and the unwavering support, but going on the run was yet another non-viable option.

“I have to believe I won’t lose custody,” she stated. It was the only thing keeping her sane.

“I absolutely believe you’ll win custody,” said Lexi with a decisive nod. “Lucas is going to look like the manipulative creep that he is, and, in the end, you’re going to chalk this all up to experience.”

Devin forced out a laugh. “What doesn’t kill me, makes me stronger?”

“What doesn’t kill you, is fodder for your next book.”

“There is that,” Devin agreed.

She’d spoken to her editor last week, and they were interested in her book idea for Nice and Rich. They were also willing to give her an extension on the deadline for Snarled Traffic in the Information Age. Thank goodness.

“I’ll have to find a new rich family to study,” Devin pointed out.

“Byron might-” Lexi snapped her mouth shut.

A chill washed over Devin. “Are you still planning to see Byron?”

Lexi vigorously shook her head. “No. I don’t know what I was thinking. That just kind of slipped out.”

“Do you want to see Byron?” Devin was embarrassed to admit that her friend’s happiness hadn’t even crossed her mind. But it did now, and she felt incredibly selfish. Lexi and Byron had really seemed to have something going.

“No way,” Lexi denied. “How would I ever trust him? He was in on it the whole time. You caught Lucas talking openly to him about their schemes. No, I’m not going to see him. I don’t want to.”

Devin took in the flush on Lexi’s face, and the way she plucked at her khaki shorts while she talked, her gaze darting from her shorts, to her toes, and back again.

An unsettling thought came over Devin. “Lexi? Did you fall in love with Byron?”

Lexi blinked to meet Devin’s gaze straight on. “Did you fall in love with Lucas?”

Devin’s heart thumped deep in her chest, while pain tightened the cavity around it. Her throat closed up, and when she finally spoke, there was a catch to her voice. “I don’t know.”

Eleven

Three days later, Devin climbed from a taxi into the bright sunshine in front of the Seattle courthouse. She straightened her blazer and smoothed the matching skirt. Then she ran light fingertips over her hair to make sure everything was in place. She wanted to look every inch the credible witness and capable mother-figure for this.

Before she could move, Lucas appeared in front of her on the sidewalk, grasping her by the arm and pulling her over to one side. “Are you out of your mind?” he demanded.

She’d braced herself for seeing him today, made sure her anger was fresh and her defenses were firmly in place. But the minute he was there in front of her, memories pushed at the wall she’d built up, and her chest contracted with emotion.

“What the hell happened to you?” he growled. “One minute we were together, and the next you’d disappeared into the night.”

“Together?” she reflexively choked out, commanding her legs to start moving. She’d promised herself she wouldn’t talk to him directly. Everything this smooth-talking, persuasive man had to say, could be said in front of the judge.

She fought his grip as she marched toward the steps.

He kept pace beside her, and she glanced around for her lawyers. Steve had said they’d meet her here.

“I trusted you,” Lucas persisted.

Devin clamped her jaw, refusing the temptation to engage in a debate.

“You’re handing it to him. You have to know that. You’re betraying me, and you’re betraying Amelia.”

“Betraying?” Her low voice shook with repressed fury.

“Yes. We could have worked this-”

“You betrayed me. I was your backup plan, Lucas. You’re as bad as Konrad. You’re worse than Konrad.”

Lucas’s hand dropped from her arm, and it took her a second to realize he’d stopped dead in his tracks.

Good. She hadn’t wanted to talk to him anyway. She increased her pace. She was only steps from the door. Once she was inside, she’d be home free-nothing to do but testify and win permanent guardianship of Amelia. Nothing.