The Perfect Rumor, page 22
But unlike those girls, Merry already understood that she was damaged, even if she didn’t know all the details, and she seemed to like her anyway. That was one layer of potential falseness between them that was already stripped away. It was an enormous relief not to have her guard up every second.
Plus, Hannah heard that the reason Dr. Lemmon wasn’t at their scheduled therapy session earlier today was due to some unexpected surgical procedure she’d had done. As a longer-term resident of Seasons with her ear to the ground, Merry would probably know what was actually true and what just psychiatric facility rumor-mongering.
Hannah rounded the corner and came to Merry’s room. The door was closed so she knocked.
“Hey Merry, it’s Hannah. Want to join me for a kosher meal?”
There was no answer and she was tempted to just leave it at that. But then her curiosity got the better of her and she checked the doorknob. It was unlocked. She knocked again as she opened it.
“Sorry to barge in but—,” she started before her words got lodged in her throat.
Merry was lying on her bed with her eyes wide open and empty. Even without the blood, Hannah would have known she was dead. She was intimately familiar with that emptiness. She’d even caused it once.
But there was blood, so much of it. Her entire neck was a red mess where her throat had not just been slit, but slashed. The dark, viscous liquid covered her upper torso and the sheets underneath. On the bed beside her bloody right hand, was a large shard of glass, which was also stained red. Her already pale skin was now ashen white.
She stared at Merry for a few seconds, partly in silent mourning, partly in confusion. This wasn’t right. This couldn’t be. The cheerful, buoyant girl she’d spoken to just hours earlier couldn’t have then come back to her room and done this to herself. Could she?
And then Hannah heard herself scream.
“Help!” she howled at the top of her voice. “Help! I need help!”
Within seconds the room was full and she was being ushered out by an attendant with a bewildered look on her face.
“What happened?” she asked.
“I came to invite her to dinner and found…this,” Hannah said quietly.
She felt unsteady and the woman eased her down to the floor, where she sat, slumped and cross-legged. Through the doorway, she could hear the attendants talking.
“Call the police,” one barked.
“This is so sad,” another, older attendant said. “She was doing so well. I can’t believe she would do this.”
“It wouldn’t be the first time she tried,” a third said, sounding defeated.
“I’m on the line with 911,” came the voice of the security guard who’d led Silvio away at lunch earlier.
“I just can’t believe it,” the older attendant repeated, breaking into tears.
Neither could Hannah. Even amid her horror at what she’d just seen, something was eating at her, nibbling at the corners of her brain. Everything she saw in that room suggested that Merry had killed herself. And yet something about it wasn’t right. It felt somehow…off, wrong. Despite the dark cloud that was closing in around her, she made a promise to Merry and to herself: she was going to find out what.
CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR
Jessie knew Kat wanted to say something; she just didn’t know what.
Ryan had gone off to find Hugo, and a valet was getting Kat’s car, leaving the two women standing alone in the Peninsula’s main lobby. Jessie waited patiently. Kat finally broke.
“Are you guys going to work this out?” she asked.
“Work what out?” Jessie replied, though she knew exactly what her friend was referencing.
“Whatever is creating this tension between you and Ryan,” Kat answered. “I’m assuming it has to do with the whole issue over the wedding. You don’t have to tell me, but whatever it is—it’s reached the point where I’m noticing it. And considering that you guys work with a bunch of detectives, they’re going to start noticing it soon too. So unless you want to face some really uncomfortable co-worker questions, you might want to deal with this. More importantly, you might want to deal with it for, you know, the sake of your relationship.”
“I’m trying Kat,” Jessie insisted. “But I just can’t seem to get through to him. He’s so dug in. It’s really upsetting that he doesn’t appreciate where I’m coming from.”
“I get that,” Kat said. “But let me ask you something: have you ever asked yourself the real reason why he’s so dug in? Or are you just assuming you know the answer?” Before Jessie could reply, Ryan arrived with Hugo in tow.
“You’re not going to believe this,” Ryan said with a broad smile on his face, “but when I went to thank good Mr. Cosgrove here, he turned the tables on me.”
“That’s right,” Hugo said. “I insist that you two spend another night with us, only this time, without having to worry about catching a killer. In addition, since it’s dinnertime, we’ve reserved a table for you at The Captain’s Quarters, on us.”
“That’s way too generous, Hugo,” Jessie protested.
“Don’t be silly,” he said. “You caught a murderer who, to our great relief, was not a Peninsula employee. This is the least we can do.”
Just then, the valet pulled up with Kat’s car.
“Well this is where I get off,” she said, giving Hugo and Ryan hugs, before leaning in close to squeeze Jessie. As she did, she whispered, “good luck.”
*
Jessie waited patiently.
Finally, after their main dishes had been served, Ryan said what she suspected he’d been holding back the whole day.
“I’m worried that you’re going to resent me,” he said without explanation.
“What?” she asked, pausing just as she was about to put a forkful of salmon in her mouth.
“I know you think I’m being obstinate about this whole ‘big wedding’ thing,” he told her, “but it’s not just about that. I can see history repeating itself.”
“What does that mean?”
“Just like you, this isn’t my first time down the aisle,” he said. “And when Shelly and I were doing our planning, she kept insisting that we keep things from getting too elaborate. She didn’t want me to feel pressured to spend more than I could on a cop’s salary. But once I relented, everything changed. I didn’t realize that what she really wanted was for me to insist on going all out, despite what she said. When I didn’t, she was disappointed, like I had failed her somehow. It cast a shadow over things going forward. Obviously, our issues were more complicated than that, but it was a terrible way to start a marriage. And now I see the same pattern repeating itself. I worry that as much as you protest, the second I give in and embrace a more modest event, you’ll resent me too—even if you don’t believe that you will.”
Jessie sat with that for a moment, trying to put herself in his shoes and feel his doubt, his fear that no matter how definitive she said she was, that her feelings would change if he caved. She got it. He wasn’t just trying to give her the wedding he thought she deserved; he was trying to ensure that their marriage avoided the problems that had helped doom his first one. Kat had been right. By refusing to consider that there might be more to his position than just wanting a big blowout, she’d been her own kind of stubborn. “Thank you for telling me that,” she said quietly, gripping his hand and squeezing tight. “I know it was painful to share and it can’t have been easy.”
He sighed heavily and she could see that a burden had been lifted. She was happy about that. And she empathized with his plight now that she understood it. But it didn’t change the bottom line.
“But Ryan,” she added, “I’m not Shelly.”
“I know, but—,” he started to say before she held up her hand. She wasn’t done.
“A good marriage depends on trust,” she continued. “And that means you need to trust that when I tell you something, I mean it. I’m not some damsel in distress, hoping a knight in shining armor will read my mind, understand that my words don’t reflect my true feelings, and save me from myself. I love you, but you should know by now that I’m my own knight in shining armor. When I say something, I don’t expect you to discern my secret, coded meaning. I expect you to respect that I mean what I say.”
“I do,” he maintained. “I’m just worried about getting burned.”
She took the bite of the salmon that she’d been holding off on and chewed it slowly, savoring it. Only after she swallowed did she reply.
“My first husband demanded a giant wedding against my wishes. I wasn’t confident enough to assert myself, which I regret. As it turned out, the details of the wedding were less significant than the fact that he was a sociopathic, adulterous murderer. But you can see why I don’t want my second chance to resemble the first time in any way. I want what I didn’t get that first go-round: something intimate, with only people there who we know really care about us. I actively despise the idea of a big affair and I assure you that I won’t change my mind once you come around to seeing things my way. I wasn’t kidding when I said that I’d even be happy to get married at city hall and take off for Maui right afterward.”
Ryan took a bite of his steak as he muddled over her words.
“So you promise you won’t change your mind?’ he asked, almost pleaded.
“Oh, I reserve the right to change my mind all the time, without notice,” she said. “But about this one thing, it’s set in stone.”
To her surprise, he began to chuckle.
“What is it?’ she asked.
“It’s just that last night was our first real fight since we got engaged, and now that it’s over, I’m more relieved than I thought possible. My insides have been one big ball of stress all day, and not because of the case.”
She smiled mischievously.
“Maybe we should book a session with Honey Potter to help you work through that,” she teased.
“That’s okay,” he said with a wily smile. “I think we can figure out a way to relieve that stress all on our own.”
“Deal,” she agreed, before an unrelated thought popped into her head. “Sorry to mess with the mood, but I just remember that any stress-relieving activities need to end in time for me to visit Hannah. Maybe she’ll actually speak to me this time. I’m supposed to see her at 11 a.m.”
“Supposed to?” Ryan repeated, sensing her hesitancy.
“Yeah, I called a few minutes ago to reconfirm the visit and no one answered, which is unusual for that place. They must be really busy tonight.”
EPILOGUE
Eden Roth watched the news, taking scrupulous notes. She caught the footage of a woman named Bridget Newhouse in handcuffs, being walked from an LAX terminal to a waiting squad car. Then the story cut to video of Jessie Hunt leaving the airport with her partner, Detective Ryan Hernandez. They had caught the woman, who had apparently murdered her husband at that fancy Palos Verdes resort.
That was the final sign. Once Jessie Hunt had successfully solved her next case and was being lauded in the media, it was an official, irreversible ‘go.’ She knew exactly what she had to do and when to do it. Everything had been meticulously planned. Now it was time to act. It was time for blood to be spilled.
Andy was going to be so proud of her.
NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER!
THE PERFECT COUPLE
(A Jessie Hunt Psychological Suspense Thriller—Book Twenty)
Couples are found dead in their wealthy homes in suburban Los Angeles, with seemingly nothing to connect them. As Jessie dives deep into this wealthy town, she comes to realize an awful truth: this killer is hiding in plain sight, ready to strike again.
“A masterpiece of thriller and mystery. Blake Pierce did a magnificent job developing characters with a psychological side so well described that we feel inside their minds, follow their fears and cheer for their success. Full of twists, this book will keep you awake until the turn of the last page.”
--Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone)
THE PERFECT COUPLE is book #20 in a new psychological suspense series by bestselling author Blake Pierce, which begins with The Perfect Wife, a #1 bestseller (and free download) with over 5,000 five-star ratings and 1,000 five-star reviews.
A seemingly perfect suburban town holds too many secrets, and Jessie knows it is just a façade. Outwardly perfect, wealthy couples seem to have it all—but when they wind up dead, Jessie must look too deep into their pasts. Horrified by what she finds, Jessie must wonder:
What else are they hiding?
A fast-paced psychological suspense thriller with unforgettable characters and heart-pounding suspense, THE JESSIE HUNT series is a riveting new series that will leave you turning pages late into the night.
Book #21 in the series—THE PERFECT MURDER—is now also available.
THE PERFECT COUPLE
(A Jessie Hunt Psychological Suspense Thriller—Book Twenty)
Did you know that I've written multiple novels in the mystery genre? If you haven't read all my series, click the image below to download a series starter!
Blake Pierce
Blake Pierce is the USA Today bestselling author of the RILEY PAGE mystery series, which includes seventeen books. Blake Pierce is also the author of the MACKENZIE WHITE mystery series, comprising fourteen books; of the AVERY BLACK mystery series, comprising six books; of the KERI LOCKE mystery series, comprising five books; of the MAKING OF RILEY PAIGE mystery series, comprising six books; of the KATE WISE mystery series, comprising seven books; of the CHLOE FINE psychological suspense mystery, comprising six books; of the JESSE HUNT psychological suspense thriller series, comprising twenty one books; of the AU PAIR psychological suspense thriller series, comprising three books; of the ZOE PRIME mystery series, comprising six books; of the ADELE SHARP mystery series, comprising fifteen books, of the EUROPEAN VOYAGE cozy mystery series, comprising four books; of the new LAURA FROST FBI suspense thriller, comprising six books (and counting); of the new ELLA DARK FBI suspense thriller, comprising eleven books (and counting); of the A YEAR IN EUROPE cozy mystery series, comprising nine books, of the AVA GOLD mystery series, comprising six books (and counting); and of the RACHEL GIFT mystery series, comprising six books (and counting).
An avid reader and lifelong fan of the mystery and thriller genres, Blake loves to hear from you, so please feel free to visit www.blakepierceauthor.com to learn more and stay in touch.
BOOKS BY BLAKE PIERCE
RACHEL GIFT MYSTERY SERIES
HER LAST WISH (Book #1)
HER LAST CHANCE (Book #2)
HER LAST HOPE (Book #3)
HER LAST FEAR (Book #4)
HER LAST CHOICE (Book #5)
HER LAST BREATH (Book #6)
AVA GOLD MYSTERY SERIES
CITY OF PREY (Book #1)
CITY OF FEAR (Book #2)
CITY OF BONES (Book #3)
CITY OF GHOSTS (Book #4)
CITY OF DEATH (Book #5)
CITY OF VICE (Book #6)
A YEAR IN EUROPE
A MURDER IN PARIS (Book #1)
DEATH IN FLORENCE (Book #2)
VENGEANCE IN VIENNA (Book #3)
A FATALITY IN SPAIN (Book #4)
ELLA DARK FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER
GIRL, ALONE (Book #1)
GIRL, TAKEN (Book #2)
GIRL, HUNTED (Book #3)
GIRL, SILENCED (Book #4)
GIRL, VANISHED (Book 5)
GIRL ERASED (Book #6)
GIRL, FORSAKEN (Book #7)
GIRL, TRAPPED (Book #8)
GIRL, EXPENDABLE (Book #9)
GIRL, ESCAPED (Book #10)
GIRL, HIS (Book #11)
LAURA FROST FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER
ALREADY GONE (Book #1)
ALREADY SEEN (Book #2)
ALREADY TRAPPED (Book #3)
ALREADY MISSING (Book #4)
ALREADY DEAD (Book #5)
ALREADY TAKEN (Book #6)
EUROPEAN VOYAGE COZY MYSTERY SERIES
MURDER (AND BAKLAVA) (Book #1)
DEATH (AND APPLE STRUDEL) (Book #2)
CRIME (AND LAGER) (Book #3)
MISFORTUNE (AND GOUDA) (Book #4)
CALAMITY (AND A DANISH) (Book #5)
MAYHEM (AND HERRING) (Book #6)
ADELE SHARP MYSTERY SERIES
LEFT TO DIE (Book #1)
LEFT TO RUN (Book #2)
LEFT TO HIDE (Book #3)
LEFT TO KILL (Book #4)
LEFT TO MURDER (Book #5)
LEFT TO ENVY (Book #6)
LEFT TO LAPSE (Book #7)
LEFT TO VANISH (Book #8)
LEFT TO HUNT (Book #9)
LEFT TO FEAR (Book #10)
LEFT TO PREY (Book #11)
LEFT TO LURE (Book #12)
LEFT TO CRAVE (Book #13)
LEFT TO LOATHE (Book #14)
LEFT TO HARM (Book #15)
THE AU PAIR SERIES
ALMOST GONE (Book#1)
ALMOST LOST (Book #2)
ALMOST DEAD (Book #3)
ZOE PRIME MYSTERY SERIES
FACE OF DEATH (Book#1)
FACE OF MURDER (Book #2)
FACE OF FEAR (Book #3)
FACE OF MADNESS (Book #4)
FACE OF FURY (Book #5)
FACE OF DARKNESS (Book #6)
A JESSIE HUNT PSYCHOLOGICAL SUSPENSE SERIES
THE PERFECT WIFE (Book #1)
THE PERFECT BLOCK (Book #2)
THE PERFECT HOUSE (Book #3)
THE PERFECT SMILE (Book #4)
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