The Last Invitation (90)

Faith’s bravado took a hit. “You would have done the same thing. You didn’t see her after Darren attacked her. She’d unraveled. She wasn’t going to keep any of our secrets.”

Retta could guess how that played out. Letting him loose might have been too much. She’d assess that later when she assessed every other move she’d made. “Listen, we’ve been doing this for years without a problem. We can correct the current trajectory and fix this.”

“It’s too late to handle this only between us. We need to be honest about the choices we both made outside of the usual process.” Faith slowly lowered her teacup to the desk. “I’m also asking for a vote to wrap up the one remaining loose end so that we can move forward with some sense of stability.”

“Gabby.”

Faith nodded. “We both know what needs to be done.”





Chapter Eighty

Gabby




Gabby conceded to the body search. Not that she had much of a choice. Retta had picked Woodend Nature Sanctuary in Chevy Chase as the location for the meeting and brought a bodyguard with her. Wisely, not Trent.

When the man took Gabby’s bag and cell phone then started the patdown, Gabby eyed Retta. “Is this necessary?”

“Clearly.”

Retta looked out of place at the picnic table in her designer pantsuit and thin diamond bracelets. The table had been moved away from the Sanctuary’s mansion and all the trails until it was nestled in a circle of trees. Children ran in the distance, screaming with excitement as adults watched. They were far enough from crowds to have privacy. Gabby assumed Retta had called in a favor or was part of the Audubon Society that ran the place. Either way, it was just the two of them and her enforcer.

Gabby waited for the spot check to finish before sitting across from Retta. “I was surprised you called.”

“There have been some developments,” Retta said.

Gabby hated that wording. It suggested her fears had been warranted. “Let me guess. Faith is upset you let me live?”

Retta made a sound that came close to a groan. “Blame your stunt at the funeral for that.”

Stunt seemed strong, but Gabby didn’t deny it had happened. She’d intended to spill the truth that day. Between the grief and the guilt, she’d wound herself into a mental frenzy that she couldn’t snap out of and find her balance again. But that was a week ago. The bit of distance had grounded Gabby. Made her smarter . . . she hoped.

“You talked about the Foundation,” Retta said. “It sounded to her as if you were trying to expose the group.”

Smart woman. “Little did I know I was talking to the head of the group.”

Retta’s mouth flattened. “One of them.”

Interesting. “Sorry. Did I offend you by suggesting someone else is in charge?”

“We had an understanding, Gabby.” Retta’s tone took on a scolding note. “We talked about this.”

“You threatened me while I was standing in the room with a man who I knew had killed at least two people.” Gabby gave the unknown man with them a glance, but he didn’t have any reaction to the murder talk. “Pardon me for panicking and silently conceding to your Darren or Liam challenge.”

“The police cleared Liam this morning.” Retta counted out her list on her fingers. “The site that leaked the information about Kennedy and Liam being father and daughter was discredited last night. The story is now that an individual blackmailing Liam—”

“A person who doesn’t exist.”

“—framed Liam and spread information about Kennedy that may or may not be true in an attempt to extort money from him. This individual also planted evidence at Liam’s home, which after being tested has no connection to Baines’s death. So Liam is clear there, too.” Retta wrapped her arms around her. “He looks like a victim. A man still grieving from his brother’s death who became a target of someone looking for a quick payday.”

“Is there a PR team at the Foundation that comes up with these lies, or is that part of your job?”

Retta shifted, suddenly sitting forward. “Don’t underestimate Faith.”

“She killed her best friend to protect a secret society. I’m quite clear about how dangerous Faith is.” Gabby had spent five of the last six nights not sleeping. She had a bat next to her bed and a knife under her pillow.

Retta frowned. “Then why are you inviting her to be an enemy?”

This topic wouldn’t take them where Gabby wanted to go. They could talk in circles, but she’d come here for a reason, and not the one Retta thought.

“We need a new deal,” Gabby said, sounding more secure than she was.

Retta smiled. “You’d need leverage for that.”

“Did I forget to mention I have this?” Gabby reached into her bra and pulled out a memory stick. “You stole Jessa’s bag, but I had this. Well, not this one specifically. This one is a copy, because this isn’t my first day dealing with you. I’ve learned a few things.”

Retta glanced at the man who’d conducted the patdown then to Gabby again. “I don’t know what you think—”

“Your files. Jessa collected them from the firm’s top secret partner closet . . . or vault. I’m unclear on what it is. There’s probably a technical name for it, but that’s how she described it.” Gabby set the stick on the table between them.