Chapter 13
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Helia rolled over in bed, her big empty bed, and stared at the pillow beside her as memories of the night before flashed through her mind. Collin’s friends hadn’t been what she’d expected, and yet they had. Was that even possible? To be two opposite things?
They were both big and, though not scary, had an edge of supreme confidence and competence that made people think twice about approaching them.
But they’d also been funny and caring. She wondered if the rest of the Falcons were the same.
If so, walking into that clubhouse would pack a punch to a woman’s ovaries, that was for damn sure.
Although for her, Collin did more than that.
The smell of coffee wafted into her room—thank you, automatic maker—and she rolled onto her back. Tomorrow, they’d start preparing for the last three events of the year. Today, she had only paperwork and orders to address.
Which left her day mostly free to think about Collin.
About his rare smiles that came more frequently now than a few days ago.
About his kindness and willingness to help with the wedding the past weekend.
About him living in that massive home—if one could call it that—alone. She didn’t like that idea.
Sliding her feet over the edge of the bed, she rose, a plan forming.
She’d respected his desire to be alone at the castle that first day back, but he didn’t need to confront his past on his own anymore.
He might think so, but what he thought he needed and what he actually needed were two different things. And he needed to know he wasn’t alone.
Hoping a little caffeine in her system would help her figure out how best to approach the topic with him, she headed downstairs. Maybe if she spent the day with him at the castle, he’d suggest walking through the building? Or should she force it?
The options percolated in her mind as she flipped on the gas fireplace, then wandered into the kitchen. Pouring herself a cup of dark brew, she stared out the window over the sink as she took her first sip, the heat of the liquid warming and waking her.
A turkey vulture swooped across her view, the black form stark against the white winter clouds. It circled out of sight, then came back again, before moving on.
She frowned. Turkey vultures were common in the area, but they didn’t tend to hover over the vineyards. Carrion wasn’t common among the vines, at least not remains big enough to attract—she leaned forward to see better and counted—five.
What the hell had died out there?
Curiosity woke her faster than coffee, and she jogged upstairs to change. Ten minutes later, dressed in leggings, a flannel top, and her trusty puffer vest, she pulled on her boots and opened the door.
To find Collin on her doorstep, hand raised as if about to knock. She startled and stepped back, her hand going to her chest like some Victorian maid. It was then she noticed he wasn’t alone. A young girl wearing a pair of ripped jeans and a sweatshirt that could only be Collin’s stood behind him.
“Well, I’m glad I didn’t curse up a storm when you scared the hell out of me,” she said, chuckling away the shot of nerves.
Collin grinned and hitched his thumb behind him, pointing at the girl. “She has a mouth like a sailor. I’m pretty sure she could teach you a thing or two.”
She laughed but eyed Collin at the same time. She hadn’t expected to see him on her doorstep, but when had he collected the child? She didn’t see any worry or concern in his expression, so she dropped her gaze to the girl.
“Helia,” she said, holding out her hand.
Dark, watchful eyes swept over her before shifting to Collin.
He nodded. “Kendall,” she said, her thin, delicate hand lifting cautiously.
A short curtain of nearly black hair fell away from her face as she raised her chin to meet Helia’s gaze head-on.
Not so much in challenge—okay, maybe a little of that—but mostly as if to claim her place in the world. To be seen.
“We came to ask if you wanted to join us in town for breakfast,” Collin said. As if it was completely normal for him to show up with a sprite of a girl when Helia’d left him in the company of two of his burly brothers the night before.
The look Kendall slid his way made it clear the “we” in that sentence was him. Helia chuckled. She had no idea what was going on, but she wanted to find out. And since Collin was on her doorstep, he wanted her to find out, too.
“Sounds good,” she said. “Want me to drive? Then you don’t have to walk back to the castle.”
Collin looked at Kendall. A beat passed before she nodded.
“Great. You mind if we stop somewhere for Kendall to pick up a few clothes after we eat?” he asked. Kendall studied her feet, the gesture telling Helia two important things: she’d been on her own for a while, and she was smart enough to accept help.
“Happy to,” she said. “I know a few places that might be good options. Before we go, though, I want to see what that’s about.” She pointed to the circling birds. There were now six.
Collin’s gaze tracked them, a small frown tugging on his lips. He’d trimmed his beard again, leaving the hair silky and shiny. She’d never been a beard girl before, but she found herself wanting to touch it, to feel it under her fingertips, to know if it was as soft as it looked.
“Why don’t you two stay warm inside and I’ll have a look,” he said.
Kendall narrowed her eyes at the suggestion before shifting them to meet Helia’s. The girl talk was strong in this one. Helia nodded in agreement with her unspoken opinion.
“No dice, Collin,” Kendall said. “We’ll check it out together, then go to breakfast.”
His gaze dropped to her. The gangly skin-and-bones girl looked even tinier beside him, but no one could miss the glint of stubborn in her eye.
“Fine,” he huffed, before brushing past Kendall and heading toward the vineyard.
Helia winked at Kendall and might have caught a glimpse of a smile before she shut her door.
Falling into step behind Collin and beside Kendall, a thousand questions hovered on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn’t decide where to start. She didn’t want to interrogate the girl, but, well, she kind of did.
“Collin said he’s known you a long time,” Kendall said, surprising her by starting the conversation.
“We met when I was fourteen. He spent a lot of time here.”
“Yeah, he said he came to hide from Roger’s parties.”
Helia swallowed but nodded. No girl should know about the parties Roger Wilde used to throw. Collin had only ever told her bits and pieces of what went on in the dungeon of the castle, and even after all these years, they still made her stomach turn.
“He came for other reasons, too. He’s close to my parents and friendly with my brother.” She paused, then added, “But yeah, he came to get away from home.”
“Your parents were okay with that?”
“They never hesitated. They love him like one of their own.”
“And you? Do you love him like a sister?”
Not even close, but Helia bit back the words that wanted to escape.
She’d never named her feelings for Collin, not as an adult.
She’d never had a reason to until he came back into her life a few days ago.
But sisterly was not among them. In fact, the memory of his arms around her when she’d jumped into them, then clung to him like a monkey, had given her fantasy fodder.
He’d held her so easily, smelled so good, felt so warm, that her mind refused to forget.
Nor did it stop at the memory. No, it had created an entire fantasy around that moment, one involving her back to the wall, legs around his waist, and no clothes.
“It’s a little complicated,” she managed to answer. Kendall snorted and wiggled a dark eyebrow at her, drawing a laugh from Helia, too. “Fine,” Helia said. “Not sisterly, but what it is, I don’t know.”
“What do you mean you don’t know?”
“Nosy much?”
“I’ve been hiding out in the castle for two weeks on my own. I haven’t talked to anyone else until last night when Collin found me. I’m making conversation.”
Oh, that raised so many more questions. Two weeks? What had she been doing for two weeks and how had she ended up there in the first place? But first things first.
“Nice try, sister. You’re nosy.”
They took ten steps before she answered. “Maybe,” she said as Collin held up a fist.
“Are we supposed to know what that means?” Helia asked.
“It’s a military or law enforcement thing. It means stop,” Kendall said.
“Look at you, smarty-pants,” Helia said, following Kendall’s direction and stopping. She didn’t really want to, but if Collin found something gross, she didn’t want Kendall to see it, and she doubted the girl would be willing to stay behind on her own.
A breeze rustled through dry vines and rippled across Collin’s flannel shirt, flaring the unbuttoned edges out. His broad body blocked their view, and alert, wary tension flowed off him in waves.
Kendall made to step forward, but Helia put her arm out. She opened her mouth to protest but shut it when Collin turned around.
“Back to Helia’s,” he said, holding his arms out and all but shooing them the way they’d come.
Kendall cocked her head. Collin’s gaze shifted from her to Helia, and he gave a tiny shake of his head. “It’s too cold to stand out here arguing over what to do,” Helia said, tapping Kendall’s arm lightly. “Let’s head to my house and you can interrogate him in front of my fire.”
Kendall’s gaze darted between them, then she heaved a sigh big enough to lift the world—leaving no doubt what she thought—then muttered something probably unflattering, turned, and started walking.
Helia let Kendall get ten feet ahead before glancing over her shoulder at Collin. He gestured for her to follow but stayed close.
“It’s a body. A human one,” he said quietly, catching her when she stumbled.
“A body?” A stupid thing to say. He’d hardly misidentify that. But finding a body in their vineyard had definitely not been on her bingo card for the year.
“Male. Definitely dead but turned away so I couldn’t see his face.”
“Someone from Sundaram?” she all but whispered. They paused when Kendall shot them a look over her shoulder. Her eyes narrowed, but a step later, she faced forward and trudged dramatically toward Helia’s house.
“I don’t think so. He was wearing a suit.”
“Good. I mean, not good, but good,” she said. No one who worked at Sundaram, or who lived on the property, ever wore a suit.
“Blondish hair. Under six feet tall, but hard to tell exactly. He was curled on his side,” he added.
She didn’t know many blond men, and at this point, it wasn’t worth speculating.
Ha, who was she kidding? In the five minutes before reaching her little abode, she ran through every memory she had trying to identify men who met Collin’s description.
By the time they reached her door, she had five possibilities.
“I need to call the police,” Collin said when he shut the door behind them. Kendall didn’t even try to hide her panic.
“If you want to stay here, we can keep them out of Helia’s house,” Collin said to her. “We can meet them at the main building.” He paused. “Or you can go back to the castle. You know the way, and I can give you the code to get in.”
Her eyes searched Collin’s. “You’re not going to tell them?”
“I told you I wouldn’t. As far as you’re concerned, my priority is reuniting you with your mother,” Collin answered.
The girl stilled, then swallowed. “Can I stay here?” she asked, her tentative gaze flickering to Helia.
Helia nodded. “Of course. You may want to stay upstairs, though. And away from the windows,” she added, hoping she wasn’t harboring a felon.
Collin cocked his head. “You have your phone, right? You can watch something while we deal with the police.”
Slowly, Kendall nodded.
“Why don’t I show you where everything is and get you the Wi-Fi code,” Helia said, setting her hand on Kendall’s shoulder and turning her toward the bedroom. Five minutes later, she and Collin exited the house and headed toward the main building.
“What about CCTV?” Collin asked.
She waved him off. “It’s all over the place by the gates and the main buildings, but not out by my house or the vineyards.
If we have to turn over more footage, they won’t see her.
” They crossed the courtyard side by side, the packed gravel crunching under their feet.
“When we were upstairs, I told her what you saw,” she said.
“Who is she?” Helia asked. “No, scratch that. You can tell me later. What I really want to know is why did she say this has been the third murder in less than three weeks?”