Page 133 of The Woman Who Couldn't Scream
Kateri sobered. She caught the raven and pried it out of Lilith’s fingers. “You win. I’ll give you the marriage certificate.”
In a disconcertingly smooth assembly, Lilith pulled herself together. She smoothed her hair. Smiled tightly. “Very sensible of you.”
With four words, she made Kateri want to fight her again. Kateri turned away, toward the sprawled, inert body of John Terrance. She needed to restrain him… she searched at her belt, but she didn’t have cuffs on her.
Honest to God. She didn’t have her cuffs with her. She didn’t have her pistol on her. She wasn’t holding her staff… from now on, she’d be armed and ready no matter where she was, even in church, even in her own house, even…
Lilith continued, “You will have to come to Baltimore for the reading of the will.”
Hostility prickled along Kateri’s nerves. She swung back to face her sister. “Why?”
“You’re a beneficiary.”
Kateri’s temper crackled. “I told you. I don’t want that man’s money.”
“Oh, grow up! Your father was rich. It’s purely an accident of birth, but you might as well get some benefit out of it!”
Kateri opened her mouth.
Lilith cut her off before she could say the first word. “No! Don’t give it to charity!”
Kateri shut her mouth. Was she that transparent that Lilith knew what she’d intended to say?
“Spend it on yourself. Get some decent clothes. Spiff up your office.” Lilith saw Kateri’s scorn and went in for the kill. “Buy a house so your darling Lacey will have a fenced backyard.”
“Oh.” A house. Now that was temptation. Kateri knew just the one. Small, old, but well kept, close to downtown, backyard big enough to plant a few tomatoes and let Lacey run free.
“See?” Lilith was triumphant. “It only took the right incentive to turn you into the same greedy bitch as your sister.”
Carefully, Kateri set the raven on the coffee table. She stepped close to Lilith. She pulled her service 9mm semiautomatic.
Lilith’s eyes grew wide.
So Lilith was smart enough to be afraid.
Slowly, Kateri released the safety, pointed the firearm over Lilith’s shoulder…
… At the bloodied John Terrance. That murderous bastard sat up and raised his rifle.
Holding center mass, Kateri squeezed the trigger.
The detonation blasted, echoed.
John Terrance’s chest exploded. Twice. The force of the bullets threw his arms up, pushed him back against the wall.
Kateri stared, not understanding. Two kill shots? But she’d shot only once.
“Katherine!” Lilith gasped and pointed toward the front door.
Pistol raised, Kateri flung herself around.
Stag Denali stood there, lowering his rifle. “I would have come in sooner, but I hated to interrupt the family reunion.”
CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN
WELCOME TO VIRTUE FALLS
FOUNDED 1902
