“His cottage in Maywood was very cozy,” I said. “But yes, I can see what you mean. It was very private.”“Maywood?” Mavis raised her eyebrows. “Posh neighborhood, that. Bet he liked it better than his place here.”“Mr. Kim lived on the grounds?” Travis asked.“Yup. Not so popular to do these days, so his place’s still as he left it.” She looked at us. “Do you want to see?”Obviously, we did, but we let her and Travis drink their tea first. Zane and I declined. Tea was a sorry excuse for coffee, in my opinion, and I think Zane didn’t want to delay things.It bothered me terribly, all of a sudden, that I didn’t know whether Zane liked tea.We took a ride in Mavis’s electric cart, and soon we were looking at a slightly larger version of the tool shed we’d left behind. The front boasted an overgrown garden, and there was some sort of notice on the door, which I later saw was an announcement the water would be turned off.There were no books inside, but it was still obvious that the same ma
Sarah POV“Mommy,” Grace said, which made my heart turn over a few times.“Yes?” I asked from where I was sitting on the floor in front of my Monopoly money and properties, which included three railroads, Boardwalk, and the light blue trio.“I don’t want to stay in your house.”“Do you want to play
Zane POVIt was always a pleasant surprise when Ella dropped by, full of Europe and gossip. She had been such a balm to my spirit when Olivia died and I lost Chloe—temporarily, thank the goddess.Today, she was particularly dazzling. Dressed in what I was sure was the latest and greatest French fash
I looked at Sarah, who looked less than thrilled.“The girls have been preparing for the charity ball,” she said.“What is a ball compared to Paris?” Ella demanded and laughed.“I don’t want to go to Paris with you,” Chloe said then, and I realized I felt the impulse to tell her she was being rude.
Sarah POVZane outpaced me, but I wasn’t far behind when we reached the hedge maze. I heard the most terrible snarling amid the girls’ screams, and then something the snarls were cut off. Zane rounded the last turn on the path and plunged into the maze.By the time I caught up just inside the maze’s
Sarah POVChloe was curled up in a chair, sleeping soundly. I had finally gotten him to go for a sink bath and a change of clothes, and Hans had known better than to pack a suit. He was wearing clean chinos and a dark blue Henley.We both looked up as someone entered the room. Agent Travis nodded at
Zane POVI had expected Travis to heed the call, but I didn’t expect half the security detail to come with him. I also greeted some business associates and the wolf tutor, Leon Hayes, whom Sarah had hired for the girls.I had hoped Ella might join us, but I supposed she was already in Paris.It was
Sarah POVChloe was with the tutor, Dr. Hayes, and I was on my second cup of coffee when my phone bree-bropped with a notification. I had it set to alert me if Zane or the girls were mentioned on social media.Someone had posted on I***a that Zane had “done a good job,” with a link to a news article
Sarah POVAfter the onsite security personnel and police had come, taken Ella’s body along with our statements, and then left, it was early morning. I worried about the girls, but they were as keyed up as I, and finally we all just piled on Zane’s bed, which was now my bed as well. Zane had his arms
Sarah POVGinnyWolf: Sarah is a MOON WOLF??!! Are you KIDDING ME?WhiteKnuckling: This is a hoax. Total bullshit.PPPPJohnP: I knew it.ShangHairSurprise: Will she be reforming the Luna Temple again?Rosemary&Sage: Hey now, PPPPJohn, THAT’S bullshit.With a laugh, I put the phone in the purse Lainey
Sarah POV“We all fear death,” Zane said.That wasn’t what I meant at all, and I told him so. My dress turned to silver in the moonlight, and I held his warm hands in mine.“If you seek the truth, stop seeking enemies and find the moon,” I and the statue and someone else said, speaking as one.He lo
Zane POVIt was thallium poisoning.“The treatment is proceeding with Prussian blue, which traps thallium to keep it from being further absorbed, as well as activated charcoal and forced diuresis,” the doctor, whose name I learned was Vassles, told me.Sitting by Sarah’s bedside, I was trying hard n
Zane POV“Alpha Zane!”Never, in all the years he had been working for me, had I heard such a sound of panic in Hans’s voice.I looked up and out my window. Hans wasn’t in the house. I saw him frantically waving at me over by the poppy garden almost a mile away.I ran down the stairs and out of the
Sarah POVThe day was lovely—perfect, even. The girls were back in school and making up for lost time, Zane was in his office and waved to me as I walked past the villa, and all the “lieutenants” had gone home.It was odd to look back on the past year. Had there ever been more than a day here and th
Ella POVMy contact at the prison told me Hayes followed his script exactly, and for the moment, I decided to put the wolf out of my mind. Few things had ever worked out as nicely as discovering the good doctor’s gambling addiction, and Hayes had several million reasons to do as he was told.When th
Sarah POVThe second Zane and I were in the car, I raised the partition for some privacy, turned to Zane, and asked the question burning acid in my stomach.“Do you think he actually hurt the girls?”Zane shook his head, but his eyes were haunted. “Not physically, but we’ll have to talk to them, see
“We found your money,” I said.“I thought you would.”We sat another few minutes in silence. “So, who was paying you? Who got you to betray my household?”Hayes smiled to himself.“Something funny?”“Do you think I’m some lackey doing someone’s bidding for a few dollars?” he asked, meeting my gaze n