11.
Ada
After speaking with Alf, who, like Rina, I didn’t suspect of taking the money, we decided it was best to set up a small wireless camera in my office instead of having a large, wired one installed in the hallway outside. That would only alert the thief that we were onto them. At first, I was a little uncomfortable having the barely noticeable camera on my shelf, but after a couple days, I completely forgot it was there.
I also didn’t enjoy reporting to Fabers, the company that operated Pinebrook Lodge and several other care homes in the county, about the missing money. I was on the receiving end of a few strong words from Jeanette, the lady I spoke with in Head Office, and told that it was my responsibility to find the culprit, loosely implying they’d rather avoid the drama of having the authorities involved for such a small sum. If it were a member of staff, they were to be promptly fired.
I really hoped it wasn’t a member of staff. I considered most of the people who worked at Pinebrook good and honest. Plus, I hated firing people. I mean, what if they really needed the money and stole out of desperation? Having experienced my share of money troubles, I was uncomfortable firing someone going through similar issues. Still, there were always better options than resorting to theft.
On Wednesday, it was pub quiz night. Normally, I looked forward to letting my hair down and socializing with everyone, but that week was different. I found myself constantly scrutinizing each person, wondering if they could be my thief.
So far, Rina, Alf and I were the only ones who knew about the missing money. Everyone else was blissfully unaware that they were all suspects.
“A glass of red?” Rina asked as we entered the pub and approached our usual table. Our team was called the Quiz Hawks—don’t ask who came up with the name because I couldn’t remember. It might have been a drunken group decision. Anyway, we were on a winning streak, having won the last two quiz nights in a row.
“Sure, thanks,” I said then went to join Lewis and Hannah, plus Debbie and Cate, who worked in the kitchen.
I settled in next to Debbie, taking off my coat just as I spotted Cathal returning from the men’s room. He didn’t always join us for quiz night, only when he was scheduled to visit Pinebrook on an alternating Wednesday, which, thankfully, didn’t always line up.
“Hannah, your hair looks amazing. Where did you get it done?” Cate asked, noticing Hannah’s freshly topped up highlights. She swept it over her shoulder and preened. “Over at Salon 86. You know the new place that just opened? They have an amazing colourist.”
“Salon 86, you say?” Rina interjected as she arrived from the bar carrying two glasses of wine. “I hear they’re a little pricey.” She made pointed eye contact with me, like Hannah’s recent dye job was indication of her guilt. Unfortunately, I’d need more concrete proof than that. Besides Hannah got her hair done every six weeks like clockwork. It wasn’t in any way out of the ordinary.
“True,” Hannah agreed. “But they do an amazing job. It’s worth the extra few quid they charge.”
“Hmm,” said Rina, taking a sip from her wine. She was dead set on it being Hannah, but I wasn’t so sure. She just didn’t seem the type. If she needed extra money, she’d just ask Cathal for it.
“So, Ada, when are you going to tell us what’s going on between you and the dishy blond who keeps turning up at Pinebrook,” Debbie asked, nudging me playfully with her elbow. As soon as she asked the question, every set of eyeballs at the table turned in my direction. It appeared people were even more curious about Jonathan than I’d thought.
“Dishy blond?” I replied with a smile. “I’ll have to tell him you called him that. He’ll be delighted, I’m sure.”
“Give him my number while you’re at it,” Debbie chortled.
“Hey, now, what will your husband have to say about that?” Rina teased.
Debbie waved her off. “I’ll tell him I need a hall pass.”
“Oh God,” I said, shaking my head. “Since everyone seems to be so curious, what’s going on between us is that he’s the son of my late father’s wife, and we’re working together to organise their shared estate.” It was a small lie. There was no shared estate since Leonora was the only one with property, and she hadn’t changed her will since before she married my dad. I certainly wasn’t going to recite the gory details of how Jonathan and I had found ourselves enmeshed in one another’s lives.
“I’m sorry. We’re all being far too nosy,” said Debbie after being reminded of my recent bereavement.
Sensing someone’s attention, I glanced across the table to find Cathal staring at me. A small frown shaped his lips, and I wondered what brought on the expression. Before I could give it much thought, my phone rang, and I stepped away from the table to take the call.
“Hello?” The pub was too packed for me to check the screen before answering, but I expected it was my sister. She typically called me in the evenings.
“Ada?” Jonathan said, and my heart gave a sharp thump.
“Oh, Jonathan. Hi. What can I do for you?”
A moment of silence ensued, and I could almost imagine him running his hand through his perfectly styled hair, then grinned at the memory of Debbie describing him as a dishy blond.
“I stopped by the apartment to check on you, but it appears you’re out,” he replied, clearly able to hear the noise of the packed pub in the background. “Thought I’d call before barrelling in there to make sure you were still alive,” he went on with a hint of dark humour. Another pause and a clearing of his throat. “Sorry. That was in poor taste.”
“No, it’s fine,” I was quick to reassure him. Honestly, I wasn’t that sensitive. “I should’ve let you know that I’d be out. I attend a pub quiz with some people from work every second Wednesday.”
“Ah, I see. Well, have fun.”
“Thank you,” I said, feeling like I should say more. I was touched that he’d gone out of his way to call me.
“Goodbye, Ada,” he said then hung up. I stood close to the bathrooms, staring at the phone in my hand, troubled by how much I liked Jonathan checking in with me.
“Ada,” came a voice, and I turned to find Cathal walking down the hall. “I was wondering if we could talk for a minute?”
“Sure, though if it’s work related, maybe it could wait until next week? The quiz is about to start, and I don’t want to miss any of the questions.”
“It’s not work related, but I’ll keep it brief,” he said, and a faint smile shaped his lips. “I know how much you love the quiz.”
Hmm, why was he looking at me like that? All warm and friendly. It was the way he used to look at me back when we were together, and it made me feel uncomfortable, given his girlfriend was sitting out in the pub.
“Okay, well, what is it?” I slid my phone in my bag, feeling unexpectedly annoyed and impatient.
Cathal shoved one hand in his pocket while rubbing his chin with the other. “I just wanted to make sure you were holding up okay? I know you were closer with your dad these last few years, and it must be hard with him gone.”
“It is hard, and thank you for your concern, but I’m getting through it.”
“Right.” His eyes met mine. “You’ve always been so strong.”
I arched an eyebrow. Was he referring to the fact that he’d left me for Hannah, and I’d managed to recover? At the time, my pride hadn’t allowed me to show much sorrow over the breakup, at least not externally, which I was glad for now. Let Cathal believe he was easy to get over. I deserved a small win since I was the one still single.
A silence fell before he continued, “Well, I also wanted to talk about that bloke, Leonora’s son. You said the two of you were working together to divide up your parents’ estate, and he seems like the type who could easily swindle you out of an inheritance with the suit and the flash car and all.”
“Uh huh, well, you don’t need to worry about that. I’m going back inside.”
When I moved by him, Cathal reached out to grab my arm, and I looked up at him in question. “You don’t understand. These kinds of things happen all the time. I’ve heard of people missing out on huge sums because they weren’t well versed in contracts and all the legal speak.”
I frowned at him. He was being unusually pushy about this, and it set off alarm bells. “Look, Cathal, whatever my father left for me is my business, and whether or not I get swindled is also my business. It’s not your concern.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to blurt out the truth, that my father had very little to leave behind and that Jonathan was actually the reason I had a roof over my head, but I refused to give him the satisfaction of knowing the truth.
He was almost glowering when he finally let go of my arm. “Yes, well, there was actually something else I wanted to speak to you about.”
“Bloody hell. You said you were going to keep it brief,” I complained, and his glower solidified.
“I wasn’t going to say anything, but Hannah mentioned you were unnecessarily rude to her the other week when she was using your office for her break. Cate was cooking cabbage for the residents that day, and the smell makes her sick. She needed somewhere far away from the kitchen to eat; otherwise, she’d end up puking. She said you came in and made her feel like she’d committed a crime or something. She was only in there because you weren’t supposed to be in your office that day anyway.”
Wow, okay. Where the hell had all that come from?
“First off, if Hannah feels I was unfairly harsh, she’s welcome to come speak to me about it. And second, I certainly wasn’t rude to her.”
“You practically bit her ear off for wearing nail polish.”
“I did not bite her ear off. I merely stated it wasn’t permitted, and she needed to remove it. And now, I’m leaving. Like I said, if Hannah is upset, she can talk to me directly.”
“Is it jealousy? Because Christ, Ada, it’s been years—”
“I’ll stop you right there, Cathal,” I interrupted, holding up a hand. “As far as I’m concerned, you and Hannah make a great couple, and I’m glad you found one another. You and I weren’t suited in the long run. There is no jealousy, no ill will, and whatever happens at work is just work. There are no personal feelings involved. I’m simply there to do my job and keep the place running. Now, I’m going back inside.”
With that, I strode away, my stomach in knots after the interaction. It was the most Cathal had spoken to me in a long time, and it seemed convenient that he wanted to talk to me now when I had a handsome, important-looking man like Jonathan turning up at Pinebrook to share lunch with me, not to mention the fictional inheritance he thought was coming my way. Cathal had never struck me as particularly money hungry, though he did enjoy the finer things in life, like eating out at nice restaurants and going on fancy foreign holidays.
But no. He adored Hannah. There was no way he was trying to wheedle his way back into my life just because of a potential windfall.
It was difficult to focus on the quiz because I was too unsettled by the events of the evening. To be accused of being jealous of Cathal and Hannah’s relationship when I’d been nothing but accepting of it for years was galling, infuriating really.
That night, when I got back to the apartment, I tossed and turned, not getting as much sleep as I normally did.
Then things got worse the next morning when I climbed into my car to drive to work, and the engine wouldn’t start. I turned the key in the ignition, and it gave the telltale sputter of a struggling battery. I kept trying, willing it to spark to life, when there was a soft rap on the window. Jumping, I looked out and saw Jonathan standing there, gazing down at me in his suit, a dark winter coat on top. He said something, but I couldn’t hear, so I rolled down the window.
“Pardon?”
“Car trouble?”
I sighed. “Yes, looks like it’s the end of the road for my poor battery.”
I mentally calculated the cost of having a new one fitted and decided it would take maybe three or four weeks before I could afford it. Great. Public transport, here I come. I was about to ask Jonathan the location of the nearest train station when he said, “Come on. You can ride with me.”
I glanced at the Porsche idling a few spaces away with his driver, a good looking, thirty-ish guy with brown hair, sitting in the front seat. “Are you sure? It’s a lot farther than your office.”
“Ben will drop me off first then continue to Pinebrook Lodge. I’ll have him collect you this evening as well since you probably won’t have time to get your car fixed by then.”
“That’s very generous, thank you,” I said, taken aback yet again by his kindness. He’d been so cold and dismissive the first time we’d met, so it was always difficult to reconcile him being nice.
Jonathan opened the door and motioned for me to get out. “Come on. It’s freezing out here.”
I exited the car, hit the locks and then followed Jonathan to his Porsche. My breath hitched very slightly when he softly placed his hand on my lower back as I climbed in, immediately hit with a blessedly warm interior. Must be nice having a driver to heat your car up on frosty mornings. The smooth hum of the engine filled my ears while the scent of leather and Jonathan’s spicy cologne hit my nose. The car smelled like him, and combined with the warmth, it had a heady effect on me.
Ben pulled out of the apartment complex while I peered out the window. Jonathan was on the phone, speaking to his assistant, Therese, it sounded like. A minute later, he hung up, and I glanced across the seat to find him studying my profile.
“So,” he began, giving me his full attention, which was honestly a little too intense first thing in the morning. He was far too handsome, especially in such a confined space. “How did the quiz go?”
“We lost, sadly, ending a two-time winning streak.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Thank you for calling to check on me. I really appreciated it. Next time, I’ll let you know when I’m not going to be home.”
“Of course. It’s no problem.”
We fell into silence, and I rubbed at my knee. It ached a little due to my poor sleep.
“Everything okay?” Jonathan asked, noticing the movement.
“I’m fine, just didn’t sleep very well.”
He frowned like the news troubled him. “No? Is it the bed or the mattress? Because I can—”
“It’s not the bed. The bed is amazing, actually. Last night just wasn’t as fun as usual. Cathal was at the quiz. You know, my ex?” Jonathan nodded, listening quietly. “Well, he basically accused me of being rude to his girlfriend because of some imagined jealousy on my part, which is ridiculous. I simply had to reprimand her for applying nail polish because it isn’t allowed for carers. I was actually pretty nice about it, all things considered, but she went ahead and told Cathal, who now believes I have it out for her.”
Jonathan’s expression was thoughtful before he spoke, offering his opinion, “In my experience, people often take criticism, even the constructive kind, too much to heart when it comes from a superior. This woman might also be oversensitive, given you used to be in a relationship with her current partner.”
“Ugh,” I groaned, throwing my head back against the luxurious leather seat. “I don’t want emotional complication. I just want to do my job. Besides, I don’t get why this is all coming up now since the three of us have worked together for years without a hitch.”
“Well, what’s the changing factor in the dynamic?”
I glanced at him and worried my lip because the answer to that question was obvious. It all started after Jonathan began turning up at Pinebrook. First Cathal had come to my office when Jonathan had been there with a flimsy excuse to talk to me; then, last night, he’d pulled me aside to express his so-called concern for my fictional inheritance.
“Can’t think of anything?” Jonathan prodded.
“No, I know what it is,” I said on a sigh, flicking my gaze to his. “His behaviour changed as soon as you turned up.”
“I see.” A faint smirk shaped his lips before he shrugged. “It’s understandable in a way.”
“It’s downright silly is what it is,” I griped. “I mean, obviously someone like you would never be …” I caught myself, a flush of self-consciousness heating my cheeks as I stopped myself from finishing, be interested in someone like me . “And okay, don’t be mad, but everyone at work was being way too curious about you, so I lied and said the reason you’d visited was because we were working on dividing our parents’ estate, which yes, is a lie. But I didn’t want to get into the fact that I’d been sleeping in my car, and it seemed the easiest excuse. Then Cathal started talking about how he was concerned for me, and that a man like you who’s likely better versed in financial and legal matters might swindle me out of an inheritance. I told him whatever happens to me is none of his concern, but he just wouldn’t let it drop, said he’s known people who’ve lost money after a loved one passed away—”
“It sounds like he’s quite fixated on this supposed wealth you’re about to receive,” Jonathan commented thoughtfully.
I shook my head in exasperation. “I know, right? People really get so weird when it comes to money.”
“Could it be him who stole from your petty cash box?”
I blinked at him, wide-eyed. “Cathal? No way. He’s a rule follower to a T. He wouldn’t even break the speed limit by a single kilometre. It’s not him. Besides, he owns his own house, no mortgage. I mean, his salary isn’t particularly lavish, but—”
“But you can’t rule him out.”
“I just can’t see it being Cathal. More than likely, it was some sly teenaged grandkid of one of the residents. Besides, we’ve set up a hidden camera in my office, so if the culprit strikes again, they’ll be caught this time.”
“That’s good to hear,” Jonathan said just as we pulled up outside his office building. “Well, this is me.”
He moved to leave, his hand on the door handle before he paused, turning to me a moment. His eyes glanced over my nose and cheeks, his focus keen. I sensed he was going to say something important, I had no idea what, but then he dragged his gaze away, only offering a gruff, “I’ll see you later,” before he went.
“See you later, Jonathan.”
The car felt too empty with him gone, and I couldn’t help wondering what he’d wanted to say. A tinted screen closed off the driver’s area, so I couldn’t even talk to Ben to distract myself from the strangely intense way Jonathan had regarded me. Twenty minutes later, Ben dropped me off at Pinebrook, and I gave him a smile and a very grateful, “Thank you!” before heading inside. I was certainly glad not to have had to take the train on such a cold, drizzly morning. Thankfully, it was still early, so no one was there to see me being dropped off in Jonathan’s car.
I wasn’t so lucky later that evening when Ben turned up, and I tried hurrying to the car but was unfortunately spotted by several members of staff, as well as a whole slew of residents. Wonderful. I’d have a bunch more questions fired my way in the morning for sure.
Settling into the comfort of the luxury car, I found myself sliding up to the window next to Ben and pressing the button to lower it.
“Hey, so I feel weird sitting back here and not talking to you,” I began, and he gave a low chuckle.
“That’s fine. Mr Oaks usually works on the drive, so I keep the screen up to give him privacy.”
“Well, I don’t need any privacy. How was your day?”
Ben flashed me a smile through the overhead mirror, and okay, Jonathan’s driver was actually very nice to look at. “Can’t complain. You?”
“It was pretty decent,” I replied.
We chatted all the way to Jonathan’s building, even sharing a few jokes along the way. When Jonathan himself arrived and climbed into the car, he noted my position close to Ben and frowned. I shifted back a little, a small flutter in my belly when the movement caused Jonathan’s gaze to lower to my legs before he quickly glanced away.
“Good evening, Miss Rose,” he said, and I wondered at the formality.
“Mr Oaks,” I replied while Ben pulled away from the building and merged with traffic. The journey was silent until sirens howled in the distance, and Ben moved us out of the way as a Garda car sped past, rushing to some accident or crime scene.
“I wonder what happened,” I muttered absent-mindedly.
“Pizza’s probably getting cold,” Ben joked, and I chuckled. It hadn’t been too long of a journey, but we’d developed a warm rapport. As I was giggling, Jonathan abruptly pressed the button to shut the window through which I’d been chatting to Ben. When I glanced at him in question, he simply ignored me, pulled out his laptop and began working.
Huh. That was rude. Did he not want me talking to Ben? Maybe he liked to maintain a professional distance with his driver. I studied him a moment then asked directly, “Why did you do that?”
His gaze flicked to mine. “Do what?”
I stared him down. “You closed the window without even saying anything to Ben. It was a little rude.”
“Ben knows I like to work on the drive. He’s not offended.”
His statement was uttered in a tone that said he had no more time to talk as he returned his attention to his laptop. I wanted to point out that Ben was hardly going to mention being offended to Jonathan since he was his boss and paid his salary, but I bit my tongue. He could’ve had a long day, and I knew what it was like to be grumpy when work was exhausting me. Still, it didn’t cost anything to be polite.
When we arrived at the apartment building, we exited the car and quietly ascended in the lift. Jonathan walked me to my door and said goodnight, though he was still being weird and reserved with me. I put it down to the fact that he’d probably had a busy day at the office and was tired.
The next morning, I didn’t plan on riding to work with Jonathan again, especially after how off he’d been with me on the way home. So, I checked the train timetable and set off for the station.
I was partway there when a car stopped on the footpath next to me, and the window lowered. “What are you doing?” Jonathan asked, his brows drawing together in annoyance.
“Walking to the train station. What does it look like?”
In response, he glowered and threw open the door. “Get in the car, Ada.”
“Really, Jonathan. I’m fine taking—”
Before I could finish, all six feet something of him emerged, both powerful and graceful in his dark suit. My breath caught when his arm came around my waist, and he guided me inside the car. I was too stunned by the gentle yet bossy way he manoeuvred me to protest. I’d never been manhandled so carefully. Once I was safely inside, Jonathan leaned over me, buckling my seatbelt in silence and causing my skin to heat, his actions quietly dominant. His knuckles briefly brushed my sternum before he withdrew and stood, walking around the other side of the car and climbing back in.
Again, silence prevailed, and I was lost for words, only managing to breathe properly when the car pulled back out into traffic.