Woman on the Edge(59)

“Thank you, Morgan. She was the closest thing to family I have, and I can’t believe she’s gone.” She sweeps a hand along her glass-topped desk. “Tell me something: If you’re a stranger, why would she want to give you Quinn?”

So she knows about the will. What she said is not spoken with malice, but it pinches. “I honestly have no idea.”

She plays with the ends of her long braid. “I know who you are, like anyone who follows the news right now. But Nicole never mentioned you. She picked you over me, though. That’s clear enough.”

Why wouldn’t Nicole have chosen this woman to take care of Quinn? Yes, she’s young, likely not even thirty yet, but she’s poised. I glance at the lime-colored clock with a lotus flower in the center on the wall behind her. The minutes are ticking by. Quinn is still with Greg and Melissa.

“Forgive me, but why do you think Nicole did that—named me as Quinn’s guardian?”

She winces, and I feel ashamed for being so blunt.

“She knew I didn’t want kids.” She exhales a long stream of air.

A woman from the reception area brings in some files then leaves. Phones ring incessantly, and people walk back and forth outside her office, but Tessa’s solely focused on me.

“Nicole slipped me a note with a name on it before she gave me Quinn. Before she died.”

Tessa blinks. “What name?”

“Amanda.”

Tessa nods. “Ah yes. The baby who died under her care. She told me once, then never wanted to talk about it again. But I should have made her. I should have realized more was going on than just postpartum depression.” Her hands start to shake, and she folds them in her lap.

I have to press on. “I’ve learned some things about Greg’s assistant, Melissa Jenkins. She drives a dark blue Prius. I thought she tried to run me down, but my attorney says it wasn’t her car. Still, she might be involved in all of this. Do you know her?”

Tessa’s eyes grow wide. “Nicole thought Greg was having an affair with her. But to be honest, I wasn’t sure if that was real or in her head.” Her brow knits together. “I live on North Vine, not far from headquarters, and I like to walk home from work, especially in the summer. Someone in a blue car, in large sunglasses, was following me the other day. Maybe it was Melissa. But why would she follow me?”

I lift my shoulders and let them drop. “I wish I knew. I didn’t push Nicole off that platform. And I think I’m being set up to take the fall for her death. Someone tried to kill me and Quinn.”

I watch her already pale face leach of color. She seems genuinely stricken.

“And Ben, too,” I say gently.

“Ben?” she says. The mood has become tense.

“Yes, Nicole’s brother. Do you know him?”

Tessa’s face is now harder, colder.

“Morgan, you know Nicole hated Ben, right? There was bad blood between them.”

“Yes, Ben told me.”

“Did he tell you he brought her prescription refills? Brought them right to her house?” Tessa holds my gaze. “Before she died, Nicole told me she kicked him out and never wanted to see him again. What if he had something to do with this? I hear his hospital is in deep trouble, that he needs money.”

My hands start to shake. I feel the room get smaller. Everything I thought I knew could be so very wrong.

“That can’t be right. He’s been so devastated by Nicole’s death. And so wonderful with Quinn. He was as scared as I was for her.” Everything feels off. I feel off. I remember the article I read when I was looking for information about Nicole. It said Ben’s hospital was slated to close. Could he have put the doll in the bassinet and sent himself that photo to throw me off track?

Tessa moves in front of me and rests against her desk. “Her will is now public. Nicole gave Ben the money he wanted, and it’s a fortune. She gave it to the brother who wasn’t even in her life.”

Nausea churns in my stomach and my body goes cold. I told Ben the whole truth, but he didn’t tell me anything about the money. I think of everything I’ve confessed to him about Ryan. My deepest worries. He’s probably already filed for sole guardianship of Quinn and didn’t tell me.

There are too many thoughts going through my mind at once, and I’m frozen in my chair. I feel sick and frightened. And so angry with myself. Have I been deceived by a man again?

“Ben and Melissa know each other,” she says. “No matter what, he isn’t the all-perfect doctor everyone thinks he is.”

“What do you mean?” I say, my voice rising.

“Just …” She writes on an ivory piece of paper. “You can never really tell who a person is, you know?” She picks up the piece of paper and hands it to me. “This is my cell. You can always call me. Stay clear of Ben. If there’s anything else I can think of to help you, I will.”

“Thank you,” I say. I take a scrap of paper from my purse, scribble my new number on it, and give it to her.

I say goodbye to Nicole’s best friend and exit the lobby of Breathe headquarters. I’m a mess of tangled emotions. I have two choices: confront Ben or confront Melissa.

I make a quick call to Blythe & Brown, grateful my name isn’t attached to this burner phone. A receptionist picks up. “Hi, I’m wondering if Greg and Melissa are in today,” I say as casually as I can.