Simon Says Die

since the only other person in the room was Pierce, she didn’t exactly have any options along those lines.
    Drawing a deep breath, she tried to focus on answering his questions without totally losing her composure. “I’ve given you plenty to go on. You saw him yourself. He shot you. He’s real, flesh and blood, and he’s after me. Why? I don’t know. You know everything that’s been happening—the notes, the shooting. He killed that boy this morning, and Mr. Newsome’s missing.”
    â€œMaybe.”
    â€œMaybe? Maybe he killed the boy, or maybe he did something to Mr. Newsome?”
    â€œBoth.”
    That was it. She’d had enough. She uncurled her legs and stood. “We’re done here.” She’d just reached the hallway when he was suddenly in her way, blocking her. She shoved at his chest. He winced, and she jerked her hands back.
    â€œI’m so sorry. I forgot about your ribs. Are you okay?”
    â€œI’m fine.” He blew out a breath. “Don’t run away from this. I’m trying to help you, and I can’t do that without the facts.”
    â€œI’ve given you the facts.”
    His brows drew down. “I don’t think so. How did you push a divorce through for a man who’d been declared dead?”
    She froze. “Push it through?”
    â€œNo court is going to continue proceedings on a divorce when one of the parties has been declared dead. What did you do? Bribe a judge?”
    Her fingers curled into fists. “This is ridiculous. Why would I do that?” Her heart was hammering so loudly she could feel the blood rushing to her ears. She couldn’t tell him she’d wanted that divorce in case her worst nightmares were true, in case the man who’d died in that car wasn’t Damon.
    â€œThere’s only one reason I can think of,” he continued, relentless now that he was grilling her.
    â€œI don’t want to hear this.” She turned, but he grabbed her arm.
    His eyes flashed as he leaned down, inches from her face. “Eighteen months ago, a man died in a fiery car crash. You buried him in a grave with your husband’s name on the tombstone. But you never cashed in the life insurance policy.”
    Panic twisted inside her. She tried to pull away, but his grip was like iron.
    â€œYou didn’t think I knew about the insurance did you? It took some digging, but Casey found it. There’s only one reason I can think of for someone not to cash in a life insurance policy. You knew Damon was alive. All this time, you’ve known.”
    She pulled her arm, desperately trying to free herself.
    â€œYou pushed that divorce through so you wouldn’t feel guilty sleeping around with other men. Did that make you feel less guilty when you slept with me?”
    She jerked as if he’d struck her, pain twisting inside her chest. He was treating her like a tramp, as if she’d slept with tons of guys since Damon’s death, and after she’d left Pierce. Was that really what he thought of her? She blinked, determined not to let the threatening tears flow. She wasn’t going to let him know how much he’d hurt her. After Damon, Pierce had been that one bright spot in her life, the light that had made the darkness of her past fade away, if only for a brief time. Pierce was her only lover, besides her husband. Ever. “Let me go,” she demanded.
    Instead of releasing her, his grip tightened, and he yanked her closer.
    His face twisted with anger. “Did you lie about Damon? Was he really the terrible husband you portrayed him to be? Or did you make all that up?”
    She gasped. “What? No. No, I didn’t lie. He was . . .” She glared up at him. “I didn’t lie. He was an evil man.”
    â€œBut he never hit you.”
    She clenched her fists. “No. Not once. No bruises. He was far too clever for that. Just like now. He’s being far more clever than you, or anyone else realizes. He’s turning everyone against me, making me look like a hysterical female, a fool. He destroyed my family, and they don’t even know it. I alone bear that burden. I alone live with that pain every day.”
    â€œWhat did he do?” He enunciated each word, slowly, clearly, as if she were a child, and he was forced to speak that way so she’d understand him. “How did he destroy your family?”
    She twisted her arm,