After all, if it hadn’t been for Dr. Flores’s silence, the world would’ve easily discovered that his sister, Madeline, had been alive for the last ten years, and if that knowledge ever got out, there’d be a lot of questions. Ones Dev and his family would rather not answer, because of where those questions would lead.
The world didn’t need to know that not only had his sister purposely disappeared, but she’d been shacked up with their cousin and she had also been a murderer.
Suppose that ran in the family.
His phone buzzed and he turned, walking swiftly back to his desk. He hit the intercom button. “Yes?”
The voice of Derek Frain, his assistant, came through the speaker. “Ross Haid is here to see you.” There was a pause and the annoyance in Derek’s tone was clear in the one word. “Again.”
Dev’s jaw clenched as he stared at the phone. The man had been dogged when it came to the de Vincent family, confident that they were involved in some grand conspiracy and misdeeds.
Ironically, Ross would be right, but he was barking up the wrong tree. As always.
But Dev knew what fueled Ross was way more personal than the need to write a must-read tell-all on the de Vincent family, and unlike his uncle and the rest of his family, he didn’t avoid these meetings, which were becoming like clockwork, with Ross.
“Send him in,” Dev ordered.
“Yes, sir.”
No sooner had Dev sat behind his desk than his assistant opened the door and in walked the reporter from the Advocate . Derek didn’t even need to ask if they needed anything. He simply closed the door behind him, leaving Dev alone with the reporter.
Ross smiled, flashing straight, ultrawhite teeth. “You don’t look too happy right now.”
“Do I ever look happy when you visit?” he asked.
Completely undaunted, the younger man stepped forward. “Thought you’d want to give a statement on the untimely and rather scandalous demise of Parker Harrington.”
Dev leaned back in his chair. “We’ve already given a statement, as I’m positive you’re aware of.”
“Ah, yes, but I figured there’d be more than the standard thoughts and prayers BS, especially considering the brother of the woman you’re engaged to tried to kill someone and Sabrina was reported missing.” Ross sat in the chair in front of the desk.
“Then you’d figured wrong,” Dev replied blandly. “And Sabrina is no longer my fiancée.”
Interest sparked in Ross’s dark eyes. “That’s interesting.”
“Not really. The engagement ended over a month ago.” The lie rolled off his tongue as smoothly as the truth, but he always had a devil’s tongue, didn’t he? That’s one thing Lawrence taught him. “You didn’t know that? I’d expected a journalist with your talents would’ve known that.”
His jaw hardened. “You know what I find even more interesting? Is that complete lack of information regarding Parker’s victim. It’s like this woman doesn’t exist or is connected to someone or some family powerful enough to keep her information completely out of the public eye, and you know who that makes me think of? The de Vincents.”
“Or it should make you think that whoever your inside person is in the police department is actually doing their job for once and keeping the victim’s identity private.”
Ross smirked. “I’m sure that’s the case and has nothing to do with the new chief of police afraid of dying the same way as the old one.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Dying of a heart condition? I’d sure hope not.”
“Yeah.” Ross smiled tightly. “I’m sure he died of natural causes, just like I’m sure your father hung himself.”
Dev smirked. “You have such a fanciful imagination, Ross.”
“Imagination? I’m lacking in the department.”
Eyeing him, he crossed one leg over the other and idly clasped his fingers together. “You know, I’m actually glad you visited me today.”
“Really?” Ross’s response was dry.
“What’s going on with Rosie Herpin?”
Ross’s brows knitted together. “Rosie? What about her?”
“You of all people are going to play coy?” Dev met his gaze. “What is your relationship with her?”
“My relationship?” Ross coughed out a low laugh. “That’s nosy of you to ask.”
“Considering you have no problem being up in my business, then you should have no problem with me asking questions,” Dev replied. “What is she to you?”
Ross didn’t answer for a long moment. “Why would you be asking that kind of question?”
“Do you think I don’t know that Rosie is who introduced you to Nikki?” Dev cocked an eyebrow. “Your friendship with Rosie is rather convenient.”
“I’ve known Rosie for about two years.” A muscle flexed along Ross’s jaw. “Before I even knew who Nicolette Besson was.”
“Really?” Dev’s gaze flickered over his face. “If you’re using her to get information, like you tried to do with Nikki, you’re putting her in a very bad situation. Hopefully you wouldn’t do that to an innocent person. That is, if she is innocent when it comes to whatever you’re up to.”
The reporter’s nostrils flared and a long moment passed. “I will do anything to get to the truth.”
“Will Rosie?” Dev asked. “Is she willing?”
Ross smirked as he gripped the arms of his chair. “I can see that I’m getting nowhere with this conversation. I’ll show myself out.”
“Wait.” Dev smiled faintly when the reporter stilled. “I have another question for you. Something I’ve been curious about.”
Ross lifted his brows. “I’m all ears.”
“Do you think I don’t know who your girlfriend was?” Dev asked. “Or is. Since she’s still considered to be missing.”
A change came over the man. His gaze sharpened as did his features. A tenseness filled him, settling into every line and shadow on his face.
“I know why you keep coming around. I know what you think and what you believe about my family and their involvement,” Dev continued. “I even understand why you won’t let it go.”
The man’s knuckles were turning white. “Do you understand, Devlin?”
“I do.” And he did. He understood in ways he hoped Ross never had the misfortune of knowing.
“Then you have to know I will never give up until I know the truth of what happened to her,” Ross bit out. “And don’t you dare sit in front of me and tell me that none of you had anything to do with her disappearance.”
Dev said nothing as he stared back at the man.
Ross’s lips peeled back in a snarl. “All this time, you’ve never told me you knew. Why bring it up now, Devlin? Am I getting too close to the truth?”
“You’ve never been further from the truth,” Dev said. “And if you continue down this road, you’re never going to find it.”
“Is that a threat?” A flush of anger crept into Ross’s cheeks.
Dev shook his head. “It’s advice. Free of charge. And another piece of advice? Don’t send me another photograph with the words ‘I know the truth’ carved into it. This isn’t a mystery novel.”
“And how do you know that was me?”
“Because I’m not stupid, Ross.”
“Fuck you.” Ross rose to his feet. “You have no idea what I know. You have no idea how close I am to exposing every last one of you sons of bitches.”
“Exposing us as what?” he asked, a little curious.
“For what you all are,” Ross said. “Murderers.”
Chapter 11
The costume dress was . . . it was just wow.
Rosie twisted at the waist as she stood in front of the full-length mirror tacked to her bathroom door. Time had gotten away from her and she hadn’t tried the dress on to make sure it worked before the ball. So, here she was, Friday, the night of the Masquerade, and she had just put it on.