Total pages in book: 173
Estimated words: 163802 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 819(@200wpm)___ 655(@250wpm)___ 546(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 163802 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 819(@200wpm)___ 655(@250wpm)___ 546(@300wpm)
“Oh dear, I hadn’t thought of that,” she breathed, laying her hand over her heart. “If the police have got it wrong, you may still be in danger—not to mention that precious child. Oh, Sue, you must know how much we all love Nari. I swear the heavens gave us one of their own with that girl.”
“Yes,” I whispered, smiling soft. “They did. That’s why I need to be sure. Now, you’re saying that the feud between Courtney’s mom and mine got so bad it resulted into road rage, but they must’ve buried the hatchet, right? Otherwise, why would she have invited Omma to the baby shower?”
“Hmm. It’s true, she did.” Mrs. Choi paused to sip her tea. “And ever since, they were both too busy showering their grandchildren with attention to worry about the other. It’d helped that Courtney’s predicament humbled that nasty shrew. Llewellyn certainly wasn’t bragging about her Ivy League–dropout daughter after she admitted she couldn’t even remember her child’s father’s name.”
I clamped down hard on my tongue, holding back the lashing. You need her, you need her, you need her. For all her badmouthing Courtney, she’s eventually going to say something that’ll save Courtney’s future.
“Was there anyone else?” I asked. “Someone else who resented my mother so much, they couldn’t get over it? Something they’d want to settle the score over, even though Omma was already dying.”
Shaking her head, her gaze drifted out the window. “My dear, no. Of course not. It’s as you say, any petty grievances were settled with the news that my friend didn’t have long in this world. At this point, her death achieved nothing except satisfying the murderous lust of a monster. Because if it wasn’t that Courtney girl, that’s who it was—a monster,” she spat.
“Some sick, soulless beast who’s too much of a coward to face a woman head-on, so they strike from behind or when they’re laid up in bed and couldn’t hope to fight back. Just like they did with your mother, that woman who used to work for you, and that poor girl from the post office. Did you know that’s how that young woman died?” she asked. “Struck on the back of the head. She was probably walking to her car, heading home from work, when that beast came up behind her. She wouldn’t have seen a thing coming.”
“I didn’t know that was how she died,” I admitted. “All I heard was that she was found on Bonsai Beach. Look, Mrs. Choi, I don’t doubt the killer is a madman, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t have a motive to go after Omma specifically.
“The killer took a serious risk going after Omma in a house full of cops and witnesses. They planned a way to get in, out, and frame an innocent person all without being seen. That’s a lot of premeditation for an opportunistic coward.”
Mrs. Choi tipped her head, nodding. “Yes, I see what you mean.”
“So, please, thinking back to everything my mother’s said and done. Think about everything others may have done and said about my mother. Did anyone have a reason to want to silence her? One that couldn’t wait.”
She tossed her head, face crumpling. “Soo, I’m sorry, but there’s nothing like that. Your mother shut herself away for months. No one had a reason to... to silence...” Trailing off, she stiffened. “Wait. Silence... Silence her...”
“What?” I pounced. “What is it?”
“It— No, it’s probably nothing. Even the thought is ridiculous—”
“Please.” My grip tightened on her hand. “She was my mother. Your friend. We have to do everything we can to find her killer—even if it’s ridiculous.”
She looked at me, eyes filling. “Sweet child, you say you want to know this... but I don’t think you do.”
“I do,” I replied before she finished the sentence. “Tell me.”
Sighing, she pressed her lips tight together—looking at me like she wasn’t going to budge.
“Okay,” she said, making me release a breath I didn’t know I was holding. “First, you must understand that I was only doing what she asked of me. I even told her that she should talk to you and get your permission first, but she claimed a mother didn’t need permission.”
“Permission to do what?”
She trapped my gaze. “Permission to investigate her sons-in-law.”
“Investigate?” I blew back, eyes darting around. “Investigate what?”
Mrs. Choi flapped her hand, gesturing for me to lean back in. Just because she loved telling everyone’s business, didn’t mean she wanted it shouted in public. “It was last year—around June,” she said softly. “Apparently, you were in a bad spot in your marriages at the time, and it was looking like a divorce—or three—was inevitable. She said they’d already struck the first blow by canceling all of your credit cards and removing your access to the joint accounts.” She gave me a look. “And you know what comes after that.”