It all happened so fast.

One second I was holding Kendra’s cold, trembling body in my arms, and the next I was snapping up and reaching behind my back, drawing my gun on Sylvia. “Easy, Sylvia. It doesn’t have to be like this.”

Kendra latched onto my leg and pulled herself up.

Shielding her with my body, I continued my negotiation with Sylvia. “Drop your weapon.”

Her eyes flickered between Kendra and me. She looked tired. Like she hadn’t slept in days. Though her hair was flawless and she was dressed in a pair of slacks and dark blouse, I could see the stress weighing her shoulders down. “Sorry, Kelly, not until you put yours away first.”

The electricity of our frayed nerves filled the room. The air cracked and the emotions were high. Kendra clawed deeper into my shoulders as I listened to small whimpers escape her lips as she breathed. It was clear that after having just dealt with Oscar, Kendra believed that Sylvia was here to finish her off. And she might be right, because one wrong word and bullets would be flying.

“I didn’t release that story.” I jutted my head toward the TV, thinking this was the bad that Sylvia had warned me about.

Kendra stepped off to the side, revealing the upper half of her body. “It was me.”

My face tensed as I swung my arm back, pushing her behind me. “Keep quiet.”

“Sylvia, Kelly had nothing to do with this.” Kendra peeked her head over my left shoulder. “I handed over the flash drive. Madam gave it to me.”

I tightened my grip on the handle of my six-shooter.

“I did it for Kelly. And I don’t regret it.”

Sylvia swung her neck, holding the barrel of her Glock higher. Her eyes were wild as she thought what to do. “This is so fucked. Kelly,” she jabbed her gun in the air, “you should have trusted me.”

“I know you gave Marvin my grandmother’s will,” Kendra spat.

“How can you two be so stupid?” Sylvia tossed daggers with her eyes at Kendra. “Did Madam tell you that?”

“Relax. This can be worked out,” I said as calmly as I could muster.

“Madam is telling you lies,” Sylvia hissed at Kendra.

“Everything the DA is coming after you with you deserve,” Kendra yelled back.

I considered the timeline of events. When I’d learned about the flash drive, when Kendra gave it to the reporter. Something wasn’t adding up. The media and authorities learned of it too quickly, unless—

“Madam leaked the story first.”

Sylvia’s round eyes were back on me.

Nodding, I added, “To make it seem like this was Kendra’s fault.”

I explained the timeline and the room fell silent as we all realized that this was how it had to be. “Now, let’s put down our weapons and work together.” I lowered my gun and showed Sylvia my palms, making a peace offering. “We’re in this together. We know that now.”

“Do we?” Sylvia pointed her gun at Kendra.

I glanced at Kendra out of the corner of my eye. “We do.”

Sylvia shifted her eyes between mine and Kendra’s, debating the potential consequences of losing her last line of defense.

“We do,” Kendra added with a small squeeze to my shoulder.

I breathed out a sigh of relief when Sylvia finally lowered her weapon. “The reason I’m here, Kendra, is because I followed Oscar to your building.”

Kendra’s hand flew over her mouth as she gasped. Tears pooled in her eyes, the fears of his visit suddenly back, playing out inside her head. “Why?”

“Because I need to be there when he slips up. He will. And I’ll be ready when he does.” Sylvia’s eyes flickered over to me. “Like I’ve been telling Kelly all this time you two have been hunting me down, I’m your friend. Not the enemy.”

“Kelly might believe that, but how can I?” Kendra’s voice floated over my shoulder.

Sylvia lowered her head and smiled. “You want to know the truth about your inheritance?”

Kendra stepped around and slid her slender body in front of me. “What do you know?”

Taking Kendra at the waist, I said, “Before you divulge too much about that, tell me one thing.”

Sylvia’s brows raised.

“I need to know why you turned on Madam.”

“And why you took the money from me,” Kendra quickly added.

Was Sylvia out to take a slice of the pie in the market Madam was after? Or was it something else? It had to be. Revenge sparkled in her eye.

“What happened to us, Kelly? We were a team.” Her eyes glazed over. Exhaustion beginning to take hold.

“We were more than a team,” I said. “We were friends.”

Sylvia grinned.

“What did Madam do to you?” My voice flattened.

She laughed and looked away. Then she started pacing around Kendra’s apartment, beginning to tell her side of the story of how she’d fallen for Nash. “I was manipulated into thinking he was the only one for me.” She glanced over her shoulder as if to confirm we were still interested in hearing what she had to say. “Madam whispered those lies into my ear.” She closed her eyes and dropped her chin to her chest.

I glanced to Kendra, who was listening with a furrowed brow. Her arms were folded over her mid-section.

“I was stupid enough to have fallen for it.” Sylvia sighed. “It was enough to let jealousy override the rational side of my brain. I should have never done it.” She tipped her head back and moved to the window. Staring at her own reflection, I wondered if she was reliving Maria’s last breath before she’d taken her life. “Madam set me up.” Her head hung. “It took me this long to figure it out, but once I heard about Mario getting killed I had to investigate for myself.”

“That’s why you ran,” I said. “It had nothing to do with me wanting to bring you in for Maria’s murder.”

Looking back at me, her eyes watered. “She’s evil, Kelly. She has you, too. And if we’re not careful, we’ll all go down with her when this shit goes up in flames.”

I felt Kendra roll her eyes to me. I couldn’t look at her, knowing that what Sylvia was saying was all too true. “I know,” I murmured.

Holding the Glock in her hand, she stared at it with intent in her eyes. It wasn’t directed at me or Kendra. There was an inner pull that plagued us all. “It’s my fault Mario died.”

“It’s mine, too,” I solemnly said. “I didn’t do enough while I had the chance.”

Rolling her neck to me, she said, “But I won’t go down for something Oscar did.”

“I wouldn’t expect you to.” I planted my hands on my hips. “Sylvia, let me help you navigate your legal challenges.”

“Don’t bother.” She ran her fingers through her hair. “I have my own strategy in the works.”

My stomach tensed, fearing what it was.

Diving her hand inside her tote, she stashed her gun and pulled out a thick folder. Slowly, she skirted around the couch and I met her halfway where she held it out for me to take.

“What’s this?”

“A secret I uncovered when I was doing my own research.”

I glanced at Kendra from beneath my brow before opening it.

Sylvia’s hand stopped me before I could get too far. Looking me straight in the eye, she said in a somber voice, “Kelly, inside is something that might be tough to learn—”

“—whatever it is, I can handle it.”

“And what about my inheritance?” Kendra asked. “You said you knew something about that.”

“Are you sure you want to know?” Sylvia dove her hand back inside her tote after Kendra nodded. She stepped to Kendra with an extended hand. “Take it for what you will, but that shit is real.”

Kendra took the folder, flung it open, and was quick to pour over the documents. “Madam is after my inheritance?”

Sylvia nodded. “Her way to get back what I took from you.”

“Then give it back,” Kendra demanded with a knitted brow.

“Sorry, honey. It’s not that easy.”

“What? Why not?”

“Because it’s been collected as evidence in an ongoing investigation.” Sylvia shared one more glance with me before heading for the door.

“What are you going to do now?” I called after her, assuming she was conducting her own investigation.

She stopped and turned. “What I always do. Uncover the dirt, then tell my side of the story.”

“I’m here—” I flicked my head to Kendra. “We’re here for you. If there is anything you need, call.”

“Thanks, Kelly.” Her lips curved at the corners. “But I think you’ll be the one calling.” She pointed to the folder she had given me. “Don’t forget to sit down when you pour through those documents. You’re not going to like what you read.”