“Nine-one-one, what is the nature of your emergency?”
“I need an ambulance!” Cassie quickly rattled off her name and the address. “M-my husband…h-he just collapsed. I triedadministering CPR, but he’s still not breathing, and I can’t find a pulse.”
“Help is on the way, ma’am. I’m going to stay on the line with you until they get there, okay?”
“O-okay.”
“I want you to put me on speaker and lay the phone next to you, and then resume CPR on your husband, okay?”
“O-okay.”
Following instructions, Cassie tapped the screen to put the call on speaker and then set the phone down on the floor. “Have you started CPR, Cassie?”
“Yes!” she shouted unnecessarily.
Once again in the straddled position, she pushed as hard as her burning arms would allow to try to save his life. “Come on, Russ,” she grunted between pumps. “Please. You can’t…die. You…can’t!”
She may not love the guy anymore, and he and his family may have made her life a living hell this past year, but that didn’t mean she wanted Russdead.
Sirens blared in the distance, and Cassie wasn’t surprised they’d reached the house so quickly. Given the elevated status of the neighborhood—as well as the Montgomery name—attached to her address, the EMS and fire services were always quick to respond when one of their addresses popped up on a call.
It was the first time in years Cassie was thankful she still shared Russ’s last name.
“Is the door unlocked?”
Crap.“No!” she answered frantically.
“It’s okay. I’m alerting fire right now that entry will need to be forced.”
The next few minutes felt like hours as she continued pushing herself to keep going.
Her muscles burned, and she kept having to wipe the sweat and tears from her eyes, but her life-saving movements never faltered. Not until two firefighters pulled her away so the paramedics could do their jobs.
After that, all she could do was watch and pray. And when the medics both ceased in their heroic efforts, turning to give her and the firemen standing nearby a confident shake of their heads, Cassie heard someone screaming out in denial.
It wasn’t until the first responders began their attempts to calm her that she even realized the sound was coming from her.
1
Three days later…
Archer Nash proppedhis feet up on his desk and crossed his legs at his ankles. Leaning back, he settled himself comfortably against his black leather chair, and for the next few minutes, he listened intently to the latest update in a news story he’d been following closely the last few days.
Perhaps a little too closely?
Ignoring the voice in his head, he reached up with a slight grunt and grabbed the remote from the desk’s slick, shiny surface. A rising blue bar appeared in the bottom right corner of the screen as he turned the T.V.’s volume up.
Archer returned to his previous, relaxing position, and lost himself in the oddly intriguing story.
“Cassandra Montgomery was seen leaving the courthouse with her attorney, Elizabeth Ross, shortly before ten this morning. Sources within both the Seattle Police Department and the King County Courthouse have confirmed that Mrs. Montgomery’s one-million-dollar bail has been met, and the woman quickly becoming known across social media as TheBlack Widow Lawyer has been released. Mrs. Montgomery’s bail was set on the condition she does not leave the city of Seattle pending trial.”
Ten percent of a million-dollar bond…probably couch cushion change to a woman like that.
“Those of you at home who have been following this story will remember our station was the first on scene three nights ago when Russell Montgomery—Cassandra’s estranged husband and co-owner of the Montgomery-Yates Law Firm—was found dead inside the couple’s home following a frantic call to nine-one-one.” The news anchor continued with her report. “Authorities have yet to release the exact type of poison used to kill Mr. Montgomery, but they have confirmed Mrs. Montgomery confessed to giving her estranged husband the contaminated wine minutes before his death. Given the damning evidence against Cassandra Montgomery, as well as the high-profile status of those involved, we’ve been told the court proceedings have been fast-tracked, and the trial is slated to begin sometime within the next few weeks. As always, our station will continue to bring you more on this story as it develops.”
Archer snatched up the remote and hit rewind. Keeping his gaze laser focused, he watched with purpose, this time. Pausing it at the exact moment the screen had filled with the accused woman’s face.
Long, blonde hair as shiny as silk. Big, blue eyes he wished would look his way. Features so flawless they almost appeared airbrushed. And though Cassandra Montgomery’s body had been hidden beneath a long wool coat that probably cost more than his entire wardrobe combined, he’d bet his next paycheck the woman’s curves were as perfect as the rest of her.