Colt was instantly up on his feet, his chair flying out behind him and hitting the wall with a loud thud. “Don’t even try it, Steele,” Colt said through gritted teeth. “I will take you down.”

My brother pointed his finger at Colt as he turned to Mr. Wimple and his receptionist. “Did you all hear that he threatened me? I should press charges.”

The receptionist had hopped out of her chair and looked like she was about to make a call.

“For what?” Tilly demanded, her face turning red. “For protecting your sister? You threatened her bodily harm.”

Mr. Wimple looked like he was about to have a stroke.

I had to get this under control. “How do you feel cheated, Roy?” I asked in a calm voice.

A vein pulsed in his forehead. “I want the house. It’s mine.”

I realized his eyes were dilated. Was he on drugs? Momma had suspected he wouldn’t be happy to hear this news, but his reaction seemed miles beyond reason.

“You have a house, Roy,” Tilly said. “And it’s a whole lot more suited to you than your momma’s house. Why not just let Maggie have it?”

“She doesn’t deserve it.” To my surprise, his voice broke. He sat back down in his chair, looking close to panicking. “I need that house.”

I shot a questioning look to Belinda. She looked torn and moved to Roy’s side, squatting next to him, no small feat since she was wearing a pencil skirt. “Y’all go on out to the waiting room,” she said, giving us a worried look. “I’m going to talk to Roy.”

None of us moved.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Colt said. “You can talk to him, but I’m staying by the door.”

Belinda frowned. “I can handle this, Colt.”

My brother was furious, but he also looked profoundly sad. Despite how bad things had become between us, my heart twisted to see him so broken.

“No offense, Belinda,” Tilly said, “but we’ve all seen the results of you handling things. I’d feel a whole lot better if Colt hangs around.”

I expected Belinda to look offended, but she looked resigned instead. “I need to talk to Roy. Alone.” She looked up at me. “Magnolia. Please.”

My brother was like a ticking time bomb. If she could talk some sense into him, it might be worth the shot. I grabbed Tilly’s arm. “Let’s go into the waiting room. We’ll leave Colt outside the door.”

Tilly reluctantly agreed, but Colt’s body was tense as he stepped into the hall. I glanced back at my brother, and Belinda mouthed, thank you.

I walked out hoping I’d made the right decision.

I cracked the door behind me and stopped, waiting to see if I could eavesdrop on their conversation. I had a hard time dredging up any guilt over it. I was too worried that Roy would hurt his wife.

The receptionist stood in the hallway next to me and whispered, “Maybe I should call the police.”

I had to admit that I was considering it myself, but we’d had enough drama over the last few weeks to last a lifetime. “Let’s see if she can get him to calm down.”

Colt’s full attention was focused on what was going on in the room. From the soft—and, sadly, indecipherable—murmuring, it seemed to be going well, until I heard a loud thud and Roy shouting, “I knew you’d take her side!”

The receptionist started to dial 911, but I put my hand over hers and said, “I have a friend in the police department. Let me call him.” I cast a glance to Colt, who was still staring through the crack in the doorway to the conference room. I was pretty sure he hadn’t heard me. Should I give him a warning?

Instead, I walked toward the waiting room and pressed Brady’s speed dial, wondering if I was doing the right thing.

He answered on the first ring. “Maggie? Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I’m fine, but I might need your help. It’s my brother.”

His voice hardened. “Is he harassing you?”

“In a way.” I paused. “We came to Momma’s attorney’s office for the reading of the will.”

“And he was unhappy with the results.”

“Yeah. Belinda’s in the conference room with him right now, trying to talk reason into him, but I think he’s either been drinking or on drugs.”

“Give me the address.” His voice was tense. I gave it to him; then he said, “Get your sister-in-law out of that room. I’m close enough to be there in five minutes.”

“Thanks, Brady.” I stuffed my phone back into my purse as I headed back down the hall. Colt was still in the hallway, which I took as a good sign, but as I got closer I realized the door was now shut.

“Why is the door closed?”

Colt gave me an exasperated look. “Belinda closed it. I was sure she was heading to the door to leave, but she shut and locked the door instead.”

Why would she do that? “It sounds quiet in there now,” I said.

“Too quiet.”

I pressed my ear to the door and heard absolutely nothing. “What do you think they’re doing?” I whispered.

He started to say something, then stopped himself. “I don’t think you want to know my opinion.”

I took a step back in surprise. “Why?”

“Because you’re not going to like it.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “Go on.”

“Belinda married Roy for a reason, Maggie.”

“You heard what she said. She used to love him.”

“Maybe, but you know she probably started dating him because she knew his father was Brian Steele?”

I’d already come to that conclusion. She’d been working with Roy on a plot to bring my father down, so it wasn’t a leap to assume she’d befriended my brother with that plan in mind. She’d always told me she had both a reason for staying and a plan for leaving, so that fit too. Besides, it was too big of a coincidence to believe that she’d just happened to meet and marry the son of the man she held responsible for her parents’ deaths. “So what do you think’s going on now?”

“I think Belinda’s convincing him that she’s still part of his plan. She may not be living with him, but she’s still on board.” He leaned closer. “Hell, she’s living with you. She’s really close to you right now.”

My eyes widened. “You think she’s living with me to spy on me?”

He scrubbed his hand over his face. “Honestly, Mags, I don’t know who to trust anymore.”

“Do you trust me?”

His gaze held mine. “You’re the only person I trust at this point.”

Right or wrong, I trusted him more than anyone else in this mess. I’d trusted Belinda until she’d held a gun to my head at Savannah House. While I’d never believed she would shoot me, she’d put me in a dangerous situation. In light of everything, it would be stupid to disregard Colt’s opinion. “Why would she be spying on me?”

“Maybe Roy has decided he wants that annuity for himself.”

“That’s crazy. I’d never even heard of it until last night. How would I know anything about it?”

“You’ve done a damn good job of upsetting the apple cart, Mags. You’ve found the missing gold, unmasked Geraldo Lopez, and flushed out Rowena Rogers. If I was betting money on who would find it, I’d bet on you.”

“I don’t give a damn about the annuity. I’m done with anything to do with my father and the stupid Jackson Project.”

“If you say so.” The look he gave me suggested he didn’t believe it for a minute.

I almost contradicted him, but another thought fought for my attention. “Did Momma ever hint that she was leaving you what’s in her safety deposit box?”

He shook his head. “Never.”

“Do you know what’s in it?”

“I’m guessing it must have something to do with your father.”

“It’s pretty coincidental, isn’t it? But there was no reaction from Roy. I would have expected him to put up more of a fuss,” Colt said. “Instead, he threw a fit over you getting the house. Why?”

“Good question.”

I heard voices behind me, and one of them belonged to Brady. “I’m looking for Magnolia Steele.”

Colt’s grin fell. “What the hell is he doing here?”

“I called him. The receptionist was about to call the police, and I didn’t want to stir up trouble. We have enough to deal with.”

“You know that’s exactly why Roy’s gotten away with so much shit. I loved Lila like a mother, but she made excuse after excuse for that man. If he had to man up and face consequences for his actions, maybe he’d see a reason to change. Instead, you all coddle him. It’s bullshit.”

I started to protest, but closed my mouth. Colt was right.

Colt’s gaze lifted over my shoulder, and his expression hardened. “On second thought, I’m glad you called Bennett. There are a few questions I’m dying to have answered.” He gave me a half-smile that was anything but friendly. “Pun not intended.”

“Maggie,” Brady said from behind me. “Are they in this room?”

I turned around to face him. “The door was cracked open, but Belinda closed and locked it while I was calling you.”

Brady rapped on the door with his knuckles. “Belinda, it’s Detective Bennett. I’d like for you to open the door.”

There was a moment of silence before she called out, “Just a minute.”

Then I heard a loud crash, and Brady and Colt tensed before the door opened. My brother appeared in the opening with one hand on the door frame and the other on the partially open door, blocking our view into the room. “This is private, Detective.”

Brady stood his ground. “I want to see your wife, Mr. Steele.”

“She’s fine.”

“And yet I still want to see her.”

Belinda pushed Roy’s arm away so she could stand next to him in the doorway, as if they were a united front. “I’m fine, Detective Bennett.” She shot me her version of a glare, keeping her gaze on me. “When did you arrive?”

“Just a few minutes ago,” Brady said in a calm voice. “Mr. Wimple was disturbed by your husband’s behavior.”

“And he knows you personally?” Roy asked in a dry tone, his eyes trying to focus on Brady’s face.

“Mr. Wimple preferred to handle this discreetly rather than call a patrol car, which might have ended in an arrest and unwanted publicity.”

“How thoughtful of Mr. Wimple,” Roy said, his gaze on me.

“Mr. Steele, do I smell alcohol on your breath?” Brady asked with a blank expression.

“What business is it of yours?”

“Did you drive here, Mr. Steele?”

Roy lost some of his bravado.

“I’d like for you to take a sobriety test,” Brady said.

“And if I refuse?”

“That’s your right, but if I see you get behind the wheel of a car, I’m going to haul your ass down to the station for a Breathalyzer test. And I promise it will make the news.”

“You can’t do that.”

Brady’s eyes narrowed. “Try me.”

Roy took a step closer, his jaw clenching. “Do you have a problem with me, Detective?”

“I have a problem with any man who takes out his frustrations by physically abusing women.”

Roy’s face was inches from Brady’s. “Where’s your proof, Detective?”

“I saw plenty of proof on Magnolia’s body,” Brady said, looking like he was just barely restraining himself. “I saw the bruise on her arm a month ago, and just a few weeks ago, I saw the outline of your hand on her face.”

Belinda gasped, and Colt rushed forward with a low growl, but Brady blocked him. “That won’t help anything, Austin.”

“You don’t know that it was me,” Roy said. “You have no proof.”

Brady gave Colt a shove back before turning to face my brother. “I have Magnolia’s word. And we won’t even start on the bruises you’ve left on your wife.”

Roy remained silent.

Brady’s eyes darkened. “I abhor bullies, and you, Mr. Steele, are the walking definition of a bully. I guarantee you that if you ever lay a hand on your sister again, I will toss your ass in jail with the biggest, meanest cellmates I can find.”

“Are you threatening me, Detective?”

Brady’s head tilted slightly to the left while he held my brother’s gaze. “Yes. I most definitely am.”

The two men had a staring match for a few seconds, broken when Belinda put a hand on Roy’s arm. “Roy, let’s go.”

Roy violently shrugged his wife off his arm. “I’m leaving this shitshow.”

He started to walk out of the room, but Brady blocked his path. “I suggest you call an Uber.”

They had another momentary standoff, which Belinda again ended. “I’ll take him home.”

My stomach twisted. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Belinda.”

She gave me a pleading look. “I’ll be fine, Magnolia.”

“She’ll be fine, Magnolia,” Roy sneered. “Go home to your new house you didn’t earn. You were too busy lying flat on your back, screwing directors and producers to do porn on Broadway.”

I sucked in a breath. I knew Roy didn’t think much of me, but his insults still hurt.

Colt wrapped an arm around my back and pulled me away from my brother.

“That’s right, Magnolia. Let a man save you again.”

Something in his tone caught my attention. What did he mean by again? I jerked away from Colt and moved closer. “What does that mean?”

Colt reached for my arm, but I stepped out of his reach, moving between Brady and Roy. “What does that mean, Roy?”

An ugly smile spread across his face. “You’re a lucky, lucky girl, Magnolia. Did you ever stop and ask yourself why?”

The blood rushed from my head as he moved past me toward the waiting room.

Belinda hurried after him, and part of me knew I should stop her, but the rest of me was trying to stave off a panic attack.

“Maggie?” Colt asked in a worried tone, crouching to look into my eyes.

I stared at him in horror.

My brother had been there that night. He’d been in that house of horror.