“I don’t have a lawyer. You said I didn’tneedone.” Angie looked askance. Her gaze landed on Cope. “He was cheating on me? For real?”
“For real. I’m sorry Angie, but the women I mentioned to you are just the tip of the iceberg.” Cope wasn’t the least bit sorry. All that mattered was finding Frankie’s killer.
“You son of a bitch!” Angie shouted.
“Why did he want Frankie dead?” Ronan asked, sitting forward in his chair, as if to hear Angie better.
“He didn’t want to be a father!” Angie shouted.
“Then ornow?” Cope asked.
“What?” Angie and Oliver shouted together.
“You didn’t tell Oliver you have his bun in your oven?” Jude asked.
“You’re pregnant? You stupid bitch.” Oliver wore a disgusted look.
“With Oliver not wanting to be a father and you six weeks pregnant with his son, I’d say that puts you and your baby in grave danger.” Fitz sounded worried on Angie’s behalf.
Cope knew that was just what Angie needed to turn this fight nuclear.
“Is that true, Angie? Are you pregnant?” Oliver asked, his voice full of rage.
Angie wrapped her arms around her stomach and nodded. “You said things would be different. You said we’d get married and have a family. You promised you’d make all of my wildest dreams come true.” Tears streaked down her cheeks.
“Are you fucking stupid?” Oliver shouted. “I fed you that bullshit so you’d kill Frankie!”
Oliver’s pronouncement hung in the air. Cope was stunned. He’d thought Oliver was hiding the fact that he’d killed his wife. It was a shock to hear Oliver had merely been the spark that lit the flame.
“I killed Frankie, my best friend in the world, for a cheating, lying asshole.” Angie’s mouth hung open in obvious shock. She sank her head into her hands.
Cope couldn’t believe his ears. Angie had killed Frankie? He turned to Jude who looked just as surprised as Cope felt.
“Tell us what happened that day.” Fitzgibbon’s pen was at the ready.
Angie lifted her head. Her cheeks were streaked with tears. “I called Frankie to ask if she wanted to go to lunch. Told her I wanted to hear about her trip to Italy.” Angie’s voice was almost robotic. Gone was any trace of emotion. “She agreed. I picked her up. We had lunch at Lobster Charlie’s. Then I drove her out to the Salem Towne Forest. Gave her some bullshit line about a rare orchid blooming. Frankie loved wild orchids. When we got out of the car, we walked for a mile or so. I pistol whipped her, knocking Frankie to the ground. While she was dazed I slapped tape over her mouth and wrapped her wrists in duct tape. I marched her deeper into the forest, past the walking trails, so deep into the woods that the sunlight barely made it through the trees. I shouted at her the whole time. I was so angry. So fuckingangry that she had this wonderful life with Oliver and I was all alone. Frankie was walking ahead of me and I shot her in the back of the head. I left her where she fell and walked back to my car.”
“Where’s the gun, Angie?” Ronan asked.
“I drove to Marblehead and threw it into the ocean.” Angie turned to Oliver. “I trusted you.”
“That was your first mistake,” Oliver said, an evil grin spread over his face.
“Angela Melton,” Fitzgibbon began. “You’re under arrest for the kidnapping and murder of Francesca Adams.” He pulled out his handcuffs and slapped them on Angie’s wrists. Fitz read Angie her rights as he marched her out the front door.
Oliver laughed as Angie was being led out of the house.
“What the hell could possibly be so funny?” Jude asked.
“Angie just confessed to murdering my wife. That frees up Frankie’s insurance money. I’ll finally be able to live the kind of life I want. Free and easy. With ten million dollars in my pocket.” Oliver laughed again.
“I know the perfect thing you can spend that money on.” Jude’s face was blank, but Cope knew it was just an act.
“Oh, yeah? What’s that? A new boat? A swinging bachelor pad in Florida?” Oliver smiled from ear to ear.
“Your lawyer.” Jude stood up and unclipped his handcuffs. “Oliver Adams, you’re under arrest for conspiracy to commit murder, first degree murder, and for accessory after the fact in the murder of Francesca Adams.” He grinned as Ronan yankedOliver out of his chair and held him while Jude cuffed him. “You have the right to remain silent…”
Cope stayed in his seat as a screaming Oliver was taken out of his house. He didn’t need to see Angie and Oliver put into police cars, there was more important business to attend to. While Angie and Oliver told their twisted stories, Frankie had watched it all from a spot near the stove. “Are you okay?”
