Because It Is My Blood (Birthright #2)(63)

“I like your wife and son too much for that,” I said. “I have a long list of enemies, Mr. Delacroix. You’re certainly on it, but you’re nowhere near the top.” I paused. “You know everything: What do you know about Sophia Bitter?”

Charles Delacroix furrowed his brow. “Your cousin Mickey’s newish wife.” He shook his head. “German, I think?”

“And Mexican.” I asked him if there was any chance she was on his list of suspects for the Fretoxin poisonings.

“No. We suspected it happened at the manufacturing level, that it was someone outside the United States, but I wasn’t able to allocate the resources to investigate beyond New York let alone outside the country. And then your cousin so conveniently confessed.” Charles Delacroix rolled his eyes.

“You knew it was a lie?”

“Of course, Anya. But, for a variety of reasons, it was worth it to me to be able to close the books on the poisoning. Also, it gave me an excellent excuse to put away Jakov for a long period of time. He did shoot my son, I’m sure you’ll recall.”

I did.

“I’m sentimental, what can I say?” Charles Delacroix poured himself a drink. He offered me one, but I declined. “So, Sophia Bitter. I take it you think she arranged the poisoning. Seems like a reasonable enough guess. Her foreign interests coupled with excellent access to your family’s business by way of her, at the time, fiancé.”

I paused. “I think she killed my brother and tried to kill my sister and me, too.”

Charles Delacroix took a good, long swig, and then poured himself another drink. He considered me for a moment. “When we’re young we think everything has to be wrapped up in a month. But you should take the long view on this one. Before you make a move, be sure, Anya. And even once you’re sure, tread carefully. And remember you don’t have to do what they expect you to do.”

But that was the problem. It was impossible to be sure. “How can I be sure? I’m surrounded by liars and criminals.”

“Ah, that is a dilemma. If I were you, I’d put the question to Sophia Bitter directly. See what she says.”

Seemed like good enough advice. “I like you better when you’re not plotting against me.”

At that moment, Win opened the door. “Dad.” He nodded toward his father. “Annie,” he complained, “I haven’t seen you the whole night!”

“Anya,” Charles Delacroix called as I was leaving, “come visit me again sometime.”

Win grabbed my hand, and we went back out to the party. “What was that about?” he asked.

I kissed him, and he seemed to forget the question. “Isn’t it nice that we can do that whenever we want in front of whoever?”

“You are a very strange girl,” Win said.

Not long after, Scarlet, Natty, Daisy Gogol, and I took our leave. We were halfway down Win’s street and a third of the way to the bus stop when a dark figure emerged from an alleyway.

“Scarlet! Scarlet!” A voice called.

Natty screamed, and Daisy Gogol got into a squatting position that I assumed had something to do with her Krav Maga training. Suddenly, she sprung up and had her arm around the figure’s neck.

“What the Hell is this?” the figure said. I’d know that entitled voice anywhere. Gable Arsley.

“Oh, Gable, honestly. Just go away!” Scarlet said. “Why are you even here?”

“The guy at the door wouldn’t let me into Win’s stupid party. Like I’m so awful. Win’s father did things a million times worse than anything I ever did, and he’s in there. Can’t bygones be bygones?” Arsley tried to free himself but Daisy Gogol was stronger. “Seriously, Anya, tell your beast to let me go.”

Daisy Gogol looked at me. I shook my head. It was fine to let Gable Arsley struggle a little longer.

“That’s rude, Arsley. Just because Daisy’s stronger than you doesn’t make her a beast,” Natty said.

“Shut up, mini-Anya,” Arsley said. “Seriously, Scarlet, I need to talk to you. Can’t we please go somewhere?”

Daisy Gogol released Arsley as it had become all too obvious that we knew him.

Scarlet shook her head. “We can talk at school, Gable.”

“Please! Give me one minute alone. One minute without your bloody entourage. I’m desperate here. I’m going to do something crazy!”

“Anything you have to say to me you can say in front of them,” Scarlet said.

Gable looked from me to Natty to Daisy Gogol. “Fine. If that’s the way it has to be. And I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I’m sorry for everything. You have no idea how sorry. I wish I’d never taken those stupid pictures. I wish I could go back in time and do everything over again because I’m such an idiot.”

“That’s true,” I added.

Gable ignored me. “But if I had to be poisoned and lose my foot just so I could meet you for real and fall in love with you, I’d do that again. You’re perfect, Scarlet. You’re freaking perfect. I’m awful. I do horrible things. I’m mean-spirited and vile.”

“Also, true,” I said. But no one was paying attention to me.

“Please, Scarlet, you have to forgive me. You have to let me in. You have to let me help raise our baby. You have to. I’ll die if you don’t let me.”