Page 65 of Everyone’s a Liar

“Can’t beat the smell of baking bread,” she pointed out.

“He’s a stubborn pain in the ass, but one who’s earned the right to live where he wants.”

“Do you think he would mind if I visited him?”

“He would love it,” Robbie assured her. “He hates being retired, but his arthritis keeps him from leaving the house much these days. I know he gets bored.” Robbie nodded toward someone across the room. “I’m being summoned,” he murmured, sending her a warm smile. “It’s good to see you, Livia. I really mean that.”

“You too.”

Livia watched Robbie melt into the kaleidoscope of guests before she set aside her half-empty glass and edged her way toward the side door. She’d made her mandatory appearance, now she wanted to be anywhere but there.

Unfortunately, she couldn’t get to her rooms without using the main door, which meant risking the notice of her eagle-eyed aunt. She would have to sneak through the gardens to the back of the house.

Not that she minded a short stroll in the night air, she decided as she stepped outside. The soft breeze cleared away the expensive perfume that was clogging her sinuses and muted the music until it was nothing more than a distant hum.

Sucking in a deep breath, she strolled along the pathway, savoring the sense of peace. For now the Willows was too busy pandering to the spoiled Celeste to notice her, which meant she could simply enjoy the elegant sense of ageless beauty as it bathed in the silver moonlight.

The rare sense of contentment didn’t last as she turned the corner and climbed the stairs to the terrace. It was much darker back here and the faint sounds of the party were drowned out by the incessant drone of frogs and the buzz of insects from the nearby swamp.

Suddenly she was acutely aware of how alone she was.

It seemed doubtful that anyone would be brazen enough to attack her when there were a hundred guests, staff, and family members stuffed into the Willows, but still …

Would anyone be able to hear her scream?

A whisper of fear fluttered over her, leaving behind a layer of goose bumps. She didn’t want to be out here alone, but even as she turned to scurry through the back door of the house, she was brought to a sharp halt as she caught sight of a light burning in the loft of the garage.

She froze. Her aunt had no doubt hired a few locals to act as valets, and of course there were a dozen employees that were serving drinks, and handing out hors d’oeuvres, but none of them would have any reason to be in the apartment over the garage. So why was a light on?

Livia stood still, caught between the urge to discover who was in the apartment and the knowledge she should be in her rooms with the door locked and bolted.

At last she compromised.

She wouldn’t go to the garage. Not when it felt like a blatant trap. But if she could find a spot where she could see past the pool house that was blocking her view, she might get a glimpse into one of the lower windows. If someone was in there, they wouldn’t be expecting her to be going to her rooms yet, right? She might be able to recognize the person wandering around as they waited for her to check out the light.

It was a long shot, but she wasn’t going to risk leaving the terrace.

Concentrating on the darkness ahead of her, Livia didn’t notice the door to her uncle’s office slide open. In fact, it wasn’t until she heard the click of leather soles against the stone terrace that she realized she was no longer alone.

It didn’t occur to her to run. Or even scream. Instead, her first instinct was to turn and fight whoever was sneaking up behind her. A brave and utterly stupid decision.

And completely useless.

She was still trying to spin around when the hands smacked into her back, sending her stumbling forward. With a cry of shock, Livia toppled off-balance, her stupid heels making everything worse.

Windmilling her arms as she staggered down the shallow steps, she desperately struggled to avoid breaking a bone or smacking her head against the hard stone. And for a second she hoped she might avoid disaster. Then the toe of her shoe caught the edge of the tarp pulled tight over the empty pool and she plunged face-first into the canvas tarp.

Tumbling through the darkness, her heart froze in place, a sense of horror blasting through her.

Someone was trying to kill her in the exact spot her mother had died.

CHAPTER 17

The Willows

Sunday, July 6th

Livia didn’t remember much about her wild scramble over the tarp to reach the far side of the pool. Or her frantic flight into the house and up the stairs to lock herself in her rooms.