A Silken Thread - Brenda Jackson [106]
“Easily, if she has help.”
Brian lifted a brow. “So now you don’t think I’m paranoid after all?”
A smile touched Matt’s lips. “Let’s just say after finally getting Cassie to marry me, I can’t imagine Erica not marrying you, especially when I know how much you love her and that your loyalty to her is sincere. You have evidence—the panties, lipstick on your shirt and the fragrance of that perfume that even I can smell. Yes, bro, someone set you up and if the old lady is the only one who would be happy if you and Erica didn’t get married, then she would be my first suspect. Although, one would think that doing what she’s done, just to get Erica to not marry you, is a little overboard.”
Brian shrugged. “She wants her to marry this guy named Griffin Hayes.”
“Yes, but why? What would she get out of it if Erica and Hayes were to marry? Would it double, triple or quadruple the size of the family’s wealth or something? She has to have an ulterior motive to go to this extreme to keep you apart.”
“With what happened between my mother and her husband, don’t you think for her that would be reason enough?”
“Honestly, no. I could see her being spiteful and even a little vengeful. But not outright manipulative to this degree, this cold and heartless. A woman who would deliberately destroy her daughter’s chance at happiness sounds like someone who isn’t emotionally stable, someone who is obsessed with her daughter marrying someone else. Why?”
“There is this nonsense of a family curse she believes in.”
That got Matt’s attention and he sat up. “What family curse?”
Brian took the chair across from the sofa and for the next twenty minutes retold what Erica had once shared with him. At the time he, like her, had found the whole idea of the Hayes–Delbert curse rather out there and not worth very much thought. Evidently her mother was determined to destroy this so-called curse.
“And what about Donna?”
Brian lifted a brow. “Donna?”
“Yes. Erica is convinced she set you up, so how is she connected to Karen Sanders?”
Brian shook his head. “I don’t know if she is.” He blew out a frustrated breath. “This whole thing sounds far-fetched, but I want answers, Matt. Maybe Mrs. Sanders had nothing to do with it, and maybe things played out to her advantage coincidentally. But I have to know that for sure. And I want to know who entered my home today and intentionally left all those things behind so Erica could find them.”
Matt tapped his fingers on the coffee table. “And you’re sure, at least as far as you know, Donna Hardy doesn’t have the hots for you and set out to deliberately sabotage your relationship with Erica.”
“As far as I know she doesn’t have a thing for me. Even if she did, how could she have known Erica was coming to town today?”
“I’m not sure,” Matt said, standing. “But you better believe I’m going to find out.”
Brian knew Matt well enough to know that he would. In fact, there was no doubt in Brian’s mind that, when it was all over, Matt would not only put an end to this madness, but he would have the names of the person or persons responsible.
Griffin got out of bed the next morning after a sleepless night, mainly because he still hadn’t been able to reach April. It was so unlike her not to touch base with him every day.
He was about to go take his shower when the doorbell rang. Grabbing his bathrobe he nearly flew down the stairs, hoping it was April and that she had decided to surprise him with a visit.
He opened the door, disappointed to find a FedEx deliveryman standing there instead of April. “Yes?”
“Overnight delivery for you, sir. Please sign this.”
Griffin signed the document and was then handed an envelope. It was from April. He frowned wondering what the hell was going on and, after closing the door, he swiftly opened the envelope and pulled out the single piece of paper and began reading.
Griffin,
I know this is the coward’s way out but this is the way it has to be. I am ending things between us. It was fun while it lasted but I decided that I can’t corner myself into a relationship right now with anyone.