by Lucy Score
Beckett ran a hand down his wife’s hair, a steadying stroke, and Donovan wished he could do the same for Eva. But she needed to finish it.
“Explain what happened today,” Donovan told her.
“She put herself up in Eden’s B&B. And I had to either get her the money tonight or fess up to Donovan,” she said shooting a look at Beckett. “So, I came up with a plan to get her to leave without the money. I figured she kept threatening me with my family, and maybe I could do the same thing.”
“How?” Donovan asked.
“I told her that I’d come clean with everyone about everything and that her parents were here and ready to take her to rehab. We were all going to support her recovery and help her get clean so she could be brought back into the fold, so to speak.”
“Grandma and Grandpa?” Gia asked. “We haven’t seen them in years.”
Eva shrugged. “I thought it worked. She panicked and took off.”
“That’s how you became the monster?” Beckett asked, swiping a hand through his hair. Donovan shot the man a long cold look. If his friend had known anything about the trouble Eva was in and didn’t tell him? There wasn’t much room for forgiving him.
“Yeah,” Eva continued. “And I thought it worked. She ran out of the inn like she had Batman and the cops on her heels. She was so angry at the idea that she’d have to face everyone she abandoned. She doesn’t care about any of us. She just pushes buttons until she gets cash.”
“So she left the inn, and she came straight here,” Donovan said.
“Yes. Evan called me and told me someone had broken in. And I called you, and here we are.”
“When you catch her,” Emma said, looking at Donovan. “I want ten minutes alone with her.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
Donovan left the family in the kitchen to talk while he followed Layla through Eva’s house. Agnes hadn’t had much time inside, but she’d used it to do the maximum amount of damage.
Furniture was over turned, drawers were dumped, and papers were scattered everywhere. Eva’s laptop was missing from its habitual spot on the table, Donovan noted.
Satisfied there were no existing threats inside, he instructed Layla to take Eva through her house to start a list of missing items while he interviewed Evan.
He found the boy in the front parlor of the house. It was Gia’s space and generally off-limits to the kids. The wainscoting was a dark navy that complimented the fleur-de-lis wallpaper. Antique tables and contemporary, overstuffed couches were arranged around the fireplace. There were candles and color everywhere, reminding Donovan of the woman who had decorated the space.
Evan was sipping hot chocolate on one of the floor pillows in front of the fireplace. Diesel was snoring next to him, and Beckett was pacing the length of the room.
Donovan sat down on the couch closest to Evan.
“Some excitement today,” he commented.
The boy nodded enthusiastically. “Sure was.”
“How about we start with when you noticed something wasn’t right?” Donovan suggested, taking his notebook out.
“Well, I was in the kitchen because I wanted a snack, and Diesel started barking at the back door. I almost let him out, but I saw someone standing on Aunt Eva’s porch. Sometimes Diesel scares people when he runs up to them because he’s so enthusiastic. So I took a second look.”
“Can you describe who you saw for me?”
Evan smirked. “I can do better than that.” He held up his cell phone. The one he’d argued for for three months straight before Beckett and Gia had caved.
“Okay, here she is on the porch,” he said, opening his photos folder.
Donovan took the phone and scrolled through the pictures. The kid had captured the entire breaking and entering and even shot video of her coming out of Gia’s house with her haul of stolen goods. The video cut off abruptly when Agnes climbed the steps to Beckett’s back porch but not without catching a full-on of her face.
“Nice work, kid,” Donovan said. “I’m gonna need to borrow this, okay?”
Evan nodded. “Would she have hurt Aunt Eva?” he asked.
Beckett cleared his throat, but Donovan ignored him.
“What do you think?”
Evan shrugged. “I mean, she looked kinda frail and rickety. So Aunt Eva could have taken her down pretty easy if she wanted to. But…”
“But there’s other ways to hurt people,” Donovan finished for him.
“Yeah. How can a mom do that to her own kid?” Evan asked.
“Evan—” Beckett began.
“You guys think a kitchen door is like a cone of silence. I heard everything,” he admitted without shame, rolling his eyes.
“I think you already know the answer, right?” Donovan asked him.
“I guess blood doesn’t make family,” Evan said. “I mean, Gia’s not my biological mom, but she’s my real mom, right?”
Donovan nodded. “That’s right. And just because your mom and aunts’ mother wasn’t there for them doesn’t mean they don’t have a real mom.”
“Phoebe’s their real mom now,” Evan decided.
“Exactly.”
“But how much does blood have a say in who you are?” he asked.
Donovan blew out a breath and glanced in Beckett’s direction. His friend put his hands up in an “all yours” gesture.
“Well, from what I can tell, everyone’s got blood and choices. You can come from someone who isn’t a good person, but I think it’s your choices that determine who you turn out to be.”
“Mom and Aunt Eva and Aunt Emma are good people,” Evan said.
“Yes, they are.”
“And just because my dad’s kind of a flake doesn’t mean I’m going to turn into him, right?”
“Right. You can still go out and be a lawyer like Beckett. Although, with your work here today, I think you should consider law enforcement.”
Evan grinned. “Chicks dig guys in uniform. That’s what Oceana tells me.”
Donovan cracked a smile. “Again, in my experience, that does seem to be the case.”
“I’ll consider it,” Evan said wisely.
“Did you happen to get a look at the suspect’s car?” Donovan asked.
Evan snorted. “I’m not an amateur.” He pointed at the phone in Donovan’s hand.
Donovan scrolled again and found a picture of an ancient blue Ford Escort and a close up of its license plate. He grinned and ruffled Evan’s hair. “You did good. You kept your head and gathered evidence that’s going to help us catch her.”
“Is Aunt Eva going to be okay? I mean, does she get she’s not going to turn into her mom?”
“I think so,” Donovan said. He hoped so.
“You’ll take care of her? Make her feel better?”
“I will,” Donovan vowed. “But first I gotta yell at her a little bit for not telling us about all this.”
Evan nodded. “It’s only fair. Just maybe don’t yell too loud. Or do it when you’re holding her hand or something so she knows that you still like her even though you’re mad.”
“You’re a smart kid, Evan.”
“Yeah. I’m pretty awesome. Beckett, can I have some more hot chocolate? Maybe pizza, too? Aunt Eva spilled my cereal, and I’m getting real hungry.”
“You can have ten pizzas, Ev,” Beckett promised.
Donovan headed out the door to give them some time, but Beckett caught him.
“We’re gonna need to talk,” Beckett reminded him. “Settle things.”
Donovan gave him a cool look. “I think we might need to do more than talking.”
“You let me know where and when.”
“Go get your kid some pizza,” Donovan said and strode down the hallway to the kitchen.
He found Layla, Gia, and Emma in the backyard.
“Where’s Eva?” he demanded. The panic from earlier at her strangled voice begging for help resurfa
ced.
Emma jerked her thumb over her shoulder toward the garden shed in the corner of the yard. The door was ajar and there was a steady thumping noise coming from within.
“She’s pissed and scared and guilty and upset. So she’s doing a little therapy,” Gia told him.
He sighed, handed his notes over to Layla. “Evan got everything on picture and video, including the car’s license plate. Get the BOLO issued.”
“I’m on it,” Layla announced, pulling out her radio and calling Minnie.
“Maybe go easy on her,” Gia said, worrying her lower lip. “She’s been through a lot.”
Donovan shook his head. “Gia, I appreciate the concern, but maybe it’s time you stopped worrying about your baby sister so much. She’s an adult. A smart one.”
“A smart one who made a really stupid choice over and over again,” Emma pointed out.
“That’s the truth. But there’s a difference between supporting her and babying her. And quite frankly, I really need to yell at her because she scared the hell out of me.”
“Noted. Yell away,” Emma said, slinging an arm over Gia’s shoulders.
With a nod, Donovan crossed the yard to the shed. He ducked to get through the door and watched as Eva slammed her fists into the heavy bag hanging from a groaning bracket mounted to a rafter. She saw him but kept hitting. A sheen of sweat glistened on her brow. She was barefoot and pissed, and despite how angry and disappointed he was with her, he was still swamped with a swift rush of love.
He fought the urge to hold her, to wrap her in his arms and never let go. Instead, he leaned against the stud wall and watched her.
She was ablaze. Anger crackled off her, electric in the confined space. Anger was good, he thought. It was stronger than defeat, more formidable than fear.
Eva was exhausting herself, fighting through the mad. Her strikes on the bag were weakening, but she kept going. He saw blood and bruising on her knuckles. Damn it. Donovan stepped between her and the bag, crowding her against the wall.
She growled, and he took her hands, both as a precaution and to examine her knuckles.
“Why do I want to be mad at you right now?” she grumbled as he stroked a thumb over her abused hands.
“I have no idea, but I’m pretty pissed at you, so we might as well be mad together.”
Her shoulders slumped, and he saw her eyes go glassy with tears. Ah, shit. If she cried he’d be done for.
“You’ve done nothing for me to be mad at. I’m the asshole here,” she sniffled.
“You’ll get no argument from me.”
She didn’t pull away. Instead, she took her lumps and leaned her forehead against his chest. He gave in for the briefest of seconds and dropped a kiss to the top of her head before pushing her back a step.
“I’m so sorry, Donovan. So sorry. I thought I could handle this on my own. Thought it was better that way. And I screwed it all up.”
“And then you went to Beckett.”
She winced. “I don’t want you to think that I trusted him over you. I thought he’d fall for my ‘hypothetical’ situation. But he was sharper than I gave him credit for. I didn’t tell him anything either, but he guessed I was in trouble and gave me until tonight to come clean to you.”
“And Agnes forced your hand.”
Eva shook her head. “I was going to tell you—”
“But you didn’t. I find out when the woman who has been blackmailing you for years breaks into your house to collect the payout you denied her this time.”
“I suck. I know. Believe me I know. She took my laptop. My grandmother’s diamond earrings. Hell, she took all the wine I had in the house.”
He cut her off. “Eva, I’ve put myself out there at every turn. You know how I feel about you.” He couldn’t quite bring himself to say the words, afraid he’d crumble and sweep her up in his arms. But she needed to know. Needed to get it. “You asked me to trust you, and I did.”
A single tear escaped from the corner of her eye, and he wiped it away gently with his thumb.
“I don’t know how to tell you how sorry I am, Donovan. You’ve been nothing but honest with me, and I’ve been everything but.”
“Figure it out.”
“What?” she asked, rubbing her cheek against his palm. It killed him just a little to pull his hand back.
“You made this mess. Figure out how to clean it up.”
He made a move for the door, but she stopped him. She gripped his wrist in both hands. “Wait. Do you still feel… do you think you still love me?”
He faced her, looked her square in the eyes. “Until the day I die, Evangelina. But that doesn’t mean I can’t be hurt and disappointed.”
She absorbed the words like the blow he’d meant them to be, closing her eyes against them.
“You can’t stay at your place tonight,” he told her. Back to business. “So, I’d make other arrangements if I were you.” And with those words, he turned and exited the shed.
He heard the barrage of fists on the bag as he crossed the yard. He just wanted to go back, to hold her and promise her he’d take care of everything. Vow that no one would ever hurt her again. That Agnes Merill would never get close to her for the rest of her life. But that wasn’t what Eva needed. She didn’t need blows softened or messes cleaned up. She needed the painful yet invaluable experience of solving her own problems and fixing her own mistakes.
At least he could handle the legal side of things. And nothing would give him a greater sense of satisfaction than locking that woman up. He poked his head into the cottage and shook his head at the destruction. Someone with the intent to do harm had gotten this close to the woman he loved. Mother or not, Agnes would pay.
“We were thinking—”
He spun around and found Gia and Emma standing on the grass, brooms and trash bags in hand. He was already shaking his head. “No. Absolutely not. You can help her clean up the mess if she asks you for help. Don’t offer, don’t do it for her, or I swear to fucking God I will throw you all in jail.”
“We just want to help,” Emma began.
“Listen to me. Eva’s spent her entire life thinking that you wanted to protect her from everything. She thinks she’s finally found a way to pay you back by keeping Agnes out of your lives and focused on her, and it blows up in her face. You don’t need to fix this for her. She needs to fix this for her. She needs to understand that asking for help isn’t a weakness and being part of a team means being all in.”
Dejected, they muttered their agreement and started carting their cleaning supplies back into the house.
Beckett appeared on his back porch, cup of coffee in hand. “You got time for that talk now?”
“Yeah. Might as well get it over with now.” Donovan noticed Niko come out on the porch, but the man made no move to intervene.
Beckett put his mug down on the railing and crossed to Donovan.
Donovan’s fist caught him just under the eye, snapping his friend’s head back. “Fuck!” Beckett grimaced. “I knew it was going to hurt. But Jesus, do you have steel hands?”
“Don’t ever talk to Eva that way again,” Donovan said, shaking his hand out.
“Yeah. I know. I think this Uranus shit is getting to all of us. I’ll apologize to her. But I was pissed.”
“She put herself and your family at risk by keeping secrets,” Donovan said. “I get that.”
“And if you talked to Gia the way I talked to Eva, I’d be breaking your nose.”
“Settled?” Donovan asked, offering his hand.
“Settled.” Beckett agreed, shaking it. “Want some ice?”
“God, yes. Your face felt like a cinder block.”
“What the hell, Cardona?” Eva ran up, gaping at them.
Beckett, his eye rapidly swelling shut, looped an arm around Eva’s shoulders.
“I’m sorry for yelling at you and accusing you of being unconcerned for my family’
s well-being. I know that’s not true and you were just doing your best even though your best sucked.”
She was shaking her head at him. “I deserve it. I made mistake after mistake, and I’m so sorry that Evan could have been hurt.”
“No one was hurt—besides me,” Beckett grinned. “Now maybe we can all team up and make sure this never fucking happens again.”
She nodded. “I’m sorry.”
“Me, too. Do you want to hit me too?”
Eva shook her head. “No, but maybe a hug would help.”
Beckett swept her off her feet and squeezed.
“Okay, that’s enough,” Donovan said, breaking up the embrace and dragging Eva out of Beckett’s arms.
“What the hell is going on out here?” Gia demanded from the porch.
“Beckett walked into Donovan’s fist, and everyone is friends again,” Niko reported.
“Imbeciles,” Emma muttered.
“Next time go for a body shot. I have two consults tomorrow,” Beckett groaned touching the swelling under his eye.
“So, how are we going to figure out how to keep Dad from finding out about this,” Gia asked. “It’s going to be all over town that Eva’s house was broken into.”
“Shit,” Emma said succinctly.
“Maybe we can say that it was just a random act of planetary crossing?” Eva wondered.
Niko closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m sorry. Are you guys saying you don’t think your father needs to know about Agnes?”
“Of course he doesn’t need to know,” Emma argued, gesturing wildly with her hands. “Things are so good for him right now; if we spring this on him—”
Donovan slapped the handcuffs on her before she could even finish her sentence. “I’m gonna take a raincheck on that ice,” he told Beckett.
“What the hell, Cardona?” Emma growled in her best manager voice.
“Donovan! Stop it!” Eva reached for his arm. But he caught her wrists easily enough and slid the zip ties over her hands. Gia took a step toward them as if she was going to help but changed her mind and ducked behind Beckett.
Beckett dragged her out. “Baby, you know that I love you more than anything in this world, but you were enraged at Eva for keeping this from you. Now, you want to do the same thing to your father.”
