If You Must Know (Potomac Point #1)(100)

“Lyle, don’t let her talk to me that way.” Ebba slapped his arm, then swiveled toward me again. “I said get off our boat.”

“Our boat? Interesting. And here I thought lover boy anted up all the cash.” I had to keep my eye on her. She was jumpy, which wasn’t helping me keep my cool.

“What do you want, Erin?” He crossed his arms without sparing Ebba a glance.

“If you don’t get off this boat, I’m calling the cops.” Ebba stomped.

Be smart. Use her. “I doubt that’ll turn out like you think. Let’s back up, though. You keep saying this is your boat.”

She narrowed her eyes. “It’s our boat. Our company boat.”

Woo-hoo, the bimbo might be headed to jail, too! “Ah yes. Would that be Somniator Partners?”

“Yes—”

“Ebba,” Lyle snapped.

I wanted to kiss her for confirming another piece of the puzzle. “Well, I’m sorry to inform you both”—I faced Lyle—“but these are your final minutes of boat ownership, so take a nice last look at your love nest.”

“What?” Ebba whined.

“Why so blue?” I asked. “I’ve always been told that the happiest days of boat ownership are the first and the last. Let’s break out the champagne. I feel like celebrating.”

“All right. Enough of you and your games.” When Lyle moved toward me, I held up my hand and hoped he didn’t see it tremble. He shooed me. “Scoot along so no one gets hurt.”

“Gosh, I hope that’s a threat. That’d make it mail fraud, wire fraud, and assault . . . Tell me what I can do to make you hit me so we can add battery to that list.” I glared at him, every muscle in my body taut with frenetic energy.

“What the hell is she talking about?” Ebba finally turned her attention from me and tugged at Lyle’s shirt. He remained cool under pressure. “You said you told your ex you were leaving her for me. Why is her sister here now making wild accusations?”

I hated Lyle but had to admire his unflappable nature.

Ebba did not share his temperament, which made her the weak link I could break—or who might turn dangerous. “To be fair, Ebba, Lyle did tell Amanda about you after you both fled. What did he say, exactly . . .” I tapped my cheek and pretended to think, trying to decide how far to push. “Something about needing time because he was ‘undecided.’ Yes, I think that’s the word. It seems, however, that he didn’t tell you about how he stole my mother’s money to buy this boat.”

“Liar!” she yelled.

So she didn’t know. Would that help or hurt my mission?

“I know, I know . . . you don’t want to believe me. You believe him.” I gestured to Lyle, then set the back of my hand by my mouth as if sharing a secret with her. “My sister did the same thing for years. Turns out he lied to her. Lied to his first wife, too. Now he’s lied to you. Sucks, huh? But he gets points for consistency.” I chuckled to annoy them both.

“First wife?” Ebba’s eyes got wide. “What’s she saying, Lyle?”

Before he answered, I interrupted. “The PI we hired collected a whole file of documents to prove every word. Granted, if Amanda hadn’t reached out to Lyle’s dad, we might not have learned about Deanna so quickly.”

Ah, there it was. A flicker of heat flared in his eyes from a second blow he hadn’t expected. His father.

Lyle’s coloring now looked like he’d been on the boat all week without sunscreen. He glanced past me, up and down the docks. “I don’t see any cops, so you must want something specific.”

“Oh, I do.”

“I’ve heard enough,” Ebba said. “I’m sure losing Lyle was a blow to your sister, but she’s obviously unhinged and making crazy claims. Instead of badgering us, you should convince her to not fight the divorce. Lyle and I are getting married whether she likes it or not.”

“Bet you have family money,” I said.

“So?”

“Better get a prenup.”

She scoffed. “I’m done with you and your sister. What a wimp to send you instead of coming herself.”

I jabbed my finger at her face. “You shut up unless you want those hair extensions on the ground and your ass tossed in the sea.” I could do it without worrying overmuch. Ebba wouldn’t drown with those fake tatas to keep her afloat. “The only reason Amanda’s not here is because it would be too risky for the baby.”

“Whatever,” Ebba said, showing no remorse for breaking up a family-to-be. I really should shove her overboard.

But this was it. Time to bluff my ass off. I was good, but so was Lyle.

My heart pounded so hard I thought he might see my chest thumping, so I faced Ebba.

“Go ahead, dismiss me, but I’m here to offer you both one chance to get out of this without serving time.” I turned back to Lyle. “I’ve got a false deed, the letter about the affair in which you claimed to be working on the real estate deal in Florida, the public records for all of your shell corporations, interviews with people you two have dealt with recently, wire transfers from your accounts, and obviously the information needed to track you down here at this marina. Sign over the title to this boat right now and I won’t go to the cops.”