The water shoots from my fingers. From the corner of my eye, I can see Zoey’s body quake with shock as she watches me. Relief fills my lungs as the fire goes out—but I’m not done yet.
I pull two gnarled vines from the dirt and aim them in Mrs. Mulgrave’s direction. The first vine ties her arms around her back; the second ties her feet together until she can no longer move. Zoey is free from her clutches. She runs sobbing into my arms, while Mrs. Mulgrave and Lucia both gape at me in fear.
“What are you?” Mrs. Mulgrave hisses.
I ignore her question and ask my own.
“What were you doing with my sister?”
“That’s not—she isn’t—” Mrs. Mulgrave blinks, as if seeing Zoey for the first time. “That’s Lucia. She’s wearing her clothes, her necklace—”
“I went exploring after you left,” Zoey says through her tears. “And I found this room with a closet full of beautiful clothes—I didn’t realize—”
“It’s okay, Zoey,” I try to assure her. “Everything’s going to be okay.”
I squeeze her hand a little tighter, and with a deep breath, I turn back to Mrs. Mulgrave.
“I know the truth. This whole time, you haven’t been mourning my cousin at all. It’s your own daughter, Maisie, who died. They switched places. And you helped them do it.”
Mrs. Mulgrave recoils against the vines that bind her, staring at me in shock. Her mouth opens and closes, but no sound comes out.
“It’s over,” Lucia calls to Mrs. Mulgrave. “She knows, and soon everyone is going to know.”
Mrs. Mulgrave lets out a sound like a howl as she lunges toward Lucia, but the vines hold her captive. As I watch her, I see a woman whose grief turned her insane, whose distorted reality has finally caught up to her. It is a harrowing sight.
“I’m getting Zoey out of here,” I say shakily. “I’ll deal with you later.”
With that, I shepherd Zoey and Lucia through the gate and out of the garden.
“Are you okay?” I ask Zoey frantically as soon as we’re breathing clean air.
“I think so.” She clutches my shirt. “You saved my life, Imogen. How did you do that, with the water and the vines? When did you become one of the X-Men?”
And even at a moment like this, Zoey manages to make me laugh.
“I’ll tell you later. It’s … it’s quite a story.”
The three of us barrel into the Marble Hall, where Oscar stands looking at us in bewilderment.
“Zoey, there you are. Maisie, we’ve been looking for your mother. Where has she—”
“Oscar, call the police and get security over to the Shadow Garden now,” I interrupt him.
“The Shadow Garden?” he echoes, uncomprehendingly. “Police?”
“Mrs. Mulgrave went crazy,” I pant. “She thought Zoey was Lucia, took her to the garden, and tried to set fire to the place.”
Oscar lets out an anguished cry.
“I’ve got to take care of Zoey. Can you get security to the Shadow Garden now?” I urge him. “And, Lu—Maisie has something she needs to say to the police too. Make sure to keep her with you until they get here.” Even though I can tell Lucia is ready to get the burden of truth off her chest, I can’t take the chance of her disappearing before she clears Sebastian’s name.
Oscar springs into action, pressing the security button on the Marble Hall intercom while simultaneously dialing 999 on his cell. I usher Zoey upstairs to Carole and Keith’s suite, the two of us doing our best to downplay the episode and keep her parents from a heart attack. Thankfully they seem more concerned with making sure Zoey is okay than asking questions, but I know the questions will come soon.
In the bathroom, Carole and I help Zoey out of her scorched clothes and I breathe a huge sigh of relief when I see that she escaped the fire unscathed. Once I’m convinced she’s safe and in good hands with the Marinos, I race back down the stairs. I find Oscar and Lucia still in the Marble Hall, but they are now surrounded by two police officers. Lucia is sweating bullets, while Oscar’s Adam’s apple bobs up and down nervously.
“Mrs. Mulgrave isn’t there,” Oscar blurts out as soon as he sees me.
“What?” I cry.
The shorter of the two policemen steps forward.
“We only found residue from the fire and a can of gasoline, Your Grace, but no bodies.”
“She got away,” I murmur. “I don’t believe it.” Did the vines come loose once I left the garden?
Oscar turns to Lucia.
“Maisie, I know this is a difficult position you’re in. But please, is there anything you can tell us about what happened tonight?”
Lucia glances at me, and then at the two police officers. I give her an entreating look. Do it, Lucia. Tell the truth. Be brave.
She takes a shaky breath and steps forward.
“Yes. I do have something to say.”
EPILOGUE
TWO WEEKS LATER
I lean against Sebastian, relishing the feel of his arm around mine as the nine of us sit around the fire in the State Room. The room’s been made friendlier now that Fake-Lucia’s portrait has been removed, replaced with an oil painting of Lady Beatrice that Sebastian helped me bring down from the attic.
We’ve been in hiding ever since the story of the Real Lucia exploded across the media, unable to set foot outside the confines of Rockford grounds without a paparazzi chase or a barrage of questions from tabloid reporters: “How did you find out Lucia was really alive? How did she and the Mulgraves keep up the charade for so long? What was Sebastian Stanhope’s reaction to the news that he was dating the wrong girl? How do you FEEL about all these shocking revelations?”
My answer to that question would probably surprise everyone, but the truth is, I feel a strange sense of relief. For the first time in seven years, my life is no longer a question; I finally know the truth. And now that we are free from the lie that permeated these past seven years, we can begin again. Even Lucia has the chance for a new start. After a DNA test proved that she is who she claimed to be and that the dead girl in the Rockford Cemetery is the blackmailing daughter of the housekeeper, the police changed their tack. The murder of Maisie Mulgrave was ruled self-defense, with Lucia charged only for the crime of cover-up. She’s been sentenced to ten years’ probation, and she is currently serving the first week of a yearlong, court-ordered mental rehab stay. I have faith that she’ll return a healthier version of herself; that this is far from the end of her story.
The other reason I’m smiling, despite the fact that my family’s dirty laundry is splashed on the cover of every magazine in Britain? It’s the people who surround me now, my closest loved ones, all in one place as we weather the media storm together in Rockford Manor—which has never felt quite this cozy. Not knowing when I’ll be free to leave the house gave me an added excuse to send Lauren a plane ticket to come visit, and having her here now, with the Marinos and the Stanhopes, makes it feel a lot more like a vacation than a hideout.
Lauren catches my eye now, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively at me and Sebastian. I giggle into the crook of his arm. It came as a definite shock to everyone when they discovered that I have a boyfriend, and the shock was all the greater when they learned that (a) he was the original suspect in the Lucia Rockford case, and (b) he’s too handsome to be legal. But it didn’t take long for Lauren and the Marinos to see who Sebastian really is: the good guy.
I’m not the only one giddy with relief. Lord and Lady Stanhope can’t stop thanking me over and over for uncovering the truth and proving Sebastian’s innocence, while Sebastian keeps smiling at his brother—a smile that touches my heart, because I know how much it means to him to know that Theo is innocent too. Even Carole and Keith—whom Zoey thankfully decided to spare the details of my “X-Men tendencies,” instead telling them that my “serious jujitsu skills” saved her from Mrs. Mulgrave—seem pleasantly surprised by how I’ve adjusted to my new life at Rockford Manor and how well it fits me.
&
nbsp; And it’s true. Despite everything that’s happened here, this is where I belong. I wouldn’t hesitate to throw away the title, the fortune, or the notoriety—after seeing what the allure of high society did to the Mulgraves, I don’t want that anymore. I’m not sure I ever wanted it. But it’s the land that I belong to, the very earth that was here long before the Manor was built. I feel my connection to it every time I step into the gardens and see them thrive at my touch; I hear it in the wind as it calls my name. Rockford is my home.
The only wrinkle now is that we still haven’t found Mrs. Mulgrave. I can’t help worrying that she’ll show up one day, unannounced and out for blood. But if she does, I’ll be ready for her. Sebastian and I are learning more about my gifts as an Elemental, and one thing is for sure: I no longer see myself as a freak, or this gift as a curse.
It’s just like Dad once wrote, I think as Sebastian pulls me closer. There’s a big difference between perception and misconception.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This book has been a joy to write and publish, and I have so many people to thank, starting with the two amazing women who have championed my career: Krista Vitola and Beverly Horowitz. I’m still pinching myself with excitement that I get to work with the two of you, and I’m beyond grateful for your continued belief in me and my work. Beverly, thank you so much for taking me under your wing and guiding me through this industry. It’s truly an honor to be one of your authors. Krista, thank you for sharing my vision for this book, and for your invaluable notes and feedback. I couldn’t ask for a better editor!
Thank you to Alison Impey, designer extraordinaire, for the best cover I’ve ever had. You captured Suspicion so perfectly—I can’t get enough of that gorgeous image!
Many thanks to the brilliant copyediting duo Veronica Ambrose and Colleen Fellingham, for helping me improve upon my book with your amazing attention to detail. Jocelyn Lange, thank you for all your enthusiasm and foreign sales savvy!
Thank you to my fantastic team at the Gersh Agency: Greg Pedicin, Joe Veltre, Lynn Fimberg, and Jessica Amato. I’m thrilled to be working with you all, and I’m grateful for your awesome support on all my projects. And many thanks to Chad and Todd Christopher (my favorite twins!) for bringing me into the agency.
Family is one of the most important themes in Suspicion—in no small part due to my overwhelming love for my own family, starting with my hero, my father, Shon Saleh, whom I adore! Thank you for building my wings and giving me the courage to use them. Your unwavering belief in me since I was a child is the reason I’m living this dream, and I couldn’t be more grateful. And thank you for reading multiple drafts and making Suspicion better with your valuable notes.
Thanks and love to my mother and guiding light, ZaZa Saleh, who accompanied me on an unforgettable mother-daughter research trip to England for this book.
Arian, you are such a huge part of who I am, and I’m so lucky to have you as my brother. Thank you for helping me grow, and for your super-helpful feedback on all my books-in-progress. Sainaz, my sister-in-law, you’ve been like family for so long and I’m so glad that it’s now official!
To my Saleh and Madjidi grandparents and relatives near and far, thank you for all of your love and support!
Chad Christopher, thank you for being a great lawyer and friend. You officially rock!
Many thanks to Heather Holley and Rob Hoffman for your help building my career with the many songs we recorded together.
Dorothy Robertiello, thank you for your love and kindness!
Brooke Kaufman, thank you for ten years (!) and counting of your friendship, support, and belief in me. To my mentors, Maury Yeston and Kirsten (Kiwi!) Smith, thank you for teaching me so much about writing and the biz.
Mia Antonelli, thank you for your wonderful friendship, and for all your enthusiasm and encouragement of my dreams.
Thank you to Chessa L. Donaldson, who read and critiqued two drafts of the Suspicion book proposal and then celebrated with me over a Forsyte Saga marathon the weekend it sold! ☺
Thanks and love to my great friends, who have all been so wonderfully supportive: Kirsten Guenther, Christina Harmon, Camilla Moshayedi, Roxane Cohanim, Marise Freitas, Ross Donaldson, the Robertiello family, the Bratman family, Dan and Heather Kiger, Dani Cordaro, Ami McCartt, Adriana Ameri, and Jon and Emily Sandler.
And to the special someone I saved for last, Chris Robertiello: for every love story I write, ours is still my favorite. My life with you and our doggies (shout-out to Honey and Daisy!) is a dream. I love you so much.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alexandra Monir is an author and recording artist in her twenties. Suspicion is her third novel published by Delacorte Press. It is the follow-up to her popular debut novel, Timeless, and its sequel, Timekeeper. Alexandra lives in Los Angeles, where she is working on her next novel, while also composing an original musical. Her music is available on iTunes. For more visit her website at alexandramonir.com and follow @TimelessAlex on Twitter.
Alexandra Monir, Suspicion
Thank you for reading books on BookFrom.Net Share this book with friends