True Bastard: A Dark Sparrow Novel

by India Kells

  Leaving the papers given to her and official websites, she opened the software she’d created with a friend. That little piece of code could interpret algorithms or patterns and to clear all the noise to find more precise information.

  The goal of her investigation was to find the invisible hole Finch used to redirect his money.

  Once she let the software run, she stretched a little. Her neck was stiff, and her shoulders screamed from being immobile for so long.

  Catriona looked around and started to see the first flickers of sunlight coming through the windows. The morning air must have been cold as the glow was flickering over the frosted glass like a kaleidoscope. Another day closer to Christmas, but it was the first time she’d ever felt so disconnected from this holiday.

  Tired and lost, Catriona considered laying down for a moment to empty her mind, but her being pulled to the computer, and what it could discover beyond what she’d had found.

  In the morning light, she stood and joined her hands, a prayer on the tip of her tongue, but unable to pass the barrier of her lips.

  It was the very first time she couldn’t find refuge inside herself and say the words she knew so well.

  A bell sounded, stopping her thoughts. With a frown, she sat in front of her computer. Error messages popped in multiple windows, which wasn’t usual. The program was set to backtrack when it came to a dead-end and try another route to find information so it didn’t get stuck.

  The software had done precisely that, and she killed them all. However, once the red notifications were gone, three computer windows showed results.

  Immediately, she recognized offshore locations she’d encountered in other investigations. It was only a first readthrough, but she couldn’t stop. Only when her eyes froze on a name did the world went still.

  Even if she doubted the computer had made a mistake, Catriona rechecked everything manually. As the brightening light bathed the apartment, her mood darkened until there was no doubt in her mind.

  On her screen, one name was linked to three potential accounts: Lazarus King. The information was rock solid and undeniable, and it now brought to the table a new possibility that was chilling: Finch was not the only one hiding money and using it for fraudulent or violent purposes. Even worse, those accounts had been feeding off Finch’s account for a long time too.

  Going through all the transactions linked to one of the accounts, one large amount had been transferred to a private security group. A name she’d seen in the files Liam had brought from the police station. It took some time to find it as her hands trembled and her body shook, but when she saw it, her blood froze. The group had been identified as hired guns. Could they be the same people who attacked them earlier?

  Had Gabrielle been wrong? Had her friend been blindsided and not seen that the very brother who rallied his siblings against an evil father was also evil? There was no doubt he was getting rich off his father, the proof in front of her eyes undeniable. Was Liam aware of it? Was he an accomplice? What would she find that if she kept digging? Were the brothers playing Gabrielle to cover up their own dealings?

  Catriona got her phone and tried once more to call Gabrielle, and once more, she was redirected to her voicemail. This time, she left a more urgent message.

  What could she do? What should she do? Liam’s silvery eyes popped into her mind again, and she wondered if he’d been lying all along. Sensing her wayward thoughts, Chewy pushed his head under her palm, and she stroked his soft fur for a moment, hoping her brain came up with another solution, another option.

  Locking her computer, she got to her feet and grabbed her bag. Deep in the silence of the apartment, Catriona felt as if she was screaming, her entire being commanding her to get out now, and be safe.

  Her mind may doubt, but numbers couldn’t lie, and it was clear she was in danger as at least one of the brothers was hiding information. It wouldn’t surprise her to discover that all of them weren’t so different from their father after all.

  Her heart was adamant that she was wrong, but her mind knew what she’d discovered. To save herself and live another day, there was only one thing to do. Making sure Chewy was well and that he had food and water, she took one last look at the small apartment before shutting the door behind her and leaving.

  Chapter Eleven

  On his way back from the hospital, Liam was tempted to make another detour instead of heading directly to the apartment. Since Catriona’s arrival, he was like a stupid teenage boy, and he hated himself for it.

  He hadn’t felt like a hormonal dumbass in years, and he’d learned the hard way how keeping a cool head might make or break a case. How could a woman who covered herself from neck to toe, acted demurely, and spoke of dedicating her life to God, turn him on like nobody else ever had? Was it some sort of fetish he hadn’t been aware he had, from a man who was surrounded by nuns growing up? And he wasn’t old enough to look back on old memories with rose-colored glasses, especially those of a childhood he’d rather forget.

  It was something else; the innocence in her expression when she offered herself to him, curious, eager, and scared at the same time. What messed with his mind even more was that he’d considered it, hoped for it. Immediately, he recognized the evil of his father running through his veins, the same impulse that led to him abusing his mother.

  Liam knew that she kissed him, pressed her body against his, but he had to be the one to resist, to protect her against her fleeting desires.

  With his resolve not to touch her again in place, he buried his head deeper into his coat as his skin tingled from the biting cold. Through the buildings, the morning sun didn’t shine down that low yet. He could have asked the cab to drop him in front of the apartment, however he preferred to make sure nobody had followed him, especially after the diner incident. Before he’d gone to the hospital, Liam dropped by the station to check Cary Paylor’s address, but couldn’t find anything on the boy, or any Paylors in the area for that matter. It was obvious the boy had given them his real name, but he was probably living on the streets. Often, kids from poor neighborhoods came downtown where the money was, and this was even truer during the holidays.

  One question he hoped to ask Cary was why he’d been following them, and especially how and why he’d saved them from those unknown stalkers. His list of questions for the boy was increasing by the minute.

  As Liam was turning the corner toward the building, he went into full alert, discreetly watching his surroundings and bracing himself for what he’d say to Catriona.

  Instead of using the main entrance, Liam went through the basement door and entered the code on the keypad. Inside, he headed up the stairs, and he was almost to his floor when he realized how easy it had been to climb the steps despite his bad knee. Apart from a faint heat, the pain was manageable for the first time since the firefight.

  Still trying to remember if he’d taken pain pills or not, he opened the apartment door. Sun was filtering through, but it was clear Catriona wasn’t there. With the papers stacked on the kitchen table around her laptop and a pad full of scribbles by its side, the little nun had been busy.

  He could hear movement upstairs, so he assumed that she was having breakfast with Aleksei and Deva.

  Chewy barked as soon as he knocked at the door, and Aleksei welcomed him, a mug in hand. “Hey, just had the notification that you came in.”

  Liam relaxed some as he took the steaming cup of coffee. “You’re becoming quite domestic, Alek.”

  The Russian all but snarled at him. “I wanted to pour it over your head, but Deva told me you’d prefer drinking it, so don’t push your luck.”

  Liam heard Deva laugh from the kitchen and followed his brother in. Deva at the stove stirring something in a pot, Liam scanned the room and his heart skipped. “Where’s Catriona?”

  Aleksei and Deva went still as statues.

  “What do you mean where is she? She’s in the apartment.” Aleksei looked at him as if he’d lost his mind,
but Deva appeared worried.

  “Last time I saw her was last night, maybe an hour after you left. I brought her some food. She didn’t say much, she was deep in her research and told me she’d probably work through the night. I didn’t think I’d see her this morning as she’d be sleeping.”

  Liam dropped his mug on the counter and bolted out. Aleksei cursed and followed him as they ran downstairs. Liam went directly to where Catriona had slept the night before and opened the door. The room was untouched, the bed made. Her travel bag was still there on the dresser, and Liam didn’t know if he should be reassured or scared out of his mind.

  “Where is she?”

  Aleksei searched the bathroom and shook his head. “I need my phone to check the security system.”

  “Way ahead of you, big guy.” Deva came in eyes on his phone. “Just went through the log, and it shows someone going out an hour and a half ago using the temporary code you gave Liam. It must be Catriona. By entering the code on her way out, it prevented the alarm from triggering. She must’ve memorized it when Alek gave it to you.”

  “Why would she leave by herself? She knows we’re on lockdown, damn it!” Aleksei looked about ready to smash something.

  “She has a cell phone. Let me call her.” Catriona had given him her cell phone number, and he’d given her his, but when he dialed it, he went right to voicemail. “Catriona, it’s me. Where are you? Call me back as soon as you get this.”

  Deva angled her head. “You’re lucky she’s not me. With that tone, I’d never call you back.”

  Aleksei kissed her brow as he came to stand beside her. “Check the perimeter cameras at that time. We may not have a lot of details, but we’ll see if our little nun was alone and where she headed.”

  Liam clenched his jaw as all was going way too slow. “Aren’t you worried?”

  Deva sighed. “Yes, we’re worried. But it seems that she left on her own. Unless you consider her your prisoner, you can’t lock her up, Liam.”

  Her words angered her even more; he’d promised Gabrielle he’d protect her.

  “That’s her.”

  Liam snatched the phone out of Deva’s hands and saw Catriona, her back to the camera, standing on the sidewalk. She seemed to hesitate, looking right and left, before bracing her shoulders and heading right.

  “Isn’t that chapel she went to yesterday down the street? She may have gone there again.”

  Aleksei nodded, but Liam was already out the door. As he reached the garage, his brother came to his side, his coat half on as they opened the door.

  Half-skidding on the frozen sidewalk, avoiding people when all he wanted was shove them out of his way, Liam’s knee started to hurt, pain once again reverberating through his knee. Still, all he could see around the corner was the stone chapel, each step bringing him closer to where Catriona had most probably gone. This time, it was his turn to pray that she was still safe inside.

  When he and his brother barged inside, the few people sitting in the pews turned their heads at the ruckus, but none of them was the woman he was hoping to see. One look at Aleksei had his brother nodding in understanding and they split, making their way toward the altar, examining every window and opening, but she wasn’t anywhere to be found.

  Catching his breath, Liam waited as his brother made his way to him, shaking his head and cursed.

  “Watch your language, young man, I won’t tolerate it.” A priest wearing a worn brown cardigan came at them, waving a finger. “You’re in God’s home, and He deserves respect.”

  Liam agreed, but he couldn’t help but be overwhelmed with panic. “Sorry, sorry. I was looking for someone. I thought she’d come here.”

  The older man looked at the few parishioners inside and seemed to think for a moment. “A young woman? Light chestnut hair, lovely smile? She had a messenger bag and a brown coat?”

  Liam’s sudden anticipation was squashed immediately when the priest shook his head. “I welcomed her this morning just I was unlocking the door. I believed she’d stay for mass, but when I returned, she was gone.”

  “Do you know where she might have gone?”

  The priest, again, shook his head. “I’m sorry, my son. I didn’t notice anyone with her.”

  It was becoming more difficult to breathe now. His vision narrowing, Aleksei pulled him back by taking him by the shoulders.

  “If she’s been taken, we’ll find her, brother.”

  When he locked eyes with him, he didn’t like the feeling that was snaking up and seizing him by the throat. So many questions about why she’d left whirled in his mind followed by guilt for leaving her, but more tragically, why had he been stupid enough to push her away.

  “It’s kind of you to offer me a place to stay. You didn’t have to, Hazel.”

  The older woman waved a hand in the air with a smile. “My pleasure, sweet girl. Lucky for you, I decided to come to mass this morning. I was feeling a little under the weather and almost didn’t bother.”

  “If you’re feeling sick, I shouldn’t have asked you...”

  “Oh no, dear child. The winter temperature is getting to me. It comes with old age, you see. The trouble is, the mind wants to stay young, but the body reminds you every day that you can’t fight each passing minute. Especially under the Chicago rain. Winter is barely more tolerable.”

  Hazel continued to weave expertly through the light traffic, driving farther and farther away from downtown.

  “I thought you lived closer to the church.”

  “No, I prefer to be a little away from the city, with a bit more greenery around me. We forget too quickly how nature is calming, a prayer in itself, don’t you think?”

  Catriona nodded, and when they reached a quaint neighborhood, all her sudden worries came to rest. The car slowed down, passing by kids playing on the driveways and sidewalks. Here, the snow was white, and the houses trimmed with glittering, multicolored lights.

  “Why go so far out of your way for mass? I’m sure you could find a place much closer to your home.”

  Hazel sighed. “I haven’t been here for long, only finding my home relatively recently. While I was looking around, I visited Chicago with my brother, and he’s the one who pointed out St. Philomena chapel. It stuck with me.”

  “Does your brother worship at the chapel as well?”

  Hazel’s expression closed down. “Not anymore. I hope he returns, but he’s lost his way, buried under the weight of responsibilities and troubles he must manage. He told me he couldn’t find peace before he resolves his issues. I offered my help and told him he could count on me when he does.”

  The car turned into the driveway of a charming little house, almost picture-perfect with its festive decorations.

  “You’re a good sister. I envy you. I never had siblings. You are so lucky to have had a brother.”

  Hazel laughed. “Oh, I don’t know if you could say it’s luck. I think that similar souls find their ways to each other, especially brothers and sisters. I’m similar to my brother, but enough of that now. Let’s go inside and get you comfortable. If you feel like talking about why you suddenly needed a place to stay or any other topic, remember that I’m here for you.”

  With a smile, she got out of the car, and Catriona followed suit, but even if everything fell into place so naturally, in the perfect setting, something felt off, as if her instinct was trying to tell her something. Pushing that thought away, still overwhelmed by what she’d found, and still processing all those numbers and emotions, she decided to let time sift through it all. After all, there was no rush, she was perfectly safe now.

  Chapter Twelve

  Back at the apartment with his brother, Liam knew he had to keep his cool, because it was the only way to have a clear head and figure why Catriona had left. Not an easy task because it was the very first time since he’d regained control over his life that he’d been tempted to throw the table with the papers and laptop against the wall.

  Where was she? The first th
ing Liam had done was call Gabrielle, but the woman hadn’t answered. No surprise because she’d told him she’d be unavailable over the next few days, so he doubted Catriona had gone to her.

  Aleksei was on the phone, trying to find a way to access potential cameras around the church. Liam would’ve been able to do it with a warrant while his brother didn’t mind reaching out to less legal resources.

  After picking up his phone, Liam opened the video of Catriona exiting the building. There was no sign of her being scared, but her body language told him she seemed troubled. He only saw her face a fraction of a second and could see a frown marring her forehead, which confirmed his suspicions.

  He replayed the small snippet several times, and with each pass, he focused on her face, and somehow, it superposed itself over his last image of her when he’d stormed out of the apartment. Was that why she’d left?

  “What the fuck happened?” No surprise to see his brother Archer Blackwood walk in. The powerful billionaire had always been one of the more influential brothers, a close second to Lazarus. Since Oz had been in the coma, Archer had taken up the role of rounding up everything and being their ringleader. “You lost the woman that’s supposed to help us?”

  Irritated by his sarcastic British accent, Liam’s first impulse was to punch him in the face. “We didn’t lose her, she walked out.”

  Archer frowned and unbuttoned the jacket of his tailored-cut blue three-piece suit before putting his hands in his pockets. “You can’t be serious! She’s just arrived! Don’t you know how much we need her? I’m good with numbers, but from what Gabrielle said, she could do in a week what it would take me months to accomplish. I’m trying to keep my business afloat and my wife and kids safe. Don’t you understand that?”

  Something in Liam cracked. “You fucking moron! Do you think I forgot about that? That I don’t care?”