Chapter 22
“So why are we here?” Berkley sat on the couch in Krystal’s living room but immediately reached for a cluster of grapes on the food tray.
Krystal had to prepare for enough food for her siblings every time they came over because they were just as rabid as her teenagers.
She wondered if it was something triggered by them all being in their childhood home.
Because she swore they turned into teen versions of themselves when they were here.
It didn’t matter that she and Mike had completely renovated the place years ago—walking through that front door must be like a portal.
“We need to talk about Cormac.” Krystal looked at Micah, because he was the only one she’d talked to about this.
Normally she would have gone to Apollo first, but this had felt like a Micah conversation. Especially since he had so many tools at his disposal—electronically speaking.
“Is he okay?” Berkley asked. She’d now moved on to the cheese and crackers.
“Hey, quit bogarting the gouda.” Apollo nudged her once.
“Oh my god you guys.” Krystal covered her face. “I found out something weird and I need you all to just listen. This is important.”
“Yeah, jeez.” Micah sniffed.
“Why don’t you shut the hell up because obviously she already told you.” Apollo shot her a hurt look.
Which made her wince. She probably should have just talked to him.
“Mom!” Jet raced through the front door and into the living room. “Hey! I thought Sunday lunch was cancelled. What’s everyone doing here? Are you having a party without us?” Now her teen looked hurt.
“Never!” Berkley jumped up and pulled him into a hug. “We’re just discussing important family business. Like what we’re going to get you for Christmas.”
“Oh my god, Aunt B.” Jet rolled his eyes, then left.
Then stepped back in because apparently he remembered why he’d run into the living room in the first place. “I forgot my gym bag.” Then he ran back in, grabbed a cluster of grapes and bounded up the stairs.
Calling on patience she was surprised she still had, Krystal waited until Jet stomped back down the stairs then raced out the door, slammed said door behind him and shoved out a breath.
“Everyone good?” she asked, looking between her siblings.
“Got enough food to shut the fuck up for a few seconds?”
They all stared at her with wide eyes and nodded in unison—though Berkley was chomping on cheese as she did.
“Okay.” She took another steadying breath.
“I don’t know what to do with this information so I’m just going to tell you.
From here we’re going to try to figure things out together.
Pilar came over last night and told me some stories about our mom.
I’ll fill you in on those later, but she also told me about their friend group, including a woman named Mia Ruiz. ”
“Wait—” Apollo sat up straighter.
Krystal held out a hand. “Yes, she’s the same Ruiz you’re thinking of. Mia Ruiz is Daniela’s mother. Was,” she added. “She died in a car accident the same day our mom was murdered.”
“The same day?” Apollo demanded.
“Yes. Apparently they hadn’t been as close as they were when they were in their early twenties but they’d stayed in touch. I don’t know if there’s a connection but Pilar thinks there might be.”
“Wait a minute. I just want to make sure I’m on the same page,” Berkley said, putting her food down. “Cormac is helping Daniela Ruiz, a woman he’s been into for years. Daniela’s mother used to be friends with our mom. And they both died the same day?”
“Yes.”
“Was her car accident really a car accident? What was the state of her marriage? Because you know it’s almost always the husband.” Berkley opened her mouth, likely to ask another question because she was a true crime buff.
Krystal held up a hand. “These are things we need to figure out. Also, we need to tell Cormac. I just talked to him and started to but he was short with me and said he didn’t want to talk about Daniela on the phone.”
“He loves her,” Apollo murmured. “If we go to him about this, it has to be with the intention that we want to help her.”
“Well of course we want to help her.” Krystal couldn’t hide her exasperation. She knew a little more than she likely should about what was going on thanks to Micah, who’d filled her in. “And I want to find out who killed Mom,” she snapped with more emotion than she’d intended.
She’d convinced herself that she was okay with not knowing, but now that Pilar had given her more details, she wasn’t sure she could lie to herself. Their mom deserved justice. And if Daniela’s mom had been murdered too, then she deserved it as well.
“Damn it,” she cursed when a wellspring of tears surprised her. She turned away from them because oh my god, she couldn’t deal with this right now.
Then found herself enveloped in a three-person hug a few seconds later.
“We’re going to figure this out,” Berkley said into her hair. “And I bet if Daniela’s mom was murdered too, she’ll want to join forces with us.”
“Join forces?” Apollo asked dryly.
Which just made Krystal laugh and her tears dry up. “I’m fine, I swear.” Sniffing, she wiped at her cheeks as they all stepped back.
As she did, the front door opened and Mike, Clover, Silvia and Nick strode in.
“You’re not doing this without us,” Mike said quietly.
Krystal blinked in surprise at her husband. She’d told him what this meeting was about and that she just wanted it to be Knight siblings right now.
“We’re on a group text without you guys,” Clover said as she strode in and sat next to Micah.
“What?” Apollo demanded.
“Your woman started it,” Nick murmured.
Silvia just grinned and shrugged. “You guys are amazing but sometimes you don’t know how to ask for help. So we’re here. This was your mom, and in case you forgot, I loved her too. She was a big part of my childhood. We’re all in this thing.”
Krystal nodded against the tightness in her throat, was glad when Mike stepped up to her, slid his arm around her shoulders.
“Boys are all out playing ball for a few hours,” he said.
Okay, then. “Good. We can talk freely. Though we’re going to have to bring Cormac into this,” she added. “We’ll talk to him soon—tomorrow.”
Everyone nodded, because they definitely had to tell him. She just wanted to see if they could find more information on Mia Ruiz’s death, to see if they could find a connection before they did.
She was already worried about him being tangled up with the Hill family, even tangentially. Because at this point, it wasn’t tangential. He was involved with Daniela Ruiz. And if her father had killed her mother…and found out that Cormac was Yvette Knight’s son and lying about who he was?
The fallout could be catastrophic.