The Third Sin Read Online Free

sound of a loud slap and her mother’s scream and had run all the way to school.
    Now she ran that way again, racing back to school and the safety of the classroom. Children were still milling about on the playground and no one noticed when Irina slipped back into the building.
    It was some time later when her father and the school principal found her, crouched under her desk. Max walked toward her with his arms outstretched, but Irina screamed and drew away from him.
    She knew what he had done.
    Somehow, the police had concluded that Anna had surprised someone who had invaded the house looking for drug money. Or perhaps the district attorney had been impressed with her father’s wealth and power in his construction business.
    Though the police questioned Irina several times, she knew they were not really interested in what she had to say. Not that it would have mattered—she couldn’t tell the truth. Max insisted that she tell the police he was a loving husband and father, and the dreadful memory of her mother’s body lying on the bloody carpet guaranteed that Irina would stick to this story. The only truth she told was that she had not seen the attack on her mother. With little evidence and no eyewitness, it had been easy for the DA to drop the case.
    Anna lingered in a coma for five years. Max lived in fear that she would awaken and accuse him. Irina often went to the hospital to sit with her, staring at her mother’s strong hands, useless at her sides. With Anna’s death, the case became a matter of murder, but by then, the trail was cold and Max was able to use his money to make sure no one cared.
    *   *   *
    All these years later, Irina had not forgotten what had happened. She knew Max hadn’t forgotten either. Years before, when Anna’s murder was officially marked “unsolved” and filed away, Irina’s father had told her, “Anything you want, for the rest of your life, I will get for you.” She had cashed in on that promise more than once and was ready to do it again.
    â€œWhat do I want? I want the Braganza diamond,” she said, hearing the bitterness in her voice. “Wade has decided to sell Esperanza’s diamond. You must buy it for me.”
    He said nothing.
    Angered by his silence, she waited. He had an uncanny ability to sniff out any weakness, and to show anger would give him the upper hand.
    â€œYou want me to buy it for you? That’s a funny notion,” he said at last.
    â€œYes.” She went on, unfazed by the sarcasm in his tone, “I’ve worn it for years. Since I first married Douglas. It’s mine, and I won’t be humiliated by another woman wearing it.”
    She paused, then began again, speaking slowly and deliberately to let her words sink in. “I’ve had enough of loss and humiliation. You know what my life was after the attack on Mother. How the press never left me alone. Well, they’re at it again. They know you have the money to get it for me and they want to know why you haven’t already arranged for me to have it. Not ten minutes ago I saw a TV gossip columnist carrying on about my losing the diamond. It was infuriating.”
    â€œWhat do you mean ‘carrying on’?” She picked up the tension in his voice and smiled to herself. She had him on the hook now.
    â€œShe mentioned you and your money. The sale will be news, and Mother’s death will probably be rehashed again.”
    He sighed. “Why didn’t Douglas give you the diamond?” This was his usual tactic—changing the subject.
    â€œThe diamond came from the Brazilian side of the family and Douglas claimed he signed an agreement with the Dias family to ensure that it would go to Wade.”
    â€œSo let Wade keep it. I’ll tell you what—I have friends who can make a perfect copy for you. They make insurance companies happy and no one knows the