Deadly Arrangement

By Michelle Lynn Brown

He murdered her sister – and now she's planning on marrying him?

Bethany Petersen is the rightful heir to the Petersen Estate, but her grandmother's will states otherwise. Instead, it will go to Walker Keane, the murderer of her sister. The only way she can get control of the estate is through marriage to Walker. The idea is absurd to Bethany, and she assumes he will think so, too. Instead of trying to help her find a way around her grandmother's stipulation, he asks her to marry him.

So she hatches a plan to not only to get her inheritance back, but once and for all prove that her sister was murdered by Walker. She agrees to his deal. Marriage, even if it is in name only, and then after one year, they will split the inheritance. The ruse of marriage will give her access to the information she needs to prove his guilt.

However, Bethany quickly finds out her plan isn't as simple as she thought. As the truth begins to unfold, so do her feelings for Walker. 

Will buried secrets reveal his innocence, or confirm her suspicions that she's gotten herself into a deadly arrangement?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Michelle Lynn Brown
• Release date: Dec 1, 2016
• ISBN: 9781386230786

Michelle Lynn Brown

Best-selling author, Michelle Lynn Brown is a housewife, mother of three, writer, blogger, hopeless romantic, and a cuddly lap for one very large cat. She was born in Dayton, Ohio, but raised in El Paso, Texas. The Lord has blessed her with the opportunity to live in many locations, from Germany to Oklahoma, where she now resides. When she was a teenager, her mother used to take her to used books stores at least once a month. It was there she fell in love with the written word. As a writer, she uses this passion to share with others the joy of having a personal and intimate relationship with Christ. Like the flawed characters that grace her books, she has had many stumbles and struggles in her life. God's grace and mercy through these trials have kept her on her knees. It is from this humble position that she seeks to minister through her writing - not as someone who has it all figured out, but just someone who has figured out how wonderful and awesome God is.

Book preview

Prologue

Detective Hanson stared at the naked body on the bed, the limbs tangled within the sheets. He immediately recognized the victim.

What a way to start the week, he grumbled to himself.

Officer Jenkins stood to his left, rambling off the details of what he found when he responded to the call. The young officer’s voice held an eagerness that Hanson immediately recognized as rookie ambition.  Outstanding, he thought.

Looks like murder to me, the young officer conjectured.

Hanson shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. The ABC’s of crime scene investigation, Jenkins. You need to learn them. He held up a hand and began counting down as he spoke. A—don’t assume anything. B—don’t believe anyone. C—check everything. Hanson held up a fourth finger. I’m adding a fourth just for you—D for don’t speak.

Wouldn’t that be an S...? Jenkins’ voice whittled away to nothing under the glare of Hanson.

After a moment, Jenkins hesitantly challenged the detective, But it’s clearly murder, and it’s obvious who did it. They’re standing downstairs with blood all over—

Detective Hanson’s head whipped around to the young rookie. Do you know who this is? Despite the aggression in his voice, the question was a hushed whisper. 

When one of the other officers in the room looked their way, Hanson leaned over and whispered the name of the victim, but at the rookie’s clueless look, he rolled his eyes and hissed, "Brianna Keane is married to Walker Keane. When he still appeared clueless, Hanson spelled it out for him. Walker Keane is the chief’s brother. I’m sure the chief will want to handle this delicately. So don’t go blabbing your assessment everywhere before we have all the facts."

But the chief wouldn’t cover up murder just because his brother—

Hanson cut him off. Of course not. But we don’t know that it is murder, it looks like an accident to me.

Accident? The young officer shook his head.

Yeah, accident — or maybe suicide. Hanson grabbed his arm and said with more menace than he intended, And if you ever want to make detective, you’ll start seeing that, too.

EDNA PETERSEN SAT PROPPED against the pillows, her frail state evident in every part of her except for her narrowed eyes and her steely voice as she warned, Walker, I know the truth regarding my granddaughter’s death.

Walker wasn’t surprised. The only shock came in the fact that she hadn’t uncovered the greater truth earlier.

Had you been more aware of what was going on, less blood would have been shed. His cold statement had the intended effect because her already pale face turned almost translucent.

‘True, she admitted after composing herself, but that’s why I asked you here."

Summoned is more like it, he thought.

Many people have been hurt by what we’ve covered up and what we’ve allowed to happen. Now it’s time for penance—we must pay our dues.

Walker said nothing and stared down at her with one raised eyebrow, wondering where she was going with this.

Bethany, my granddaughter, is bent on avenging her sister’s death.

Walker chuckled, This I know. The fiery redhead had accosted him several times this month alone, hurling accusations at him and vowing to get to the bottom of Brianna’s death. He’d ignored her, never even said a word in response to her insults, hoping she’d just give up.

She must never know the truth. Sitting up straighter in the bed, Edna continued, I don’t know how much of our family life Brianna shared with you before her...death. Walker saw her stumble over the words.

Brianna hid a lot, as you well know. However, she did tell me that Bethany got into some trouble when she was a teenager and was sent away to boarding school. In the end, it was a blessing Bethany was away when her father died, and she was fresh out of college and in New York when her sister died.

Walker nodded in understanding but still failed to see how all of this was relevant, and why he was standing before this woman.

When she found out about Brianna, she was riddled with guilt. She was interning at a large corporation, on her way to a bright future, but she dropped all of it. She came home, started drinking again and obsessing about her sister’s death. She’s been sober for a year now, but is still insistent upon finding out the truth.

And if we tell her—

The old woman cut him off. She will be destroyed. I’ve already lost a child and a grandchild. I will lose no one else. Do you hear me? And you will make certain of this.

Despite her frailty, she bellowed her demands. She was known for being fierce and protective of what was hers. She’d built an empire from nothing, and she protected that empire with the same ferocity he had just witnessed.

And exactly how am I supposed to do that?

You will marry her.

Walker’s bark of laughter reverberated in the otherwise silent room. This isn’t the 1800s. You can’t order her to marry me. Besides, what good would that do? She despises me.

She plucked at the folds of a blanket as she hedged, She needs to forgive you and move on.

And forcing her to marry me will accomplish that? Walker shook his head. "Brianna loved Bethany and wanted what was best for her. I doubt marrying me will help her achieve that."

The woman snapped out a warning. Your brother’s upcoming campaign for mayor won’t be helped if the truth comes out about his role in helping you cover up a murder.

A muscle worked in his jaw as she leveled her threat. I don’t react well when backed into a corner, ma’am.

The cold steeliness in his voice did little to phase her as she returned, I don’t react well to having my plans altered.

The two stood staring at each other, neither backing down.

Finally, Edna softened. "Instead of threats, let me persuade you with logic. It would do little good, for anyone, if she were to unearth the truth. She must put this silly detective business behind her and take her place at the helm of my business."

And how will marrying me help her do that?

She’s headstrong, just like me. She will agree if for no other reason than to attempt to find out the truth. Spend a year with her, assuage her suspicions, and then she can move on. She waved a hand at him and added, You can use that charm you used on Brianna to get her to agree.

At his dubious glare, she added, "As you can see, my health is failing. Marry her. Protect her. Do not fail her like we failed Brianna."

He gritted his teeth at her statement. And what happens if your plan fails and she finds out the truth?

For the sake of your brother’s career, it will behoove you to make sure she never does.

Chapter One

W hat is he doing here ? Bethany narrowed her hazel eyes at the man who had just entered the room.

Walter Keane moved with the grace of a panther as he took his seat next to her without so much as a glance in her direction. The lawyer nodded to the man as he explained, Ms. Petersen, I sent Mr. Keane an invitation to join us.

She whirled around to face the lawyer, who stammered a bit under her glare. Recovering with a cough, he explained, Your grandmother left implicit instructions that he was to be present.

Bethany wondered what purpose her grandmother had inviting Brianna’s killer to the reading of the will.

Shooting an icy glare Walker’s way, she hissed, Hopefully there’s evidence in her will that will finally see you properly convicted of my sister’s murder.

Walker didn’t say anything. Resting his elbows on the arms of the chair, he steepled his fingers and nodded in the lawyer’s direction. 

Her chest heaving from the anger boiling within her, she made a show of pulling her chair a few inches away from him. The man had the audacity to arch his dark eyebrow at her like she was some child.

Are you ready, Ms. Petersen?

The lawyer’s voice pulled her attention from Walker, and she nodded her head.

The lawyer extended a folded piece of paper in Walker’s direction. Mrs. Petersen has left you a note, Mr. Keane. She would like you to read it before we begin.

Bethany watched as he lifted his dark eyebrow.  He took the note and read it. Scanned, she thought, as she watched his eyes – with ridiculously long eyelashes for a man – rapidly shift through the note. How disrespectful, she thought, He doesn't even take the time to read what Grandmother had to say.

He folded the letter and turned to her. For a moment, he just stared at her, and her eyes narrowed at his gaze. Her hands shook with suppressed rage, and she saw his gaze slide toward them. Not wanting him to see how he got the better of her, she tucked them in her lap.

Without another word, he merely nodded at the lawyer, who continued.

To my granddaughter, Bethany, I want you to know that my life has been filled with a lot of choices and many regrets. The biggest is not being able to impress upon you the need to find peace.

Bethany rolled her eyes at this. Peace? Really, Grandma? You want me to find peace, but you invite this beast of a man to your will. What’s the purpose of that?

The lawyer continued reading. Though I have not been able to help you find peace while I was alive, maybe I can through my death. Please remember that I love you dearly, and this is for your own good. For that reason, the entire bulk of my estate is bequeathed to Walker Allen Keane, with a small portion of the holding going to my granddaughter, Bethany.

Bethany jumped up, nearly knocking over her chair as she scoffed, What? Could you repeat that? Because I thought I heard you say he gets everything.

The lawyer just nodded in reply.

She was obviously not in her right mind. She would never give everything to this monster.

The lawyer asked her to take her seat. There is more, Ms. Petersen.

She reluctantly sat back down.

Mr. Keane cannot sell or give the estate in any manner to Bethany unless it is through their marriage.

Marriage! Bethany glanced at Walker, assuming that he would be gloating. Instead, she found him staring at her in a curious manner. She balked and went on, "Like I said—obviously not in her right mind."

The lawyer ignored her remark as he answered, Your grandmother knew that you would likely want to contest the will, and she took steps to verify the validity of this will and her sanity prior to her death. But please feel free to protest through whatever channels you feel you need to.

He handed her some papers, which she scanned but barely read, her mind seething with anger and hurt. Tossing the documents on the desk, she whirled around in her chair to face the cause of these emotions.

What lies did you tell her? I know you and your brother sold something to the district attorney’s office when my sister was killed because they never arrested you. What bag of lies did you hoist onto my poor grandmother that would make her do this...this absurd thing!

A trace of compassion flashed in his coffee-brown eyes. This was your grandmother’s idea. I had nothing to do with this. Those were the first words she’d ever heard the man speak. A warm, rich, deep voice that seemed too pleasant for a man who was a murderer.

Her mouth hung open for a moment before she jeered, That’s hard to believe. Now you have everything you want. My sister is dead, and now you have all of her money.

A warm, throaty chuckle rumbled from him. Bethany, the Petersen estate is a fraction of my holdings.

She wanted to argue, but she knew that he was telling the truth. Her research had failed so far to produce any motive on his behalf for her sister’s death. By all counts, he had been a loving husband and had grieved her loss.

Will you excuse us a moment?

The lawyer nodded in reply to Walker’s request. With an apologetic smile, the lawyer handed her a note and said, This is from your grandmother, she asked that you read it in private.

For a moment, she just stared down at the envelope as the lawyer exited the room. When she turned her eyes on Walker, she found him staring at her in that peculiar manner.

After he left, Walker said, Bethany, I know this must be hard, but I have a proposition.

I don’t want to hear any of your propositions, she sneered.

He waited with one eyebrow until she uncrossed her arms and capitulated with a pout. Go ahead.

I suggest we get married as your grandmother wanted. Then, after a year, we get a divorce, and you get the inheritance.

She stared at him for a moment, searching his chocolate brown eyes for a hint of deception.  Seeing none, she exclaimed, What would cause you to make such an insane proposal? Haven’t you caused this family enough grief? Her eyes narrowed as she questioned, What is it that you get out of this arrangement?

A flicker of compassion in his eyes caught her off guard again as he intoned, I have my reasons.

Not falling for his false compassion, she scoffed, Yeah, I bet you do. Reasons that include dollar signs.

Bethany expected anger to slash across his face, but he calmly said, I think Brianna would have wanted this.

Her eyes narrowed, trying to discern the truth. All she could see was sincerity. Oh, but he’s good at hiding his feelings and his intentions. It's what makes him so successful.

Questions swirled around in her mind, but she couldn’t articulate them as she sat there in a dazed fury. Finally, she said, Well, I’ll find a way around this.

She stood up to leave, storming out of the room, but Walker caught up with her. When she refused to stop, he grabbed her arm and spun her