Perdition, Teaser Chapter 9

“At the funeral, when I spotted you. Charlie told me you were moving back because you were getting married.”

Ah, it looked like that one stung. I narrowed my eyes. “My father is a pathological liar.” I sighed heavily. “There was an… offer. I ignored it, and it was made again. The second time I ignored it, my mother was murdered to gain my compliance.” My words fell heavily from my lips, the reality still brutal in my heart.

He gasped. “Renée was murdered? Charlie has told everyone it was a blood clot.”

I closed my eyes against the compassion I now saw in eyes so familiar they haunted my dreams. “I found her in the back yard. She was planting daisies.” I swallowed, but the lump remained. “She had a rather large inheritance, which I believe was the sole reason Charlie married her. Only he didn't realize it was put into a trust by my grandfather-- to be passed to her children-- so Charlie eventually started beating her for failing him. After I paid for her final expenses, I put everything back in a trust, except what I'll need until her house sells. I don't want him, or anyone else, getting their hands on that money through me.”