Chapter Sixteen: A True Queen
"It looks bad," Cousin Elizabeth said coldly, her blue eyes fixed on Mary's tear-streaked face. "A policeman is dead. Your fingerprints are on the weapon. Tell me what happened, Mary."
"I swear I'm innocent!" Mary's shoulders were shaking. She couldn't check the tears that poured down her face. "The last thing I remember is leaving the restaurant with Marco. We met with Captain McCluskey to try and help him, not to kill him!"
"So your alibi is a night of passion with Marco Maselli?" Elizabeth's sculpted features wore an expression of cool disdain. Her cultured voice made it clear what she thought of that kind of behavior. "A man with mob ties is your only hope. For heaven's sake he's an ex-convict, Mary. The man is a convicted murderer!"
"He's changed," Mary sniffled. She reached around for a tissue. But the police station holding cell was bare and unfurnished.
"He's a con man," Elizabeth said coldly. "Oh, for heaven's sake Mary, wipe your nose." The strikingly attractive, red-haired woman passed the weeping blonde a linen handkerchief, embroidered with her own initials in gold.
"I need to see Marco," Mary said, in a muffled voice. She blew her nose, loudly, the noise seeming to echo against the bare walls of the interrogation room. "Marco will tell you the truth!"
"The police have been looking for Marco all morning," Elizabeth informed her cousin. "It appears he's dropped off the face of the earth."
"What did you do to him?" Mary looked up, her green eyes flashing. "You've been against us from the beginning, Elizabeth. Why are you doing all this?"
The tall red-haired woman gave an expressive shrug of her shoulders. "I don't have anything against you, or your ex-con lover. I only want what's mine, Mary. I want the house, the bank, and the family industries. That's what we talked about last night, remember?"
"Last night?" Mary's soft, tear-streaked features wore a bewildered expression. Last night she had been with Marco, she was certain of that. After a late dinner and several glasses of wine, she had driven home with Marco. The two of them had been talking, hadn't they? Maybe they were arguing about whether Captain McCluskey could really help them expose Elizabeth. Why couldn't Mary remember anything after that?
"You and I were together last night," Elizabeth said, taking a folder of documents from out of a slim leather briefcase. "When you got home late from the restaurant, I was waiting in the parlor. I do still have a key to the family mansion, after all. It's rightfully mine."
"But Marco was with me last night!" Mary squeezed her eyes shut, trying to bring back the memory of being alone with Marco, making love to him in the master bedroom of her mansion. But all she saw was her antique canopy bed. She couldn't remember making love to Marco on the bed, only falling into a deep sleep. Marco had been there, she felt it. But a crucial piece was missing!
Elizabeth cleared her throat, as though to pull Mary back to the present. "You and your boyfriend came home together, both somewhat under the influence, and then he left you. I persuaded you that we needed to talk business, remember? Marco left before you went to bed, Mary. I was with you, however. And I can testify on your behalf. But only if we finish last night's work."
"Huh?" Mary couldn't remember meeting Elizabeth at the mansion, or talking business all night. She certainly didn't remember Marco being ordered to leave by her bossy cousin! Mary was sure that would never happen. Yet where was Marco now? Why had he left her bed last night? Why?
"Last night's work." Elizabeth spread out several contracts and legal documents on the battered wooden table.
"What is this?" Mary frowned at the paperwork. She didn't remember anything about a business meeting last night! But she drew a blank on Marco, too. All she remembered was dinner with Captain McCluskey, dinner and wine, and then the bed and sleep. But Marco had been there with her!
"Last night you decided to turn everything over to me, Mary. Sign these papers and it all becomes legal. And then I'll gladly testify that you were with me all night. The murder charge will magically disappear." The cool, organized career woman with the icy blue eyes and flaming red hair was holding out a gold pen.
"This isn't about me. You hate me!" Mary picked up the pen, only to throw it down again. "You hate me, and you want to destroy Marco. You want to rule Red Lake like an absolute monarch, and he's the only man smart and ruthless enough to stop you!"
"That's right," Elizabeth said. "Except that Marco works for me. He's been on my side from the beginning. Now sign or go to jail."
"I don't believe you," Mary said stubbornly. "I didn't kill anyone, Marco would never betray me, and I won't sign over my rights."
"Bitch!" Elizabeth hissed like a snake, looking daggers at her trembling yet defiant golden-haired cousin. Immediately the tall redhead regained control, her mask slipping back into place. "Well, I suppose we'll have to do this the hard way. Shall I tell the detectives outside you'd like a lawyer? I can recommend some good ones. Of course nearly all the lawyers in town work for me. But you have the truth on your side, don't you?"
"Yes, I do." Mary really wanted to call Marco. She wanted to cry on his shoulder and comfort him and make love to him until they were both exhausted. But she couldn't do any of that now, not with Elizabeth watching like a cat eyeing a cornered mouse. All Mary could do was act like a true queen. She lifted her chin and looked her cousin in the eye, fighting with all her might to keep the tears from welling up once more.