Page 68 of Murder on the Upper East Side

She frowned. ‘He’s your best friend. Don’t you—?’

‘No way. If Bash or Elle had something to do with Madison’s murder, I need to know.’

She shrugged, then pressed her ear back to the vent.

‘But Madison knew,’ Bash was saying. ‘How?’

Elle’s sigh had a hollow ring, echoing through the vent. ‘I brought it up at lunch, as a friend,in confidence. I told her the same thing I’ve been telling you – that Beaumont Capital’s only way out of the mess your father left behind was for you to come clean. But Madison acted as if I was behaving like a foolish child. Not as your financial advisor,which I am. As if we haven’t all been friends for years. As if I wouldn’thave your best personal and professional interests at heart! Her reaction was frankly insulting – and unhinged.’

Hannah and Theo exchanged a glance. Exactly what mess had Richard Beaumont left behind?

‘Christ,’ Bash muttered. ‘How did this get so fucked? I was trying to spare you from this, Elle.’

Elle’s voice was thin. ‘Spare me from what?’

‘My father’s mess? The one you’ve been helping me untangle? That was Henry Alcott Winslow’s doing.’

‘It –what?’

‘He roped my father into an investment scheme. Insider trading benefitting Beaumont Capital’s biggest clients – and Beaumont itself. Winslow had the connections, Richard had the cashflow. That series of shadow accounts my father set up, the ones you’ve been closing, were all tied to Winslow. And all illegal.’

‘And Madison knew what her husband was up to,’ Elle said quietly. ‘She knew if the truth came out, it would destroy Winslow’s political career.’

‘Precisely. And afteryoutold Madison you were advising me to come clean about the illegal activity on Beaumont Capital’s accounts that had pre-dated my takeover of the company, she reacted in the only way Madison DuPont knew how.’

‘Insulting my professional credibility.’

‘And blackmailing me. She threatened to bury Beaumont Capital in the ground if I did anything to tie the company’s illicit affairs to Winslow. She insisted I pledge my public support for his mayoral run, as ashow of good faith. An endorsement, by the end of the month.’

Elle snorted. ‘Which of course you weren’t going to give. Winslow’s far too moderate for your tastes.’

For a moment that stretched into two, then three, and only silence seeped through the vent.

‘Bash? You weren’t going to endorse him, were you?’

‘It hardly matters now, does it? Madison’s fucking dead. All her threats, and everything she knew about Winslow’s scheme with my father, will go with her to the grave.’

Theo sucked in a sharp breath. In the semi-darkness of the closet, Hannah studied his face. Did Theo think…

Elle’s voice rose. ‘Why did you keep all this from me?’

‘Because the less you knew, the better. I was trying to protect you, as a professional.’

Her voice softened. ‘We’re more than that, Sebastian. We’ve always been more than that.’

‘Oh, fuck you, Elle. Whatever we could have been, you destroyed years ago.’

‘You mean Edward.’

‘Of course I mean Edward. YouknewI had feelings for you. When you and Theo ended things, I hung back. He was my best friend, and you were hurting. I thought, after graduation, we’d give it a chance. But you chosemy brother.’

Hannah’s eyes widened. Edward and Elle? She stolea glance at Theo, but he was unfazed. Of course he already knew, had probably known for years.

‘That first year at Harvard was the hardest of my life. Edward reached out. He was there for me.’

‘I was at Cambridge. I did my—’

‘No.Younever told me how you felt,’ Elle hissed. ‘I gave you the portrait. Anude.And you did nothing! What was I supposed to think?’