THE WOMAN BEFORE

Chapter 38

E V A N S

     I STEP OUT of the interrogation room, struggling to breathe. As I walk farther away, I feel like falling to the ground. Dour-looking men and women stare at me, but I ignore them. You don’t often get phone calls from the FBI. When I did, I thought they had finally found my wife-to-be, but the agent had said something that I couldn’t make head or tail of. I had to rush here.

     Special Agent Daniel Hunt has shown me proof, shown me how she does it, but I don’t believe it. How come I didn’t see it? The woman I was set to marry never existed. She was made up by that con artist. Worse, she didn’t do it alone. She was hired by none other than Parker—someone I trusted.

     I don’t believe he has kidnapped Isla, but my gut tells me Rosina or whatever she calls herself won’t lie to torment me. If anything, she’s only looking out for herself. Isla! God, I hope she is fine. I’ve treated her very badly. She is never going to forgive me, especially after everything I’ve done to her. She was right though; Rosina messed with my head and I was so foolish that I couldn’t see through her lies. Agent Hunt told me I’m not the first person she has conned. He said she’s very good at what she does and even the smartest businessmen have had their share with her. How does she do it?

     Sighing, I make my way to the front entrance. My cell phone vibrates. I stop in my tracks and pull it from my pocket, walking away from the entrance.

     Detective Conor’s voice fills the line as soon as I answer. He sounds very worried.

     “Hi, Mr. Kingston,” he says, “I passed by your house this morning. Your housemaid said you’d left to some place in a hurry.”

     “Yes.”

     “I have news for you.”

     Under a different circumstance, I would have been moved, but I know the news he’s about to tell me. “They found her. She lied to me.”

     “Who?” he asks and I’m completely taken aback.

     “Rosina. She wasn’t kidnapped. She staged everything.”

     There’s a tender sigh, then he says, “I didn’t know that. I called to ask you some questions about Parker. Dr. Flynn and I believe he has kidnapped Isla. She hasn’t been home lately.”

     My heart skips a beat. Rosina was telling the truth. Parker has Isla, but why would he kidnap her?

     “How? Why would Parker kidnap Isla? She’s like a sister to him.”

     “Parker has been obsessed with Isla for a while now. He saw Dr. Flynn years ago to control his obsession. He hates you. He thinks you stole Isla from him.

     “Parker isn’t in his right mind. We need to find where he’s keeping Isla before it’s too late.”

     “I think I know how.”