Page 36 of Deserving Maisy
“Yeah,” Jason said, leaning into the backseat and grabbing a folder. He took out several pieces of paper then shoved one at her. “Here, sign that.”
“What is it?” Maisy asked, trying to read the paper. Itwas obviously the last part of some sort of official document. There were two signature lines, one for her and one for Jack. Jack’s had already been filled out. At the top of the page in the margin, it said this was page fourteen of fourteen.
“Jack’s life insurance policy, of course,” Jason said with a smile.
“He signed this?” Maisy asked, her brow furrowing in confusion.
“Of course he did, don’t you see his signature?”
Maisy studied the paper in front of her, and when she looked up at her brother, she realized ofcourseJack hadn’t signed this. It was forged, probably like most of the papers that had to do with money and their inheritance. “This isn’t his signature,” she said bravely.
But Jason simply laughed. “So quick on the draw,” he mocked. “No, it isn’t. But no one will know. I just need you to sign and I’ll get it submitted…and backdated, can’t have the cops thinking we took this out right after you were married. That wouldn’t look good when Jack disappears.”
Maisy shook her head and tried to shove the paper back at her brother. “No.”
“No?” he asked in a low tone, making no effort to take the sheet of paper she was trying to give back to him.
“No,” she said, trying to sound firm. “It’s not right, Jason. You’re already getting the money from my inheritance. This isn’t necessary.”
He moved faster than she thought possible, coming across the console and grabbing her throat. He shoved her against the side of the car, smacking her head against the window again. He got in her face and snarled. “What the fuck doyouknow, Maisy? You’ve been sleeping for the lastdecade and a half. I’ve been the one worrying about the mortgage, the bills, making sure our reputations are pristine. You think that’s been easy? It hasn’t. There’s no money left.None. Without the money from your trust, we’re screwed! We’ll be kicked out of the house we grew up in and destitute.
“Youowe me, sis. I took care of you. Moved back into the house. Hired all those doctors to make sure you didn’t kill yourself in your grief. You’ve been a good girl up to this point, so don’t fuck things up now. And don’t eventhinkabout turning on me. If you do, you’ll end up just like poor Martha. Now—sign the fucking paper.”
Maisy had no idea where the courage came from, but she managed to ask, “What if I don’t?”
To her surprise, Jason let go of her throat and sat back in the driver’s seat as he laughed. It wasn’t a humorous sound. It actually scared her to death. “If you don’t, I’ll go home, tell lover boy that you tricked him into marrying you, that you only did it for the money, then I’ll lock him in the safe room in the basement like I was going to do if hehadn’tlost his memory. I’ll give him a piece of bread a day and a cup of water. Maybe. By the time three months have passed, he’ll be nothing but skin and bones, sitting in his own filth. Then I’ll put a bullet in his brain and get rid of his body where no one will ever find him.”
Maisy stared at her brother in horror. She used to play hide-and-seek with this man when they were little. He used to hold her hand when they walked to school. Had accidentally told her there was no Santa Claus, then hugged her when she’d cried. He’d stood beside her at the funeral home after their parents died, his arm around her,and promised to take care of her for as long as she needed him.
Now he was a monster—and she hated him.
“And you?” Jason went on. “I’ll fill Jack’s head with stories of your treachery. I’ll make sure he hates your guts and knows it wasyourplan to kidnap him. I’ll tell him that you laughed at how pathetic he was for falling for every word, how shitty he was in bed. And in the end, I’ll lock you up with him for his last few days. Gagged, of course, so you keep your big fucking mouth shut. He won’t care what’s happening to you by that point, I promise you that. I’ll make you watch as I put that bullet in his skull. Then, because I can’t have you blabbing to anyone about what you know, you’ll join him. You can rest in not-so-peace till death do you part, after all.”
Maisy felt numb. This couldn’t be happening.
“Sign the fucking paper, sister dear,” Jason growled, leaning over the console and pinning her in place with his evil gaze as he held a pen out for her.
As if in a trance, Maisy took the pen and, with trembling fingers, signed the paper.
“I knew you’d see things my way,” Jason said with satisfaction as he tucked the signed document back into the folder and threw it back onto the seat behind him. He turned to her once more. “Three months, Maise. That’s all. Then this will all be over and we can go back to how things used to be.
“Oh, and another thing—when we get home, you’re gonna talk to Jack. Convince him that you don’t want to move out. You’re staying right where you are until the three months are done. I don’t trust you not to fuck up. And because I know how stressful all this has been, I’vepicked up refills for you. You’ll start taking your anti-anxiety pills again today. Trust me, it’ll be better for you.”
It didn’t take a rocket scientist to know why Jason wanted her and Jack to stay until the three-month waiting period was up. He wanted easy access to Jack to make him go away. Permanently. And there was no way in hell was she going to go back to being the zombie she used to be on those pills. She was clearheaded now, and Maisy knew without a doubt that her brother would somehow use her supposed relapse as a way to get her out of the picture altogether. It would be easy enough for her to “overdose.”
Urgency shot through her. She needed to get away. Away from Seattle, away from her brother. Needed to getJackaway from him. She needed a plan, and at the moment, she had no idea where to start.
“Maisy? Do you understand me? When we get home, I’ll tell Jack that you had a panic attack and you need to start taking your meds again. Tonight, you can get on your knees, suck lover boy’s cock, and convince him you don’t want to leave. Got it?”
Maisy nodded. Anything to get Jason to shut up.
“Good. Now, we’re going to the bank and filling out the paperwork to get the ball rolling on releasing your trust. You sign what’s put in front of you without question, or you won’t like the consequences.”
She nodded again. She couldn’t fight him, not now. He’d do exactly what he said he would. He’d hurt her husband.
Jason was right, she was just as guilty as he was in tricking Jack. She shouldn’t have gone along with everything. But now that she had, she needed to do what she could to make things right. She’d figure out a way to saveJack. Even if it meant she’d end up as dead as her former sister-in-law.
“It’s nice to see you compliant. Things are going to work out just fine,” Jason said in what anyone else would consider a soothing tone. But to Maisy, he sounded sinister.
