Chapter 23 Arro
ARRO
The sound of Arran’s laughter mingled with the kids’ giggles and Eredine’s low chuckles. Such joyous sounds filled me with a sense of peace. Regan sat beside me at her kitchen island while Eredine, my brother, and my niece and nephew played out in the garden.
“They’re at that age where they want to go on playdates with friends on the weekend, but ever since Arran moved into the annex, they love hanging out with him instead,” Regan said, giving me a soft smile. “He’s so good with them.”
A flicker of unease ran through me, bursting my bubble.
I worried about how the kids would react once Arran left.
It was surprising he was still here, now that the threat hanging over me (and Mac) was over.
The police had formally arrested Lee Kilmany.
He’d been charged with the suspected murder of Bryan McNab and the attempted murder of Mac (Lisa told Mac her detectives were trying to find evidence that linked him to the crimes involving his other old friends), and those were separate from the charges of conspiracy to handle stolen goods.
While Lee denied sending the notes to me, he’d also denied running over Mac and killing Bryan McNab.
We’d had a family meeting, and all felt pretty sure we had our suspect.
Mac thankfully agreed I no longer needed private security, i.e.
, him shadowing my every step. It was hilarious to me that six months ago, I would’ve thoroughly enjoyed having Mac breathing down my neck every hour of the day, but now I was glad to have some space from him for a while.
I ignored the little voice in my head that said I’d missed him this past week. While it might’ve been a wee bit true, the bigger truth was I needed time to process everything that had happened between us since March.
“Where did you go?” Regan’s voice cut through my thoughts.
I gave her a bland smile and fibbed, “Just wondering how long Arran will stay. I’m surprised he’s still here.”
Regan leaned into me. “He and Thane talked last night, and it sounds like he’s staying permanently. Apparently, Gordon is retiring and thinking of selling the Gloaming.”
Shocked, I gaped at Regan. Gordon had owned the Gloaming since before I was born. The hotel, bar, and restaurant were part of Ardnoch’s identity. “It can’t be true.”
She nodded. “He came to Lachlan to ask if he might be interested in buying it. Lachlan said he’d give it some thought, told Arran about it, and Arran showed genuine interest in running it.
I think he’s considering taking his piece of the Adair inheritance to split the cost with Lachlan. Go into it as partners.”
My heart raced at the thought. In a good way. A slow, hopeful smile creased my cheeks as I looked out toward the garden, where I caught flashes of Arran racing after the kids as they played football. “Then he’s really staying?”
“I hope so.”
Lewis got hold of the ball, his little face scrunched with determination as he dribbled it toward their imaginary goal lines. Eredine moved to intercept him, but Arran wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her out of Lewis’s way.
“Not fair!” Ery laughed, looking happier than I’d seen her in a while. “That’s cheating!”
Arran barely released her when Eilidh jumped on him too. He fell to the ground, laughing as Eilidh climbed all over him, tickling him in punishment.
I dragged my attention from the scene to smile at Regan. “I think, despite my earlier worry, he’s been good for Ery.”
Regan nodded, but with raised brows. “I wonder how Brodan will feel about their friendship when he gets back.”
“Brodan doesn’t get a say,” I said a little too sharply.
Regan made a face. “Okay, Mom.”
“Sorry. It’s just … Have you noticed how every time he’s home, he watches her and flirts with her, but then he buggers off again, forgetting she even exists? I’m sorry, but Eredine deserves better. I don’t care if he is my brother.”
“And considering Mac kind of played you that way for a while, I can see how you’d feel sympathetic toward Eredine.”
I gaped at her for the second time. “How do you know about Mac?”
She grimaced. “Was I not supposed to say anything? I thought because he talked with the guys, it was all out in the open now.”
“I knew he spoke to Lachlan, but I didn’t know he’d spoken to Thane and Arran. Why haven’t they mentioned it to me?”
“Because we are all giving you space to figure out what you want. Though nosy busybodies”—she gestured to herself—“are extremely interested to know where you’re leaning on the whole Mac thing. Personally, I think you guys are great together.”
“Regan,” I pleaded.
“Sorry, sorry.” She pretended to zip her lips shut. “Not another word.” Then, “Though I agree with you about Brodan and Eredine. But I’m not sure she has anything romantic in mind with Arran. They argue a lot.”
“It’s called verbal foreplay, Regan. And a sure sign that something is going on. Eredine is usually shy with men, including Brodan. With Arran, she’s … sassy. Like she’s comfortable with him or something.”
“You sound worried.”
“It wouldn’t be the first time my brothers have fought over a woman.
The two of them are best buddies, and when they were sex-mad, moronic teenagers, they shared everything, including women.
It was never a problem for them, the scoundrels, until Arran slept with …
” I realized I was about to divulge information I was pretty certain neither of my brothers would want me sharing.
“Let’s just say someone he shouldn’t have.
It caused a rift, and even though those two can never stay mad at each other, I do not want history repeating itself with Eredine. She’s …”
“A complicated mystery,” Regan finished my sentence.
“Even to me, and I’ve known her almost as long as Lachlan and Mac have.”
Regan looked pensive as she stared out at the garden. “Can I tell you something?”
“Of course.”
“I recognized Eredine when I first met her.”
I jerked in shock. “What do you mean?”
“I thought I recognized her as this social media influencer and dancer from YouTube. She had a few million followers, millions more views on her videos. Her name was Cadenza. And I am ninety percent positive she was the spitting image of Eredine. She stopped posting years ago. I mean, I was only a teen when I followed her videos. I guess I forgot about her after a while because there’s always someone new to follow, right? Anyway, here’s the strange part.”
Regan leaned into me again, her voice low.
“I tried to find those videos, and they were gone. Completely wiped off the internet. I tried googling Cadenza, and nothing. So, I set a Google Alert last year for her, and a few weeks ago, this conspiracy theorist had written an article about this group he thinks exists similar to the Illuminati. He mentioned all these people who had mysteriously disappeared, and he mentioned Cadenza. I don’t believe the creepy omniscient global power group theory, but I was relieved because for a second there, I thought maybe I had imagined it all.
When I went back to look at the article, it was gone. ”
A sense of dread, of something ominous looming over us, caused goose bumps to prickle my skin. “Have you tried googling Eredine?”
“Yeah, but we all know that’s not her real name.”
True enough.
“I googled her, her profession, where she works, and there is zero mention of her on the web. Don’t you think that’s weird?”
“There wouldn’t be.” I shook my head. “Lachlan doesn’t advertise anything about the estate.
In fact …” I narrowed my eyes. “They use an ethical hacker to test their security systems for flaws, and she built a program that alerts them to online articles about the club. Mac’s team sifts through them and asks his hacker to delete any that mention details they don’t want known. ”
“Isn’t that illegal?” Regan smirked. “I thought you said she was an ethical hacker?”
“Not my point. She removes posts and articles off the web for them.”
Regan’s eyes widened before her gaze flew out toward the garden. “They’re protecting her?”
It would appear so. Not that I was surprised. Deep down, I’d known that all along.
“But from what?” Regan whispered.
I looked out and watched Eredine shove Arran with a mischievous laugh as she commandeered the ball. “Leave it alone, Regan,” I ordered sternly. “If she’s hiding here, then there’s a good reason, and it’s our job as the people who love her to let sleeping dogs lie.”
Regan nodded determinedly and promised, “I’ll let it go.”