The Jealousy Game novel · Chapter 16 of 24

Chapter 16: Not the One With the Notebook

Lena's POV

Brett's mother got out of the SUV, closed the door gently, and walked up the alley in her camel coat.

She stopped at the bottom of the steps and looked at Casper.

"I'd like to speak with Lena alone," she said.

Casper stood up at once.

"I'll be at the end of the alley," he said to me.

"Fine."

He went, with his hands in his pockets and his head down, and did not look back.

I took her into my kitchen and turned off the mixer.

She would not sit.

She stood by the steel table in her good coat with her bag held in both hands.

She looked at the racks of dough and the flour on the floor.

"He lied to me about the doctor," she said.

"Yes."

"He lied about the stone."

"Yes."

"Is it true that he took your money?"

"Forty-eight thousand dollars. It was the bakery's savings."

She closed her eyes for a moment.

Then she opened her bag and took out a folded packet of paper and put it on the table between the flour scoops.

"This is the venue contract for the pavilion," she said. "He asked me last week to keep a copy, for the toast. I read it last night, after the ring. I read it twice."

I unfolded the top sheet.

There was a line near the bottom, with a highlighter mark across it.

Deposit received Monday, forty-eight thousand dollars. Refundable only on written release signed by the bride.

I read it again.

"He didn't pay a deposit," I said. "The pavilion costs six thousand."

"No."

"He put my money in the venue's account."

"And named you as the only person who can get it out." Her voice had gone thin. "He asked me whether the toast could include a small signing. For the guests. A moment where you sign the contract on the stage, so everyone can applaud."

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