Peril in Paperback (31 page)

But for the first time since I’ve known him, Derek was no help. Instead he shrugged as if to say,
I just got here and have no idea what’s going on
.

Then Merrilee spoke again. “But I missed.”

“It’s okay,” Nathan soothed. “You tried. It’s okay.”

As Merrilee was telling her story, I watched Gabriel moving subtly through the crowd until he came to a stop behind Sybil.

“This is absurd,” Sybil said in a huff, and sat back down in the same chair she’d been using before. She noticed Gabriel then, and after sparing him a look of annoyance, she calmly raised her hands in the air again. “Look, Ma, no gun.”

Merrilee frowned. “But she had one.”

“Check my purse,” the woman said, folding her arms across her chest. “Go ahead. See for yourself who’s lying.”

Gabriel picked up the extremely expensive designer purse that Sybil had placed on the floor by her chair. He
opened it and searched around, then looked over at Derek and shook his head. No gun.

I sighed in disappointment. Sybil didn’t have a gun. So what, exactly, had Merrilee seen?

“I told you,” Sybil said, then added with a sneer, “I can’t believe you took her word against mine.” She waved her hand dismissively in Merrilee’s direction. “Anyone can see that she’s an imbecile.”

Ruth gasped. With a loud harrumph, she stood up, walked over to Sybil, and slapped her face so hard, her hand recoiled painfully. “I am not a violent person, but I’m sick to death of people like you calling Merrilee names like that.”

Sybil rubbed her cheek but didn’t rise to the bait. “You bitch. Just a second ago you were shouting at her yourself.”

“That’s different,” Ruth said with an apologetic glance at Merrilee. “We’re family. And I was…upset.” She glared at Sybil. “But
you
will apologize to her right now, or I’ll make you sorry you ever said that word.”

“Apologize?” Sybil said, incredulous. “Are you nuts?”

“Sybil, please,” Peter said, his voice calm and reasonable.

Sybil glared at her husband. “You shut up. I’ve had it with you. You’re a weak man, Peter. You make me sick, the way you leave yourself susceptible to every woman who walks by you.”

“What? I’ve never cheated on you in my life.”

“Oh, really?” she said, her voice taunting. “Exactly who were
Paul
and
Greta
, anyway? I read that stupid manuscript. I know what you were doing behind my back.”

His forehead furrowed in disbelief. “It’s fiction!”

“Not that part,” she muttered.

He shook his head. “But…but that was twenty-five years ago. I barely knew you.”

“You cheated on me!”

He looked both shocked and exhausted. “You and I weren’t even dating yet. You had just joined the company.”

“Oh. Well, fine,” she sputtered. “You have an answer for everything. But what about last night, when you were flirting with that one?”

I looked around to see who she was talking about, then realized she was pointing at me. “Are you insane?”

“No, I’m not. But you’re pathetic. Any woman who tries to steal a married man should be shot.”

Despite knowing the woman was off her rocker, I was taken aback. “I don’t want your husband. And you have a real problem if you think your husband was interested in me. He’s friendly, that’s all.” I didn’t add that Peter talked to other women in order to avoid talking to Sybil. That would be a low blow.

Disgusted now, she stood and faced her husband. “I’m sick of all the women, Peter. I won’t take it anymore. I’ve filed for divorce and my papers make it clear that you’re to blame for ruining my life. I intend to take you for every cent you’ve ever made.”

Stephen Fowler cleared his throat. “Technically, California’s no-fault policy won’t get you a—”

“Oh, shut up!” Sybil shouted, then scowled at her husband. “It doesn’t matter. I’ve got my own money now. I don’t need yours.”

Peter frowned. “What money?”

She was speechless for a split second, then finally spat out the words, “You’re an idiot.”

“Maybe I am,” he said, watching her quietly. “Tell me what money you’re talking about. Is it the company account? Are you the one who stole the money?”

“I didn’t steal it,” she claimed angrily. “It’s mine as much as anyone else’s.”

“You stole it,” he persisted. “Why? What were you planning to do with it?”

“If you can’t figure that out, you’re a bigger moron than I thought.” She rolled her eyes. “God, what am I doing here?”

Spinning around, she started for the door, but Gabriel blocked her way. “You’re not going anywhere. Sit down.”

“No,” she said evenly. “If you’re going to take the word of a half-wit housekeeper, I’m leaving.”

“No, you’re not.” He grabbed her arm and started to drag her back to her chair, but she yanked her arm away. “Don’t touch me again.” Then she whirled around, shaking with fury. “I’ve had it with all you people.”

“Sit down, Sybil,” Peter said with more force than I’d heard him use all week.

“Fine,” she said, and flounced down into the chair.

“Sybil, please,” Grace pleaded. “Can’t we talk about this?”

“Talk?” Sybil glared at Grace. “To you? You’re the worst of them all.”

“We can work this out,” Grace continued. “If you need money…”

“Oh, for God’s sake. Do you think I’d take a damn thing from you?” She slipped her hand down beside the chair cushion and whipped out a small handgun. Standing, she pointed the gun at Grace. “Now will you shut up?”

Ruth screamed.

“Sybil, no!” Peter yelled.

Suzie shouted, “Aunt Grace!”

Nathan grabbed Merrilee and pushed her out of danger, then huddled nearby, wide-eyed and watchful.

I couldn’t breathe. Sybil’s gun was aimed at Grace, but she’d just mentioned shooting me.

Suddenly she spun around and pointed the gun at each person in the room before turning back around to Grace.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion, except this wasn’t a film. It was real. Merrilee had been right about Sybil. Now it looked as if Sybil might actually kill Grace in front of us all. I had to stop her.

I took one step forward and Derek grabbed me around the waist, forcing me back. “Don’t even think about it.”

“Let me go. We’ve got to help—”

Again Sybil swung the gun around in a wide arc, alternately aiming it at each of us. “Stay back, all of you.”

“God.” Peter groaned. “Don’t do this, Sybil.”

“Who’s going to stop me?” She laughed. “You? That would take balls and you don’t have any.”

Ouch. I felt bad for Peter, but worse for Grace. I needed to do something to get that gun away from Sybil.

“I know you killed Bella,” I said.

Derek’s arm tightened around my waist and he whispered, “Don’t do this.”

“Why, Sybil?” Grace asked.

“I hate you,” Sybil said. “I’ve always hated you. You and Peter were the perfect little partners, weren’t you? Always in your own little world, with no room for anyone else. It didn’t matter what we were doing. If you called, Peter dropped everything and ran off to be with you.”

“It was just business,” Grace whispered.

“Oh, really?” Sybil said, her voice dripping with scorn. “I know what kind of
business
you had in mind. I read that vile manuscript of yours. And I want you dead more than I want to take my next breath.”

“Sybil, don’t,” Peter said.

“Oh, stop talking, Peter,” she said wearily, then turned back to Grace. “I’ve tried to kill you three times now. But you’re like that damn cat of yours.” Her voice was deadly calm as her finger pushed against the trigger. “But that doesn’t matter anymore because this time I won’t miss.”

“You pushed me down the stairs,” Kiki snapped.

Sybil glanced at her sideways, then shrugged. “I was trying to get to Grace and you got in my way.”

Blinking at the woman’s callousness, Kiki said, “I hope you go straight to hell.”

Go Kiki,
I thought, admiring her spunk.

“I’ll see all of you there first,” Sybil said silkily.

Kiki had managed to distract Sybil for a few seconds,
anyway. We would all have to keep doing that until someone could get that gun from her.

“How did you get Ruth to take the poisoned tea to Grace?” I asked, ignoring Derek’s tug in favor of keeping Sybil talking. The more the woman talked, the less chance any of us had of being shot. That was my theory, anyway.

Sybil sneered at me, but was willing to share her secret. “There’s only one person who drinks that vile crap in this house. They keep a pitcher of it behind the bar. I just filled a glass, added a dollop of weed killer, and set it on top of the bar. It’s not my fault that the old crow grabbed it.” She waved her hand in Ruth’s direction.

Ruth’s face went pale. “Oh, my God. Oh, my God.” She clutched Grace’s hand. “I’m so sorry. It’s all my fault that Bella’s dead.”

“No, it’s not, Ruth,” I insisted. “It’s all Sybil’s fault. She used you to get to Grace, but Bella got in the way.”

Sybil sent me a withering look. “Oh, so high and mighty. Whatever.”

I was sick of that word
whatever
. It was so dismissive. But I refused to be stopped from seeking answers. “You sent me the dead bird and the tarot card.”

She gazed at me, her face now devoid of expression. “I’d forgotten about that. The tarot card was for spite, because you think you know so much.”

I tried not to react. “What about the bird?”

“That bird was a good find,” she said, nodding as she reminisced. “I saw Ruth burying something bloody in the snow, and when she went back to her house, I dug it up.”

“You dug up that poor bird?” Ruth asked, shaking her head. “What’s wrong with you?”

Sybil ignored her in favor of me. “I thought it would warn you off, but you’re quite the stubborn wench. Aren’t you?”

“Yeah, I am.”

“Won’t do you any good. And I’m through talking.”
She twisted around and pointed the gun at Grace again. “Bye, bitch.”

“No!” Suzie shouted. “Gabriel, get the gun!”

Sybil swung and aimed the gun at Gabriel. “I don’t think so.”

Gabriel raised both hands slowly and stepped back.

But Suzie had caught Sybil’s attention and now she pointed the gun right at her.

I heard Vinnie’s soft shriek behind me.

Suzie clutched Lily tighter in her arms as Sybil considered her for a moment. She took a few steps closer. “Hand over the baby.”

Suzie swallowed, then clenched her jaw. “Lady, you won’t get this baby out of my arms in a million years.”

“Just give me the kid.”

“No.”

“Hello? Gun?” Sybil waved the gun at her, but Suzie didn’t budge, so she added, “I’m not going to hurt her. I just need her as a shield until I get far enough away from here.”

An unearthly roar arose from behind me. I turned and watched in horror as Vinnie charged forward like a tiny Amazon on steroids.

“Vinnie, no!” Derek shouted, and dashed after her.

Sybil spun around to see who was coming and Vinnie slammed into her like a freight train. They both went flying several feet backward while the gun was thrown off in another direction. Derek grabbed it.

The two women landed on the floor and Vinnie continued shouting and swearing in three different languages as she pummeled Sybil anywhere she could land a punch.

Suzie still clutched the baby, but looked ready to dive into the pile to protect Vinnie. After a quick moment of indecision, she stood and shouted to her cousin, “Kiki, the baby.”

Kiki ran over. Suzie thrust Lily into Kiki’s protective
arms, then rushed into the fight. Kiki quickly moved back and out of range of any danger.

“Derek, help them,” I said, moving in as close as I could get, itching to stop the melee, but powerless to do anything but watch.

Suzie tried to pull Vinnie off Sybil, but Vinnie was in a zone all her own. Suzie finally knelt down and grabbed hold of Sybil’s arms to block the slaps and punches she was landing on Vinnie.

“Hold this.” Derek thrust the gun at me. “And be careful, damn it.” He maneuvered his way into the scuffle and patted Vinnie’s shoulder, then pulled her back and off Sybil. “I think you’ve done her in, champ. Nice tackle.”

Gabriel rushed in and yanked a still-swinging Sybil off the floor.

A second later, Ruth jumped up and shoved her elbow into Sybil’s stomach.

That had to hurt.

Suzie wrapped both arms around Vinnie in an emotional hug, then led her over to Kiki, who stood against the wall, clutching the baby. They moved to a side sofa and all three women collapsed together on the cushions.

“You were awesome,” Suzie said, then reached over to adjust Lily’s blanket, mainly to assure herself that the baby was fine. Vinnie rested her head on Suzie’s shoulder.

Meanwhile, Sybil wriggled in Gabriel’s grip, but he looked unfazed. Glancing around, he asked, “Anyone got some duct tape?”

“I have some in the library,” I said weakly. I handed the gun to Derek, then leaned against him, feeling exhausted. For once I’d done nothing but watch while everyone else tangled with a vicious killer, but I was still worn out.

“I’ll get it,” Nathan said, and ran from the room.

“Oh, my God,” Grace whispered. She looked around. “Is everyone safe?”

“Are you?” Ruth asked, and rushed back to her side. Grace pulled her into a tight hug. A moment later, Grace gazed up at Merrilee and reached for her. Merrilee let out a little sob, took hold of her hand, and sat on the other side of her.

“You people make me sick,” Sybil said through clenched teeth.

“Shut it,” Gabriel said, jerking her enough to startle her into silence.

“Got it,” Nathan called from the doorway, waving the duct tape. He ran over and handed it to Gabriel.

Within seconds, Sybil’s wrists were sealed together behind her back. Defiant still, she shot hateful stares at anyone who glanced her way.

Ruth ignored Sybil and put her arm around Grace. “How’s that hard head of yours feeling?”

Grace glanced at Merrilee and smiled. “It’s only a little sore. In fact, I can barely feel any pain anymore.”

Merrilee’s eyes were still wet with tears as she laid her head on Grace’s shoulder and closed her eyes.

“I’m so proud of you for protecting me,” Grace said fiercely, and squeezed Merrilee tight. Then she looked at Ruth and took her hand in her firm grip. “And you. You were a warrior princess. Thank you. All of you. You all saved my life.”