A Reagan Keeter Box Set: Three page-turning thrillers that will leave you wondering who you can trus by Reagan Keeter (fiction novels to read txt) 📗

sounded like she had never installed the software. Why not? He’d seen her on his computer before, usually playing Solitaire or surfing the web while he was in the shower. But he didn’t interrupt to ask. It seemed like the more Rick talked the more he wanted to, as if he somehow felt he was absolving himself by admitting to it all. And maybe that’s exactly what he thought, because the next thing he said was, “I’m sorry for Alice. It shouldn’t have gone that far. If Elise had tried to install the software sooner, everything would’ve been all right. It would’ve recorded your keystrokes, collecting all your login information for all your accounts, and allowed me to remote into your computer to transfer the money out without ever having to step foot inside your place.”

“What do you mean sooner?” Liam barked.

“Elise came by my apartment. She said she didn’t want to do it. She told me she’d started to care about you, and I told her if she didn’t do it I’d make sure you found out who she really was. So that’s what happened, right? You figured out she had installed the software and killed her over it.”

Liam couldn’t believe what he was hearing. There was so much information packed in that one statement it created a sort of emotional whiplash. Elise had cared about him. Beneath all the lies, there was something true in their relationship. Just as important—not only was Rick innocent of Elise’s murder, but he thought Liam had done it.

“After you killed her, I couldn’t let it go. We never planned to empty all your accounts. We were only going to take some of the money. A lot for us, a little for you. Then things changed. I wanted to punish you, and you deserved it. You’ll still pay. Even though it’s not the way I intended, the police will catch you sooner or later and you’ll do thirty to life in some small cell as someone’s bitch, I’m betting.”

“I didn’t kill Elise. I never saw her installing any software on my computer.”

Rick looked confused. “But I got an alert saying the software had been activated. Only before I could learn anything, it stopped transmitting data. You must have found out about it.”

“What reason would I have to lie to you now? It wasn’t me.”

Liam saw Rick’s face transform as the truth sank in. Then he said softly, “I couldn't believe you had the audacity to attend the funeral. Now I guess it makes sense.”

Liam remembered somebody standing at the edge of the cemetery. At the time, he’d thought it was the police, but it must have been Rick. Had he come to pay his respects too, only keeping his distance when he saw Liam at the gravesite? Then another thought occurred to him: Ryan Reyes had said Elise was seeing someone else—had he meant Rick?

Chris put his hands on his hips and paced back and forth. He was getting impatient. Arkin, however, appeared to be enjoying the show.

“Well, if she didn’t install the software on your computer, she must’ve installed it on someone’s,” Rick continued.

Maybe that was the someone who killed her, Liam thought. “Do you know who it might have been?”

Rick shook his head.

“Why me?”

“Hell if I know.”

“This was Elise’s idea?”

“No, this was my idea.” Liam could hear pride in Rick’s voice. “But it didn’t start that way. Someone came to Elise and said they wanted you in jail for a while. Elise was hard up for cash, so she took their money. But I told her I had a better idea, and what could they do about it anyway if we changed the plan?”

Liam couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Who are you talking about?”

“I don’t know. I met them when Elise and I went to pick up the deposit. She thought it’d be a good idea to have someone with her. Man and a woman, that’s all I can tell you. Well, that, and the man was tall, if that’s worth anything to you. Really tall. Blond hair, balding a little on top.”

Rick was describing David.

“Maybe they killed Elise.”

“That’s not possible,” Liam said and took a step back as if the news itself had pushed him away.

Liam walked across the room, struggling to make sense of the information and moving closer to Ava without realizing it. “No, no, no,” he mumbled to himself, shaking his head.

When he was within range, Ava reached out and gently grabbed his arm. “Liam.”

He looked at her.

“Most people wouldn’t think I run this poker game, would they?”

He got the message. As hard as it was to hear, there wasn’t any point in denying what Rick had said. He was only telling Liam what he’d seen. David had tried to frame him and put him in jail. Liam repeated that fact to himself until it started to sink in.

But he wouldn’t kill anyone, would he? Even for him that was a step too far. It had to be. Then again, only seconds ago Liam would have thought framing his friend would be a step too far for David, so who knew?

Chris took this as his opportunity to move in on Rick.

“Where’s the ring?” Chris demanded, forcing Rick to look up to see his face.

Rick only did that for a second before his gaze shifted to the floor. “I don’t have it.”

“Where is it?”

“I sold it.”

“To who?” Chris said through clenched teeth.

“A dealer.” Then, with enthusiasm, he added, “But I can show you where. Tomorrow. When they open.” In other words, Please don’t kill me.

Chris nodded. He turned to Liam. “Do you need him anymore?”

Liam was so distracted he almost said no. He was sure Rick had told him everything he could. Anything else he wanted would have to come from David. But then he remembered the money.

Liam Parker

Rick had transferred all of Liam’s money to an account in Belarus.

Liam found the bank’s information online using his TracFone. Thanks to the time difference, it was open