22. Renne
Renne
The Crossbow guesthouse is a two-bedroom mini home that’s comfortable for Dina, Chi-chi, and me, along with the baby. Yes, Dina stayed with me and not in the main house. Last night, Declan came by to fetch her, but she locked the guesthouse door and left him begging outside.
I want to be Dina when I grow up.
Hanna woke up early this morning, and I don’t want her to wake up the other two women, so I take her back to the main house, where I find Declan at an antique desk tucked in the corner of a room that he turned into an office.
Or something like it. I get the impression that Declan doesn’t sit very often. He seems to be always on the move.
Both brothers do.
His hair looks like he ran his hand through it, and his eyes appear glossy as if he’s tired.
I bounce Hanna on my right hip. “Hey, have you slept at all?”
“Not really. How is Dina?”
“She’s fine.”
“Did she say anything about me?”
Many things. “No.”
“She must be really mad, huh?”
Aww. But also, I’m enjoying his struggle. Maybe I’m a little evil. “Maybe.” I chew my lip. “Have you heard from Connor yet?”
“Not yet. But he has the full twenty-four hours before I sound the alarm. He was last spotted getting on the bus that goes to the border. That’s where I’ll be going if he doesn’t show up in the next few hours.”
“He could just be taking some time off. I find riding the bus therapeutic.”
“That’s all well and good, but Connor knows that he must check in. If he doesn’t, he knows I’ll look for him. Did you girls have a fun sleepover?”
“We did.” I chew my lip. “I’m worried about Connor now that you’ve explained how you two look after each other.”
When Declan doesn’t soothe me or tell me Connor will be okay, I sit on the couch. “Oh man. I didn’t realize you think someone has your brother and wants to hurt him. I mean, I did have an idea when you talked about weaknesses, but I think it’s hitting me now.”
“You’re not expected to know that. We’re not a typical family. When one of us doesn’t answer his phone and doesn’t show up all night, we think the worse.”
“Is it possible he spent the night with someone and forgot or didn’t want to answer?” The moment the words come out of my mouth, my chest constricts. It hurts to think that Connor would stay with another woman, but it’s a possibility we can’t rule out.
I can tell from Declan’s expression that he hasn’t considered it. “It’s possible, but unlikely. Connor doesn’t sleep around.”
“Maybe he made an exception and didn’t tell you about it. He was flirting with the news anchor the other day.”
“Connor flirts with everyone.”
I wince.
Declan smiles. “You like my brother.”
I don’t deny it. “He’s cute.”
“Cute?” Declan laughs.
The front door opens, and boot steps cross the marble floor.
Both Declan and I walk toward the hallway, hoping Connor will emerge, but another man appears.
He wears a black tactical uniform and hands Declan a tablet.
“Here’s all the surveillance. We can’t get the private phones. Connor usually does that.”
Declan accepts the tablet. “Are the men coming in?”
“Yeah, almost everyone is here. We’ll be ready by noon for sure. Are we notifying the local police or…”
“Not yet.”
The man departs as quickly as he came, and Declan studies the tablet.
I take Hanna to the kitchen, where we eat breakfast and wait for news on Connor.
About two hours later, Dina and Chi-chi join us. Dina takes one look at poor Declan, who’s beside himself pacing the floor, and takes mercy on him. She kisses him and comforts him as best she can, but once she leaves his side, he starts to pace again.
“How long has he been like this?” she asks.
Men in tactical uniforms are filing into the house. There are at least two dozen of them.
Chi-chi takes Hanna. “Can I take her back to the guesthouse?”
“Sure, and she might want to nap.”
“Perfect.” Chi-chi leaves with my baby.
A phone rings.
Declan fetches my phone from his pocket. “It’s him.”
Dina and I rush over. Silence falls like a hammer. The men are trained to shut up instantly.
“I will put him on speaker,” Declan says. “Speak normally. Try to get his location or the destination he’s going to. Whatever you do, don’t sound alarmed.”
“I’m freaking out,” I say, terrified I’ll say something wrong and someone will kill Connor while we’re on the line. I really shouldn’t think this way, but the amount of testosterone in the house makes me uneasy.
“Deep breaths and you’re on.” Declan lifts two fingers, and a pair of men place their headphones over their ears. They watch their computers. Are they tracking the call?
“Hello,” I answer in a shaky voice.
“Hey, my girl,” Connor greets me.
My cheeks heat up when Declan narrows his eyes.
“Hey, Connor, how are you?”
“Fine, fine. Are you at your apartment or did Dick pick you up?”
I’m pretty sure he just called his brother Dick on purpose. “I’m at your house.”
“Perfect. I’m on speaker, aren’t I?”
I look at Declan so I know what to answer.
He shakes his head.
“No.”
“You’re a crappy liar.”
Shit. My life depends on lying to just about everyone, so the fact that Connor thinks I’m such a bad liar worries me. “I’ll try to get better at it.”
“No need. I know everything.”
Shivers run down my spine. I swallow. “What do you mean?”
“I mean I know that Declan has the crew ready, but I still have an hour before my twenty-four hours are up, which is how long it will take me to get to the mansion. Tell them to check camera 99.”
Declan nods at the two men, and one of them gestures with his hand, slicing at the throat, a universal sign that something is dead or cut off.
The other guy pushes the computer over the counter toward Declan. Connor is on the road that leads to the mansion, waving, a phone pressed to his ear. “Hey, guys.”
“Thank God,” Declan whispers and scrubs his face. He hangs up and looks at the pair of men.
“On it.” A man says. “Let’s file out.” The men leave the house.
Dina hugs Declan. “Take it easy on him. I’m sure he has an explanation.”
“I’m not,” Declan answers, clearly agitated.
Fifteen minutes later, Connor walks into the manor carrying four cups of coffee in a tray in one hand and a pink teddy bear in the other. He puts the coffees on the kitchen bar and turns toward us with a big smile, showing his dimples. Blue eyes sparkle with mischief.
“What’s up, guys?” he says.
Declan throws up his hands. “What’s up, guys?!”
Connor laughs.
Declan points at him. “Stop laughing.”
“You’re funny when you’re loving on me all angry like that.”
“Are you doing this for attention?” Declan asks.
Connor rolls his eyes. “Please.” He looks around. “Where’s my baby?”
“You don’t have a baby,” Declan states.
“Hanna is with Chi-chi in the guesthouse,” I tell him. Declan is right, though. Connor is being very nonchalant about going MIA, while his brother was genuinely worried.
Connor steps toward the door.
Declan moves in front of him. “You’d better explain your absence.”
“You’re not my keeper.”
“Don’t do this, Con.”
“Get out of my fucking way, brother.”
“Oh no,” Dina whispers.
The brothers are chest to chest, with Connor basically pinning Declan against the glass exit door.
“You have to trust me on this, Declan.”
Declan takes a moment longer to stare at Connor, but then he slides out of Connor’s way. “It’s not about trust, and you know it. Don’t you dare turn this shit on me.”
Connor laughs again.
Declan flexes his fists.
I think he might sock him. To be fair, Connor made fun of Declan’s worrying. That’s unfair to Dec. But I’m not getting involved.
Connor glances at me.
Declan turns and looks at me too.
I swallow harder. “What?”
“Fine,” Declan says, even though nobody spoke. “But it better be good.”
“It’s good.” Connor lifts the cute pink bear and wiggles it. “I’m going to give this bear to my favorite baby. In the meantime, get our uncles on the phone. Video call. I want to see their faces when I tell them what I found.”