Chapter 57
Chapter Fifty-Seven
Ken
Not only was Hyacinth not Hyacinth, but the men Trevor and Peyton identified to Hamish as Faegan’s sons were also apparently…not.
Not ones Hamish knew, anyway.
Of course Ken had heard the term “kicking an anthill” used metaphorically, but had never seen it actually materialize in human form.
Eh, shifter form?
Non-ant form.
Regardless, over the next few minutes, Trevor placed frantic phone calls and ordered the helo to return immediately while Peyton alerted the men at the safe house to prepare for their arrival because they were coming in hot.
All Ken knew about the safe house was that it lay less than an hour from their current location by helo.
Peyton, Trevor, and two of Trevor’s men departed, taking the photo album with them, while Hamish, Ken, and Jake stayed behind with the remainder of Trevor’s men to continue the search.
Peyton ordered them to say nothing about this development to anyone until they talked to Hyacinth-Frannie and figured out, oh, what in the actual fuckety fuck was going on, as Dewi might say.
Jake snorted. “Just when I think this shit can’t get weirder, it does.”
“Tell me about it,” Ken snarked. “And, sad to say, I think it’ll get even weirder before we finally make it through to the other side and life settles down.”
If life settles down, he silently added.
“Frankly, I’m glad they left me behind,” Hamish wearily said as he plowed through one of the newer boxes. “I’m not certain I could have restrained myself from strangling that woman.”
Since the latest development forcibly upended everything they’d believed, they’d all agreed Hamish should remain behind with Ken and Jake to continue the search in case he spotted additional inconsistencies the others missed. It was painfully obvious they had no idea what they didn’t know.
Another hour into it, Hamish sighed in disgust and turned to one of Trevor’s men who was helping with the paperwork search. “I don’t suppose there’s any liquor here, is there?”
“Name your poison, sir.” He pointed at several boxes on the floor along the far wall in the office. Ken, needing a stretch, joined Hamish and Jake to have a look.
Inside the boxes were dozens of bottles holding a variety of alcohol. Even Ken knew some of them were top-shelf and probably rare.
“We emptied the stores and moved them here,” the man explained. “Trevor said as long as we don’t get impaired, we’re free to imbibe as a ‘fuck you’ to Faegan.” He looked at Hamish. “Since this all belongs to you now, sir, I suppose you are entitled to anything you wish.”
Hamish snorted and liberated a bottle that hadn’t been opened yet. “Would you all like to join me in a ‘go fuck yourself’ toast to my older brother?”
The man laughed. “I’ll fetch glasses, sir.”
“Summon everyone to the office,” Hamish said. “I don’t want to leave anyone out.” The man departed while Hamish carried the bottle to the desk.
Jake picked up the bottle, letting out a long, low whistle as he studied the label. “Dude, this is an unopened bottle of Glen Garioch from 1951. You sure you want to drink it?”
“Why?” Ken asked.
Both men stared at him. “This is a $3k bottle of booze,” Jake said.
Hamish grimly smiled. “Probably closer to $5k now. Or more.” He took it back and broke the seal.
“And like I said, this is a ‘fuck-you’ toast to my brother. He likely bought it as an investment, or a status symbol, or someone gave it to him as a bribe or to placate him, or he demanded it as tribute. Meaning he would never have opened it, and he damned sure would not have enjoyed or appreciated it even if he had.” He removed the stopper and inhaled. “And I plan to savor every drop.”
Once everyone joined them and had at least a splash in their glass, although Jake and Hamish took much larger pours, Hamish held up his glass and pondered for a moment.
“Fuck that cunt of a brother of mine,” he solemnly said.
“I hope whoever finds him tortures him and makes him beg for his life, and then flays the skin from his body while he’s still alive. Lechyd da!”
They all echoed it. Ken accepted barely a sip of the liquor because he wasn’t sure he would like it, much less appreciate it, and he didn’t want to waste it—or end up wasted.
Hamish replaced the stopper. “We’ll we save some for Trevor and Peyton. Take the rest home, make sure Duncan and Badger get a sip, too.”
“That is some damned good whisky,” Jake said, nodding.
The older shifter sadly smiled. “Well, considering all you’ve endured, you certainly deserve it. Least I can do to welcome you back to civilization.” He drained his glass and stretched. “Ken, do you feel like taking a walk with me?”
There was something in the older man’s tone, a hint of emotions beyond melancholy.
“Sure. Where are we going?”
“I’d like to see what’s left of my old cottage. Frankly, I’d rather not go alone.”
“We can go with you, sir,” one of Trevor’s men said.
“I don’t fear for our safety, although yes, you’re welcome to tag along if you feel it’s warranted.”
“You don’t want to face the memories alone,” Ken said.
Hamish sighed. “Not particularly.” He looked at Jake. “You feel like coming?”
Jake looked around the office and nodded. “Yeah. Time to stretch my legs, too. Besides, I’m not even sure what I’m looking for anyway, and I’ll be less than useless if you guys aren’t here.”
They headed out the back door. Ken looked around as they walked. “I feel like I’m missing a whole universe about my past,” he said. “Like I’m adrift. And I’m… I’m angry,” he added. “If Mom knew she was a shifter, maybe she’d still be alive.”
“She might not have been able to shift,” Hamish gently reminded him.
“Yeah, but when Dad died, maybe we could have found a pack instead of her grabbing on to that fucker who killed her because she felt she had to for my sake. Or maybe I would’ve grown up in a pack, and when Dad died, she would have had people to help her and we wouldn’t have been alone.”
“I wish I’d known about her,” Hamish said.
“I would have gladly taken her in.” He sniffled.
“And you, obviously. I still can’t believe Bryn and Callum would have willingly abandoned her.
Not if they were alive. I barely knew Callum, but my sister was every bit as fierce as Dewi.
I wish they’d sought me out, although considering I stayed even after she left, she had no reason to trust me, I suppose. ”
“You faked your death,” Ken reminded him. “Even if she had wanted to look for you, she might have thought you were, you know, dead.”
“There is that.”
“Do you think they’re dead?” Ken asked. “Callum and Bryn? I mean, we thought Peyton…” He didn’t know where to go with that, so he regrouped.
“Look at Jake here. If Callum was a really strong Prime, unless it was a car accident or a sniper ambush or something, I don’t understand how someone could get the better of him. ”
“I don’t know. In my heart, I don’t hold a lot of hope Donnel’s still alive.
Donnel was a bit of a git, but he was smart and savvy.
Unfortunately, he wasn’t a shifter, which gave him a distinct disadvantage against Faegan.
It was one of the reasons he capitulated and assisted Faegan with some of his…
matchmaking arrangements for packmates.”
“If Frannie really is Tamsin’s mom,” Ken said, “and you said she and Donnel were dating, I kinda wonder if Faegan just killed the real Hyacinth and Donnel and took Frannie. A hat trick—he gets a wife and gets rid of two witnesses who can contradict him.”
Hamish slowly nodded. “That would be something Faegan might do. Certainly wouldn’t put it past him.”
Hamish
In fact, he’d be surprised if that wasn’t exactly what happened to Donnel and the real Hyacinth.
The old cottage’s roof had been patched multiple times throughout the years.
While the walls lay nearly completely covered with ivy, when Hamish yanked the door open, he was pleasantly surprised to see the cottage wasn’t in bad shape.
Dirty, and with assorted junk that had been stored and forgotten, but not nearly as decrepit as he’d feared.
Jake let out a whistle. “I’da gave my left nut to have a place this nice while I was hiding out.”
Hamish chuckled. “It was cozy. I know Faegan and Donnel never understood why I’d choose to live here when the big house was available, but I preferred this simple comfort and its inherent peace to skulking around the manor house and trying to avoid my brothers.”
“I get it,” Ken said. “Living within your means. I had a small apartment when I met Dewi. I could have probably got something bigger, but it would’ve meant spending more money, and I wasn’t exactly rich.
Not to mention, I was avoiding my step-brother.
If I’d had something larger and fancier, he would’ve moved in and I’d never have gotten rid of him. ”
Jake and Hamish looked at Ken. “You coulda kicked him out,” Jake said.
“You didn’t know me before Dewi.” His thin smile bore pain Hamish was well acquainted with. “He could beat the crap out of me. He’s the reason I didn’t have a car—he wrecked mine, and I wasn’t inclined to replace it when I could bike to work. He was too fucking lazy to bother to bike.”
“What happened to him?” Jake asked.
Ken snorted. “Dewi kicked his ass, then he still showed up at my apartment, and I kicked his ass. That was right after we got together, and I just…” He shrugged.
“I don’t know how or why I snapped, but maybe it was something to do with being mated to Dewi.
All the rage and hatred I had for him spilled over, and I unleashed on him in a way I never had before. ”
“Considering what his father did, it sounds like he needed a good ass-kicking,” Jake noted.
“He made my life hell from the moment Mom started dating his father. I’m convinced his father killed his first wife, too.”
“Perhaps Dewi should pay him a visit in prison and ask him,” Hamish suggested. “She could find out if he did and if he did, have him confess to it.”
Ken seemed to consider it. “That’s not a bad idea. Would serve him right.”
Hamish walked over to the rickety old table he recognized as being the one he’d used when he lived there. He smiled as he ran his fingers over its dusty surface. “I’m shocked this is still here. I think Faegan hated that he couldn’t control me the way he could Donnel.”
“You said Donnel wasn’t a shifter, though?” Jake asked.
“Correct. He certainly was Faegan’s lapdog and lackey, however. Trying to stay in his good graces so his allowance kept flowing.”
“What’s your gut tell you about him?” Ken asked. “If he’s involved in this?”
Hamish shrugged. “If his usefulness to Faegan came to an end, it wouldn’t shock me if Donnel came to an end, too. Especially if he was a loose end who could expose Hyacinth’s true identity.”
“What finally made you leave?” Jake asked.
Hamish quickly outlined that evening even as he stared at the old stone hearth, where he’d built up a fire before leaving. “I’m not saying Donnel was an angel, but when I knew him I wouldn’t have wished him dead. Not being a shifter, he was trying to survive the best he knew how.”
“What if they find Donnel?” Ken asked. “Does that mean everything reverts to him since he’s older than you?”
“I have no idea.” Hamish turned, taking everything in.
It was ironic this small, stone cottage felt more like home to him than the large manor house ever had.
“He’s welcome to it, as long as he didn’t participate in killing off Hyacinth.
If he did, I hope he rots wherever he lies, or that I get a chance to help kill him.
” He focused on Ken. “My sister-in-law wasn’t perfect, but she didn’t deserve the hell Faegan put her through.
If Donnel participated in making her life worse and he’s still breathing, then he shouldn’t be allowed to live. ”