"My heroine," said Lily as she pretended to fan herself.

"Everyone. Head to the garage on my count," said Solomon. "And if you encounter an angry, pregnant woman, cuff her and surround her." I made the snap decision not to relay his instructions to Lily. Instead, I stepped around her and jogged ahead, dodging the few guests standing in the driveway. The garage door was shut so we stepped through the garden gate, heading for the side entrance. The door stood ajar and I put a finger to my lips as we slowed our approach, keeping our backs against the wall.

"I hear Juliet," I said as voices sounded softly.

"Penelope?" asked Solomon.

"Can't see. I'm going to get closer." I edged forwards, craning my head to see through the crack. Penelope stood beside Rob and Juliet with her back to us. "Penelope is there. Rob, too. They're talking."

"To the special day," said Penelope, pouring champagne into three glasses on a tray perched on a workbench. "I'm so glad we got this moment to talk, and truly bond."

"Penelope, what's going on?" asked Rob.

"It's just a private moment between the three of us, now that we're going to be one big family." Penelope gave a dry laugh.

"We're not a family," said Rob.

"Sure we are. We have a child together, Rob. We'll always be family. And now Juliet will be part of that family. Isn't it just great that we all get along? Do you know how many people have congratulated me on how accepting I am? Or how great we all are to put Robbie first? This way, we can hang out and still do family days. None of that nasty animosity, or other stuff that happens when a guy ditches his loving partner for the newer, younger, richer model."

"That didn't happen, Pen. We split up long before I met Juliet. You know that."

Penelope shrugged. "I'm just glad you texted me to meet you both."

Rob and Juliet exchanged puzzled glances. "I didn't text you," said Juliet.

"No, Rob did."

Rob gave a quick shake of his head. "No, I didn't."

"I got a text from your phone. See!" Penelope pulled her cell phone from her purse and thrust it towards the couple. "You told me to meet you here. You said Juliet was going crazy, and you couldn't help her."

"I never sent that!"

"It's from your phone." Penelope dropped her phone into her purse, tossing it onto the workbench before reaching for the flutes. She smiled as she handed one to Rob and turned to pick up the second glass. Something tiny dropped from her hand and fizzled in the glass for a few seconds. "I know you've had such a hard time, Juliet. These last few months were really terrible. I can't imagine what's been going on in your head. You must have been ready to lose your mind."

"I have. I've driven myself crazy wondering why someone would do this to me."

"I know. You're so perfect, Juliet. Why would anyone want to hurt you? Look at you, you have everything. You enjoy the golden life."

"I've been very lucky."

"Lucky? Everything comes so easy to you; and you're so sweet, everyone always wants the best for you. They don't know the real you, Juliet. Not like I do. Here. Let's drink to you." Penelope handed her the flute, pressing it into Juliet's hand before reaching for her own glass.

"What are they doing?" hissed Lily.

"Talking." I whispered, squinting and staring at Juliet's glass. There was nothing but champagne and bubbles. Had I imagined something more? Did I desperately want more, something I could pin on Penelope? If her tone didn't sound so harsh, I would have thought I was eavesdropping on a private moment. As much as I stared, I couldn't see anything that looked abnormal. Scanning Penelope's dress, I couldn't see any outline of a gun either.

"I didn't send you that text," said Rob again, looking confused. "You told me Juliet wanted to talk to us alone. That's why I came to the garage with you."

"I came because you texted me, Rob. You said there was something wrong and we needed to talk," said Juliet as Rob shook his head.

"I think what Juliet wanted was your forgiveness, Rob."

"What for?" asked Rob, not taking his eyes off Juliet.

"For dragging you into her crazy world, I imagine. Really, who knows? Let's drink to the future."

"Penelope, I think you need professional help," said Juliet as she edged closer to Rob. "I want to put all this behind us. I want us to be friends, and I want to help you."

Penelope raised her glass. "You're right. Let's put it all behind us now. To the deserving couple!"

"The deserving couple," I repeated, frowning. It didn't feel right as I watched Rob and Juliet raise their glasses, seemingly as puzzled as I. Penelope wasn't looking at them both, but looking at Rob. As she stared, it became quite clear she wasn't toasting Juliet and Rob as the happy couple. She was toasting herself and Rob.

"Cheers," said Penelope as she knocked back her glass.

"Cheers," mumbled Juliet, raising the glass to her lips.

My body didn't feel like my own as I pushed forwards. It seemed like I was watching myself in slow motion when I burst through the garage door. "Don't drink that!" yelled a voice that turned out to be my own, but not. "It's poisoned."

Reality snapped back into place as Penelope whirled around, her jaw dropping down. Her glass fell to the floor, splintering into thick shards as she grabbed her purse. I ran forwards, reaching out for Juliet's glass.

Penelope rushed me, knocking into me so hard, we tumbled to the ground. My elbow jarring painfully against the concrete floor. "You shouldn't be here," wailed Penelope, raising a fist. "You'll ruin everything."

I tipped my head quickly to the left, feeling Penelope's blow glance off my ear and hearing her painful yelp as her knuckles connected with the concrete. Above us, someone screamed. Penelope tightened her grip on me as she punched again, connecting with my wound. I tried to wriggle out from her tenacious grasp, sending a jolt of piercing pain all through me. "I should have finished you off," hissed Penelope, against my ear.

With all my might, I wrenched my knee upwards, driving into soft flesh as she grunted. A flash of steel on my right drew my attention and I saw the gun pointed towards my head. Her finger was closing around the trigger. Powerful hands reached around Penelope and made me blink with their swiftness.

"Gun!" I yelled, groping for Penelope's hand. I wanted to push it away as she continued to flail at me with her other hand. I closed my fingers around her wrist until she pulled her hand away, twisting it to loosen my grip. She wriggled, bucking and kicking, as an arm closed around her and I fell from her grasp. Someone grunted and Penelope fell forwards.

The shot echoed around the garage.

I watched my reflection in Penelope's eyes. My eyes widened in fear, and my mouth parted in a faint gasp. Then my reflection vanished as we slumped together.

Chapter Twenty-One

"Lexi? Lexi?"

From very far away, someone kept calling my name. I blinked, looking for something to focus on as my vision wavered. Above me, wooden beams and a roof came into view. A face appeared between those beams and I blinked again. Lily.

"Lexi? Are you okay?" she yelled.

"I'm fine," I gasped.

"I think you got stunned, or something. I don't think you passed out. You just lay there with your mouth gaping like a goldfish."