Aurora Sterling gave Silas Linton a polite smile and extended her hand. "Hello, I'm Aurora Sterling."
The moment Aurora extended her hand, Damien Valerius intercepted it, grabbing the hand she was about to offer Silas Linton and pulling her down into her seat.
Silas Linton's outstretched hand paused in mid-air. He then withdrew it with a soft chuckle and turned to take his own seat.
As Aurora Sterling sat down, she looked at Silas Linton in front of her. Her mind started connecting the dots: the three Maybachs with local plates that picked them up from the airport, the collision with Marcus Marsh's bus, and all the events of the past few days. Suddenly, everything seemed to click into place. "So," she said, turning to Damien, "you knew about Liam Valerius's plan before you even came to Portcove. You were just turning his own scheme back on him, weren't you?"
A smile touched Damien Valerius's lips, his gaze softening as he looked at Aurora Sterling. "That's right."
