Chapter 143

By the sea. Beckett walked ahead, and Madeleine followed a few steps behind. Honestly, with Beckett around, she couldn't focus on the ocean at all. Her heart was racing a mess—her mind, completely filled with him. She really thought he'd take her straight back to Pinebrook, but to her surprise, he actually brought her out here to see the ocean. "Mr. Beach, already handled by the police," Carl's voice came through Beckett's phone. "The cleaning staff said Ruby's assistant put her up to it. The assistant's been taken in, but she's taking all the blame. We can't link this directly to Ruby for now." "Put it out to the media. Say I drank the water and got hurt," Beckett said in a low, steady voice. "And make sure every single post about the Coleman-Reid marriage rumors gets buried—completely. I don't want to see a single word about it. Got that?" "Understood, Mr. Beach." — While Beckett stepped off to take the call near the car, Madeleine wandered alone along the shoreline. There were flowe