“Mrs. Black,” Sam said.
Vivianne blinked. “Yes. I unlocked the door, came inside, and went straight back to the master bedroom so I could take off my jewelry and begin getting ready for bed. That’s when… when I saw it. There was a note on the bed. A handwritten one. From…”
Everyone waited with bated breath.
“It was from someone who means to harm us. The note made that clear. And they broke into my house, into my bedroom, when I could have been there!”
No mention of her husband? Wasn’t he in danger, too?
“What did the note say?” Scarlett asked.
But Vivianne just shook her head, too shellshocked to respond.
“May I see the note?” Sam offered.
Vivianne glared at Sam’s outstretched hand. “The police have it. They took it as evidence. Besides, it doesn’t matter what it said. I know a threat when I see one. And it could happen to one of you next. I would die if anything happened to one of my girls!”
Scarlett sighed. Parker rolled her eyes. Bianca swallowed. Julia and Isabel simply looked bemused.
“Can’t you at least tell us what this is all about?” Parker asked. “How are we supposed to protect ourselves if we don’t know what’s going on?”
Sam couldn’t disagree with that. This entire job, she’d been groping in the dark. Which wasn’t the best choice of metaphor, considering what she’d been doing just ten minutes ago.
“Who wrote the note?” Parker asked. “You seem to know who it is.”
Vivianne’s eyes darted to one side. “While I have some ideas about the identity of the culprit, I can’t be certain. What I am certain of, however, is that they are a threat to us all.”
“Is it to do with Father’s work?” Scarlett said. “Black Diamond has rustled a lot of feathers lately.”
“No way,” Parker said. “If they broke into the house and left a letter on the bed, it’s personal.”
Those had been Sam’s exact thoughts. Vivianne was so upset that it had to be personal. If it wasn’t someone she had a history with, it was at least a known quantity in her mind.
So why was Vivianne keeping it a secret? She was looking more and more uncomfortable with every question asked.
“What did you do, Mom?” Parker said. “Finally get on the wrong person’s bad side? Don’t tell me you pissed in the country club’s cornflakes.”
“Ew, Parker,” Bianca said.
Scarlett crossed her arms. “Can we be serious?”
“I am being—”
“Enough!” Vivianne shouted.
All three sisters fell silent.For all her faults, Vivianne Black knew how to command a room.
“That’s enough speculation out of all of you,” she repeated at a more reasonable level. “We will allow the police to do their investigation. I have every confidence in them. As for you girls, we will be stepping up security even more. None of you are to go without one of Rainier’s bodyguards near your person or stationed outside your door. Ms. Reddy here has been staying in the guest suite. Should there be any issues, I trust you will go to her.”
Sam gave a nod of agreement. It was clear that the situation was more than it appeared. If she was going to protect Bianca, she needed to be kept in the loop as much as possible.
She couldn’t deny it. She was doing exactly what she’d vowed not to do. Don’t get attached. Don’t get emotionally involved. When it came to Bianca, Sam couldn’t yet define what was between them, but she knew they were more than just two people fucking away all their emotions. Sam felt a connection with her, something that went deeper than sex. And that made her vulnerable to letting down her guard.
Would Bianca be another Rosalie? Sam couldn’t let that happen.
Vivianne pulled her phone from her pocket, checking a message. “It’s your father. He wants me to come and talk to the police again.” She looked each of her daughters in the eye. “Do you all understand me? No unnecessary trips. No going out without an entourage. We’ll all be staying home for the foreseeable future. Work is permitted, but that’s all.”
Sam was surprised that neither Scarlett nor Parker protested. But Julia did.