I’m an asshole but I’m not that big an asshole.
He had now settled on a pillow over her face. No blood, and it would be over quickly. He had on a thick jacket in case she struggled, so none of his skin would end up under her nails. And the place was full of his prints and DNA, and that could not be used against him for one very compelling reason.
It’s my house.
He did feel bad about making Mandy an orphan. Well, not strictly since he was her father. A paternity test had confirmed that. But he would make sure the little girl was well taken care of.
I’ll give her everything a kid could want. Except maybe a father.
As he thought this, something jolted inside of Temple.
Except a father. Just like my old man did to me. I’m my father. The circle is complete. Lucky, lucky me.
He shrugged this off, put the gun away, and eased open the door to Mindy’s room. She was in the bed, facing away from him.
As he studied her, Temple started to get cold feet. It was one thing to kill his father in anger after decades of abuse. But Mindy hadn’t done anything to him, except give him a couple sessions of great sex. If he could just make sure she would keep her damn mouth shut. But she had already spilled the beans to Nash. And since he had been exonerated, he might go to the police with what he’d been told. Then they would come here, question Mindy, she would fall apart, say it was all his plan—which, Temple conceded, it was. And that would be that. Life in prison instead of living as a billionaire playboy.
He shook his head. He couldn’t take the chance.
I have to do this, whether I want to or not. Buck up, Rhett. Be the killer your old man said you never were.
He stepped inside, eyed a large pillow on the chaise lounge, and picked it up. He crept to the bed right as Mindy rolled over so she was facing the ceiling. He froze but then realized she was still asleep.
He raised the pillow up and plunged it down on Mindy’s face. But when she started to scream and struggle, Temple took the pillow away.
I can’t do this. I could throw my old man off that balcony, but I can’t do this.
Then the lights came on. An arm went around Temple’s neck and he was violently jerked away from the bed.
CHAPTER
79
RHETT TEMPLE LANDED HARD ONthe floor, but he quickly regained his footing.
Walter Nash stared at him from next to the bed.
“What the hell!” exclaimed Temple.
Nash glanced at Mindy, who was sitting up and glaring at her stepson.
“You were going to murder me,” she snapped at Temple. “You’re out of your head, Min. What, are you sniffing glue now?” Temple turned to Nash. “And what are you doing here? You broke into my house.”
“No, he didn’t. I let him in,” said Mindy.
“Why?” barked Temple.
“Because he was afraid you were going to come to kill me. And he was right. Then we heard noises and he told me to pretend to be sleeping. Then you came in and tried to smother me. And he stopped you.”
“Come on, Min, you are way off base. I’m. . .I’m not a killer. I had already pulled the pillow off you. You must have realized that.”
“You killed your father,” she shot back.
Temple roared, “And you were right there when I did it. So I go down, you go down, too!”
Nash said, “We can go round and round on this if you want, Rhett. Or we can cut to the chase and do something productive.”
Temple glowered at him. “Meaning what, exactly?”