Page 49 of Her Elusive Cowboy Billionaire

“You didn’t think that maybe he didn’t want to break it off and could have killed her instead?”

Carissa shook her head.“We didn’t mean to do anything but protect Paige’s parents and daughter.”She slapped a hand over her mouth.

“Daughter?What daughter?”Chase stood, frowning, and then paced to the window and back.“Why didn’t Paige tell me she had a daughter?”

A daughter?Was Chase the father?Meri looked at Chase and saw nothing like pain on his face.Maybe the girl was someone else’s daughter.

“She was afraid you wouldn’t want her if she had a daughter out of wedlock,” Carissa admitted.“You knew the child.Paige introduced her as her baby sister.”

“Ariel is Paige’s daughter?”He clenched his teeth.“What would have happened when we were married?Would she have told me then?”

Meri didn’t think Paige would have if she was too afraid to tell Chase the truth while they were living together.And she guessed they had lived together for about a year before Paige died.That was plenty of time to tell Chase.

All three women shrugged.

Carissa clasped her hands and scooted back on the sofa as far as she could go.Then she looked down at her lap.“I guess we didn’t think this through before we acted.”She turned her gaze toward Chase.“But you have to admit, remembering Paige as the woman you knew was better.Her affair with Marco was ending.She knew he couldn’t give her what you could, even though she loved him.She said she had to look out for Ariel.I think she would have told you after you were married for a while.”

Chase ran a hand over his face.

Meri wanted to go to him, but she stayed where she was.He wouldn’t appreciate her sympathy right now, even though she knew he was hurting.The woman he loved wasn’t the woman he thought she was.Paige wasn’t the woman he knew at all.

Chase took a deep breath and let out a sigh.“What can you tell me about, Marco?Where can I find him?And don’t lie.For all you know, he’s the one who killed her.”

Lacey sighed.“We don’t know much about him.His name was Marco Cabrel.Back then, he lived in Federal Heights.But Paige often met him at an apartment at Sixth Avenue and Downing Street.”

Chase turned and walked behind his desk.“Well, at least we have something to go on.Thank you for coming in, ladies.”

The three women stood.

Carissa turned toward Chase.“We are sorry, but we were afraid.”

He looked up, his mouth flat and his eyes narrowed.“I would have thought that getting Paige’s murderer off the streets and avenging her death would have meant something to her so-called friends.I was mistaken.Goodbye,ladies.”

They exited the room.None of the women looked like successful businesswomen now.Their shoulders slumped, and they tilted their heads forward, looking down.None of them made eye contact as they left.

Lacey closed the door behind them.

Meri walked to Chase where he stood behind his chair, gripping the back.His knuckles were white.She placed her left hand on his right shoulder.“Are you all right?”

He fisted his hands.“No.I’m not.I’m so angry right now, I can’t see straight.”

“Can I do anything to help?”

He whirled and took her into his arms, holding her.

She held on to him by his waist until she felt some of the tension leave.“Chase.You okay?”

He nodded into her hair and then released her.“Thanks.I’m glad you’re here.”

Meri sat in one of the leather chairs in front of the desk.“What is our next step?We’re still going through with the plan, right?”

Chase’s jaw clenched.“I know of Marco Cabrel.It appears Paige was working and having an affair with one of the biggest movers of fentanyl in the city.He could easily have had her killed or done the deed himself.If the police had only known before.Those women.”He jerked his arm towards the door.“They don’t know the damage they’ve done and wouldn’t care even if they knew.That’s just the type of people they are.I knew Paige was associating with some self-centered people.Still, I’m surprised.”

She walked to him, leaned over the chair, and wrapped her arms around his shoulders as best she could.He was so stiff.She felt the anger rolling in waves through him.“I’m sorry.It’s always hard learning that the person you cared about wasn’t that person at all.Believe me, I know what that is like.”

He huffed out a breath and reached up, placing his hands on her arms.

She wasn’t sure if he would push her away or not.