The Third Mrs. Durst Page 26

  Younger sisters are Vin’s soft spot, and he would’ve done anything to take out the man who threatened his. Even shoot a woman he loves.

  “She’s doing well, currently in therapy and studying in Berlin. I intend to visit her on this trip, just so you know.” From Ariella, my thoughts flow to the sister I lost, and I add, “I also plan to pay my respects to Dee in Croatia.”

  Jenny and Vin both acknowledge this as they eat a bit more of the superior goulash. I have three different Swiss bank accounts. Me, Marlena Altizer from Barrettville, Kentucky. That satisfaction is as good as sex.

  “We’ll go with you,” Jenny says.

  “Anywhere,” Vin adds.

  I’m still remembering that glorious fire and how Michael died. “Honestly, the cabin scenario worked out so well. I like this finale more than my original plan.”

  Jenny thinks it over, then nods. “There were risks associated with having him shanked in prison. We’d always have to worry about the person we paid to finish him off.”

  “And it was satisfying to wrap the work up with my own two hands,” I say.

  A large hand cups the nape of my neck and Vin pulls me in for a kiss. “It turns me on when you’re vicious.”

  We finish dinner and step out into the Prague twilight. Vin wraps one arm around me, the other around Jenny. I bite his ear. She nibbles his throat, and then Jenny and I fall into each other, kissing like the world will end if we stop. People don’t even look twice because this is Prague.

  Vin hugs us both, then nudges us toward the cobblestone walk. “Come, my darlings. I have a posh suite at the Four Seasons. Shall we?”

  “Sex first,” Jenny agrees. “Planning later.”

  As I swing into the crowd with my beloved partners in crime, a song by Leonard Cohen—“The Future”—echoes from the speakers of a nearby café, a fitting soundtrack for getting away with murder.

  Acknowledgments

  First off, thanks to Lucienne Diver for believing in this book, and to the team at Midnight Ink for making The Third Mrs. Durst a reality.

  Thanks to Rachel Caine for always listening. I could not ask for a better writing partner. Next, thank you to the Puppy Break squad. You know how much you’ve helped me this last year. As ever, thanks to my friends and colleagues, including but not limited to: Kate Elliott, Kate Kessler, Melissa Blue, Dee Carney, Shawntelle Madison, Yasmine Galenorn, and Lilith Saintcrow. Special mention goes to Annie Bellet and Victoria Helen Stone for reading the book early and encouraging me with their response.

  I send much love to my family for bearing with me when I was writing and rewriting this book. This was such a challenging story to tell, and I hope my revenge fantasy worked for you, dear readers. I thank you for taking this adventure with me and I hope you’ll come back for other stories. I truly appreciate your support.