“You stole it,” he said into his hands.

“Why, Noah?” Deidre cried. “Why would you do something like this?”

He set his jaw, refusing to speak, so Piper answered for him. “He wants to be the most important man in your life. He got used to the way you relied on him after your husband died. Maybe he hoped to be the next Mr.Joss, but whether he wanted that or not, he had to make sure he stayed the most important man in your life. Your personal interest in Coop was threatening that. He wanted both Coop and Spiral out of the picture.”

Coop witnessed it all, saying nothing.

Deidre sank back into her chair. She put her head in her hands, then slowly lifted it. “How could you do this?”

“What else was I supposed to do?” Noah’s face twisted bitterly. “I couldn’t stop you from marrying Sam, even though anybody could see he wasn’t good enough for you. I wasn’t going to lose you to Graham, too.”

“I trusted you more than I trusted anyone.”

“I needed more time!” he exclaimed. “I love you. I’ve always loved you.”

Loved Joss Investments was more like it.

The door shot open and two security guards charged in.

Deidre came up from the chair, in full command. “Put him in his office and keep him there until the police get here.” As they led him away, she went to Coop. “I don’t know how I can ever make this up to you.”

Piper had a few ideas, and she hated every one of them.

***

Coop got behind the wheel of Piper’s Sonata himself and headed toward Spiral. “How did you get his computer?”

Piper rested her head and shut her eyes. Words were pressing at her lips, emotions churning—thoughts and feelings so contradictory, so painful, she couldn’t let them escape. “I can’t talk to you until I get some sleep.”

“I need answers.”

“I’m serious, Coop. I haven’t slept since Sunday night, and I need to go to bed.”

“Fine. I’ll be with my lawyers most of tomorrow, but I’ll pick you up for dinner at five o’clock.”

She opened her eyes. “What are you? Eighty years old? Who goes out to dinner that early?”

“You’re bitchy when you don’t sleep.”

“Got it. Old Country Buffet at five o’clock.”

“Five o’clock because I want plenty of time to get you drunk.”

“In that case...” She shut her eyes again.

***