Page 53 of Impossible Rapids

“Did you know that if Shawn dies, twenty percent of all that money and property will go to Left Behind, your charity?”

Julie glanced back at him, her mouth dropping open. Shawn would gift her all that money? Why was Brandon talking about Shawn dying? The smooth lawyer was confusing her and obviously prodding her for some reason.

Mercedes and Shawn’s marriage had been fake. Neither he nor Mercedes had told her. All that anguish and guilt … why would Shawn put her through that? How could her closest friends not trust her? It was much, much worse than not inviting her to their wedding.

“I didn’t,” she admitted.

“If Shawn dies soon, without an heir…” His brows rose, and he smiled. “The rest of the money transfers to multiple foundations that Mercedes created—and you helped. Thank you.” His smile turned cold and calculating. “And you’ll never believe whose name all those foundations are actually in. Under layers of shadow corporations. Brilliant, if you ask me.”

Julie’s head spun. What was Brandon trying to brag about? Shadow corporations? Where was Shawn? She had questions for him.

“Who?” she asked.

“Me.” He smiled, and he didn’t look like the handsome British model anymore. He looked like a snake. “And when Shawn dies in a car bomb and your body is found after a violent gang attack, all the former Belle and Holister legacy money will ultimately be in my name, and Lucas and Arianna will take the fall for your deaths. Years of planning and manipulating and implementing, and it’s finally coming together.”

Horror rushed through her. She backed away. He was lying or delusional … right?

Her phone started ringing in her purse. “Thor, my Viking hero,” the speaker chirped.

“Shawn will be here any second,” she rushed to say. “He emailed me to meet him here.”

“You shouldn’t trust every email you get, beautiful Julie. It’s far too easy to create a new email and add a simple ‘s’ on the end.”

Brandon grinned and clicked the door lock behind him.

“Help!” she screamed.

He leaped across the space and grasped her arms with both of his hands.

The door handle rattled, and Paul called, “Julie!”

“Release her,” a deep voice growled from the window. Julie turned to see Blaine pointing his gun at Brandon.

There was an odd pop, and Blaine was pushed forward. His head hit the window and then he slumped to the ground.

Bullets whacked into the door. Paul would get through and get to her.

Brandon shoved her out the open window and into the arms of two men waiting in black masks and clothing.

Julie screamed and kicked and thrashed as they hauled her past where Blaine lay on the ground. Unconscious? Dead?

One of the men clamped a hand over her mouth and they pinned her between them.

“Help!” Brandon screamed behind her. As her gaze flew to him, the lawyer head-butted the window frame, breaking skin. Blood gushed down his face. “They’ve got Julie!”

He smiled at her, looking like a gory, bloody monster as she was carried away.

Chapter

Fifteen

Shawn felt increasingly uncomfortable as the meeting with the judge wore on. Everything was apparently going according to plan. Court clerks rushed off with the final amendments to certify them. The judge called a short recess. As soon as the paperwork was in order, the judge explained he would sign off on everything.

As soon as he left, Wallace stood and said, “Pardon me. I need to use the facilities.” He smiled. “We’ll be through all this mess soon.”

“Thank you,” Franz said to him.

He hurried out the main door.