Page 55 of Perfect Liar

She tossed my robe on the bed, eyeing the wine spill, making my cheeks get hot. Then she canted her head, and her eyes hit the bathroom door.

“Nothing I can’t fix. Now don’t mind us. Go on then.”

Mrs. Bates and Lily stepped out for a minute, and I threw on my robe and hurried to the bathroom.

When I came out, they’d already made the bed and spread dozens of white and blush-pink flowers around the room, some in crystal vases and some in vintage urns.

I tugged at a large white flower, plucking it loose from a cluster, and held it under my nose to inhale its rich fragrance.

Will hadn’t bothered with a card. But why would he?

With a sigh, I waltzed across the room to the window.

“English roses, dear. He’ll give you nothing but the best,” Mrs. Bates said.

She smiled when I met her eyes and then shut the door.

I also smiled, then an image of Will’s amazing body filled my head. But it wasn’t just his appearance that attracted me to him.

Something about the way he moved and the way he said my name had changed me, taken me to a carnal place inside myself that I never knew existed.

And when he came home from London, I would definitely have all of him.

I finished dressing and ate the toast and jam from the tray, sipped some coffee, and planned on finding Lissie. But before I made it out the door, a text message alert on my phone caught my attention.

I hadn’t looked at my phone for days.

There were seven voice messages and many text messages.

All from Jess and Josh.

I’d contacted the carrier to extend my coverage to England just before leaving the US, though Will cautioned me not to take any calls…to keep them safe, to keep us all safe.

I didn’t read the text messages, not yet, but I started on the voicemail. I wanted to hear Jess’s voice, to know how she’d been coping emotionally.

Jessica Johnson: “Hey, it’s me, and you’re scaring the hell out of me, Ells. Josh said you’re safe, but I need to hear it from you. You call me back, damn it.”

Josh Mendes: “I did some digging. I know who he is, which means I know where you are. I never thought—well, at least his resources are good, so he should be able to keep you safe. He fucking better.”

Josh Mendes: “Keep your eyes and ears open. You’re officially considered a potential suspect in the investigation now. I’ll do what I can to lead them in another direction, but you left me with nothing useful. Ask him if he can do something about that. Stay safe.”

Josh Mendes: “I miss you. Do you love him? Come home, Ellie. Just come back, and we’ll fix this.”

Jessica Johnson: “I know you would tell me to trust Josh. He says this is for the best, you being gone, that I should let go. But that’s bullshit. You’re my best friend…my…you’re my family. I can’t just pretend I’m okay with this. Damn you, Ells. And damn him.”

I didn’t go on and listen to the rest. I couldn’t bear to hear more of the pain I’d caused them, the pain in Jess’s voice.

Because to live, I had to hurt her. To live, I had to let the police consider me a suspect.

My stomach turned over. A knot swelled in my throat.

Feel the pain, I reminded myself.

The sensation of being trapped in a cold place hit me, then my anger took over, heating me from the inside out.

I threw my fucking phone at the wall.

CHAPTER 17