“I have no idea why you’re fixated on this, but it doesn’t seem healthy,” Everett said. “As I recall, I reaped her outside of the building. I couldn’t get inside with the doors chained the way they were.”
My heart flopped. “The doors were chained?”
“They were chained from the outside. There was no way into the building.” Everett took another sip of wine. “I remember thinking that I was going to have to wait outside of the building forever because the police and firefighters were treating it as a crime scene.”
That made absolutely no sense. “Why would someone chain the doors of an apartment complex unless they wanted to kill everyone inside?”
“I have no idea.”
“I remember that night,” I argued. “It was supposed to be an accidental fire. That’s why my father didn’t put up a fight when my mother went to the scene alone. If it was arson, it would’ve been in the file.”
“Perhaps you should put a call into the home office about its shoddy secretarial work,” Everett suggested.
I hated his blasé attitude. “Everett, if what you’re saying about the doors being chained is true, how did my mother get inside the building in the first place?”
Everett stilled, the question taking him by surprise. “I … don’t know. That never occurred to me.”
“That’s probably because you have the IQ of my ass, you little ferret,” I hissed. “How can you never have asked that question?”
“It doesn’t really concern me,” Everett replied. “I had a job to do and I did it. How your mother died isn’t my concern. It’s not my fault you Grimlocks don’t know how to take care of your own.”
That did it. My hands were almost around Everett’s throat when Griffin grabbed my waist and yanked me backward. “Okay, I think this conversation has run its course,” he said
“You must be the boyfriend,” Everett said, recovering quickly. “Are her boobs as nice as they look?”
“If I were you, I’d start running now,” Griffin said. “If I let her go, she'll kill you. If you say one more thing like that, I’ll help her.”
Everett rolled his eyes and got to his feet, digging inside his wallet until he found a few bills to toss on the bar. He pushed a business card in my direction, his patented “I’m a jerkwad” smile firmly in place. “If you ever want to trade up, Aisling, you know where to find me.”
“I’m going to cut your balls off and make you eat them,” I threatened.
“Always a pleasure to see you,” Everett said. “Tell your brothers I said hello – and tell Redmond I still owe him for the … incident.”
“Redmond looks forward to repeating it, you tool!”
“Okay, tiger,” Griffin said, tightening his arms around my waist so I couldn’t wriggle from his grasp. “I think you’ve made your point.”
“He’s right, Aisling,” Everett said. “You really should learn to control your emotions. Digging around in things best forgotten will bring you nothing but trouble. You should be very careful about where you stick your cute little nose. You have a nice day.”
Twenty-One
“Eat your lunch.”
“No.”
“Eat it or I’ll make you eat it.”
“I’m not hungry,” I muttered, crossing my arms over my chest as Griffin shoved the takeout container in front of me.
After my scene inside the restaurant, Griffin changed our order so we could take it with us. He didn’t even say goodbye to Andrea, which made me think their discussion after I left the table rivaled the one Everett and I shared.
We sat on a picnic table in a nearby park, and Griffin tried to cajole me into eating instead of asking me about my meltdown.
“Aisling, you need to eat.” Griffin used his best no-nonsense tone. “You’ve already had a big day, and it’s only going to get bigger when we go to your father’s house tonight.”
“I … .”
Griffin shoved the end of a burrito in my mouth to quiet me. “Chew.”
Despite my frustration, I bit off the end of the burrito.
“Good girl.”
I was reticent to eat, thinking my run-in with Everett killed my appetite. Before I realized it, my container was empty. “I guess I was hungrier than I thought.”
“I was hungry, too,” Griffin said, collecting the containers and dropping them into a trash receptacle before sitting back down at the table and grabbing my hand. “Do you want me to tell you about my conversation with Andrea first, or do you want to rant and rave about Everett until my ears bleed?”
“I already know what you said to Andrea,” I replied.
“Oh really?”
“You expressed your disdain for the way she acted, making sure she understood that you would never cheat on me and that we are ridiculously happy, and then you told her to grow up,” I said.
Griffin pursed his lips to keep from laughing. “That was pretty close,” he admitted. “I especially like that you included the happy part.”
“I make everyone happy,” I said. “Haven’t you realized that yet? I bring joy and light wherever I go.”
“I can tell you’re still in a mood,” Griffin said. “Tell me about your talk with Everett. He’s lucky that we were in public and my partner was in the restaurant or I would have pounded him, by the way.”
“Oh, you only heard him mention my boobs once,” I chortled. “He did it multiple times. He’s a total asshat.”
“Now I really wish I would’ve let you beat him,” Griffin said. “What did he say about your mother?”
“Well, that’s actually really interesting,” I said. “He denied knowing where her soul went to rest, which wasn’t surprising. When I asked him where her body was when he arrived, though, he admitted he reaped her outside – which I didn’t get a chance to press him on and now I’m kicking myself for – and he said that he couldn’t go inside the building because it was chained from the outside.”
Griffin furrowed his brow. “I don’t understand,” he said. “How did your mother get in the building if it was chained from the outside?”
“He didn’t know.”
“Was it arson?”
I shook my head. “That would have been on the report,” I answered. “I remember everyone talking about it after she died. It was an accidental fire. Someone had too many things plugged into one outlet, and because it was a really old building it sparked an electrical fire.”
“I don’t understand how the chains come into the mix.”
“What if someone chained the doors after my mother entered the building?”
“Holy crap,” Griffin muttered, rubbing his chin. “You realize what you’re saying, right?”
“Someone set a trap for my mom,” I said. “They set a trap so she couldn’t get out.”
“That means they set a trap to capture her,” Griffin clarified. “That also means this was planned before your mother was dispatched to the apartment building.”
“I’ve been thinking about that,” I said. “What if my mother’s name popped up on the Grimpond’s list and they intervened to save her for some other reason?”
“Why would they do that?”
“I have no idea,” I admitted. “Is there any way you can pull the report on the fire?”
“I can do that,” Griffin said. “What do you expect to find?”
“I don’t know. It seems everything I thought I knew is wrong.”
“Do you think it’s possible your father told you some of those things to protect you?” Griffin looked pained. “I’m not saying he would’ve been wrong to do it. Maybe he didn’t want to upset you more than you already were.”
“I guess I’ll find out tonight, won’t I?”
“You still want to tell him what’s been going on?” Griffin seemed surprised. “I thought I was going to have to browbeat you into it.”
“We’re out of options,” I said. “I need to know what he knows, and he needs to know what we’ve found out. I don’t have anot
her choice.”
Griffin pulled me in for a hug. “I’ll be with you. It’ll be okay.”
“It’s not going to be okay,” I countered. “It’s the right thing to do, though.”
BY THE time I let myself into Grimlock Manor a little after six, I was a ball of nerves. Part of me thought that taking on my father alone was the best option. I didn’t want to have to repeat myself five different times, though, and as terrified as I was to tell my family what I’d been keeping from them, I was too tired to take on multiple arguments.
I pulled up short when I found four dark heads bent together outside of the main parlor. The majestic double doors were almost completely closed, only about an inch of space open between them to let my brothers jockey for the best position to stare into the room.
“Who are we spying on?”
They all jumped in unison, swiveling with duplicate looks – all promising mayhem – as Redmond lifted a silencing finger to his lips. “Shh.”
“You guys are the worst spies ever,” I grumbled. “You’re not supposed to clump up like soggy lint. You’re supposed to disperse. Who are you spying on?” Actually, that was the second question I should’ve asked. “Why are you all here together anyway?”
“I was here first,” Braden whispered. “When I realized what was going on … I had to call for reinforcements. If you check your phone, you’ll see that I texted you, too … not that you ever text back.”
“My phone was off.”
“Why?”
“Because I turned it off when I went to lunch with Griffin and I forgot about it,” I said. “Why does it matter?”
“Because you’re going to flip your lid when you realize who is in there,” Aidan supplied. “Trust me.”
“Is it someone good?” I was too short to peer over Redmond’s shoulder. “Is it a politician? Is it a celebrity? Ooh, please tell me it’s the dude who plays Thor. He is smoking hot.”
“I’ll be sure to tell Griffin that when I see him,” Aidan deadpanned. “It’s not anyone like that. It’s … .”
“It’s not a man,” Cillian said, brushing his shoulder-length hair from his face. “It’s … someone else.”
“Is it Wonder Woman? I’ve always wanted to meet Wonder Woman.”
“You’re really starting to irritate me,” Braden hissed.
“What did I do?” Technically I hadn’t done anything to warrant anger yet. That was still to come.
“Let me see if I can explain this so she can understand,” Aidan offered, stepping between us. “Dad is in the parlor with a woman, Aisling. It’s the same woman we saw him having a meal with the other day. Do you know what that means?”
Holy crap. “Are you telling me Dad brought a date to our house?”
“I’m telling you that Dad brought a date to our house,” Aidan clarified. “You don’t live here any longer.”
Aidan’s residence in Grimlock Manor was only a technicality since he spent every night with Jerry under my roof, so that was rich coming from him. “Why would Dad bring a date here?”
“Maybe because you dropped a bomb on him at dinner the other night and now he thinks he doesn’t have to hide,” Braden supplied. “You did this. We were all perfectly happy with him hiding his … friend.”
I stuck my tongue out and contorted my face for good measure. “You’re such a ray of sunshine.”
“Hey! Our father is in that room and he’s having brandy with a woman,” Braden shot back. “He brought a date here. That means he must be serious about her. That means … oh, ugh … that means he’s probably going to have sex with her while we’re in the house.”
Everyone shuddered at the thought.
“What are you all doing out here?” Griffin asked, walking into the hallway with Jerry on his heels. I didn’t hear the doorbell, so the maid must have let them in. Perhaps the knowledge that my father brought his girlfriend to dinner rendered me selectively deaf. “Why do you all look as if you’re going to murder Aisling? Whatever she told you, you have to understand … .”
I vehemently shook my head, causing Griffin to knit his eyebrows together and clamp his mouth shut.
“For once, this isn’t about me,” I said pointedly.
“It’s always about you, Bug,” Jerry interjected. “Don’t let anyone ever tell you otherwise. You’re the lone female to our merry band of men. That gives you a spot of honor and worship. We all love you dearly.”
“You’ve been watching that Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes Romeo + Juliet movie again, haven’t you?”
“It’s just so sad,” Jerry said. “If she had woken up three seconds sooner … .”
“I thought I told you to burn that movie,” Aidan muttered.
“He keeps buying new copies when I’m not looking,” I shot back.
“Well, great,” Aidan said. “This means we’re going to have to listen to him go on and on like this for days.”
“He’s your boyfriend.”
“He’s your best friend.”
“I’m standing right here,” Jerry said. “Good grief. You guys carry on like squabbling cats in a bathtub full of scalding water. It wears on me.”
“Join the club,” Braden said.
“I’m still confused,” Griffin said. “Why are you guys all huddled out here?”
“Because they’re spying on my date,” Dad said, throwing open the doors to make a grand entrance. “Barbara, meet my family … and the cop who keeps groping my daughter.”
The auburn-haired woman offered a bright smile from her spot on the sofa. “It’s so nice to meet you.”
“EVERYONE come in and sit down,” Dad ordered.
After fixing each of us with an evil look – including the innocent Griffin and Jerry – Dad returned to the parlor as if nothing were out of the ordinary. We remain transfixed in the hallway by fear … and worry … and curiosity.
“Sit down!” Dad’s tone erased all wiggle room.
We trudged into the parlor, still clumped together as though glued to one another, and forced bright smiles onto our faces. I grabbed the first open spot on the sofa across from Barbara and Griffin slipped in beside me. Aidan and Jerry squeezed in with us even though Braden tried to beat Jerry to his spot.
“There’s room next to me,” Barbara said, patting the cushion next to her. “I promise I don’t have cooties.”
I kicked the back of Braden’s knees to prod him. “I think she’s talking to you.”
“I hate you,” Braden hissed. He reluctantly shuffled across the floor and sat next to Barbara. The smile on his face reminded me of an evil clown … or some random dude who about to get a digital prostate exam. “I … it’s nice to meet you.” He extended his hand.
Barbara looked amused as she shook it. “You’re Braden, right?”
“How did you know that?”
“Your father has told me about all of you,” Barbara said.
“He told you about me, right?” Jerry pressed. “I’m not technically one of his kids, but he likes me better than them most of the time.”
“He told me a lot about you, Jerry,” Barbara confirmed. “You’re in almost all of his stories. I thought you were one of his kids until he explained about your friendship with Aisling.”
“Redmond and Cillian, you need to sit down,” Dad ordered. “Stop standing there like idiots.”
Without any other options – and furtive looks that made me realize they were considering sitting on the floor instead of sharing the sofa with Barbara – Redmond and Cillian reluctantly sat on the couch. They looked uncomfortable. I didn’t blame them.
“So, Dad told you about us?” Redmond couldn’t take the silence. As the oldest, he was always the bravest.
“He did,” Barbara said. “He told me wonderful stories about all of you. I especially liked the ones when you were little.”
I rubbed the heel of my hand against my forehead, frustrated. I’d finally decided to tell my family the truth and now an interloper was getting in the wa
y. Maybe it was a sign.
Griffin collected my hand before I could rub the skin off and squeezed it. “Stay calm,” he whispered.
Barbara turned her attention to our crowded couch. “I’ve heard a lot about you, too, Aisling,” she said. “As the only girl, you’re the headliner in a lot of your father’s stories.”
“I told you,” Jerry said.
“I … um … .”
“Oh, for crying out loud,” Dad snapped. “Usually I can’t shut you guys up. You generally keep speaking long after I want you to stop. What’s the deal tonight?”
“I think they’re in shock,” Jerry offered. “Everyone was expecting a regular dinner and the snarkiness that always follows. No one expected you to unveil your new … lady friend. She’s very pretty, by the way.”
“Thank you, Jerry,” Dad said, his gaze bouncing around the room. “Don’t the rest of you have something to say?”
“She’s really hot,” Braden said.
“Not that,” Dad countered, scorching Braden with a harsh look. “You all couldn’t keep your noses out of my business the other night. Now the object of your fascination is here and it’s as though you’ve all lost your tongues.”
“Mine is right here.” Jerry extended his for proof.
“Thank you, Jerry,” Dad said. I could tell he was almost at the end of his patience. “What about you, Griffin? Do you have anything you want to add to the conversation?”
“I’m good.” Griffin leaned back on the couch and slipped an arm over my shoulders. “I’m … beyond good.”
“In case you’re all worried about spilling the beans about the family business, don’t,” Dad said. “Barbara works in the main Detroit office. She’s aware of how things work around here.”
Everyone offered up exaggerated sighs. The situation was still surreal, but it wasn’t as bad as we originally thought.
“That’s a relief,” Aidan said. “I’ve been dying to tell you all about the gargoyle Aisling brought home last night and I didn’t know how I was going to work that into dinner conversation without Barbara thinking I was crazy.”
aisling grimlock 03 - grim discovery Page 18
