My stomach clenches because that is not a true statement. I’d be an idiot not to fear Thorn.
Scarlett rears up. “Anybody who resorts to kidnapping deserves all the angst we can bring him.”
Girl power, huh?
“I agree,” I say, my face heating. I wonder where he is right now. I know that he’s seen my posts and I can’t imagine he appreciated them. Although, every time I send my emotions out into the masses about Malice Media, not only do I gain interest, so does he. So yeah, he probably owes me. I settle back in my seat and warm myself with that fact. The last person in the world I want to assist right now is Thorn, however.
Quinlan smiles as the waitress delivers additional drinks. “Thank you.” He pays and gives her a good tip. “Do you know what my new board position means in terms of my daily activities? Your father was rather obscure.”
“I have absolutely no idea,” I admit.
Nico clears his voice. “I do. You’ll be given an office up on the top floor next to Alana’s. As will you, Scarlett.”
Perhaps we can become friends. “If we really settle you in, you’ll have to move back home to California. What do you think?”
“Oh, I’m ready,” she says. “I mean, I’ve enjoyed traveling and working with our employees in other countries, but I wouldn’t mind consolidating, having a home.”
I make a mental note to help her find a good place to live. It’d be nice to get to know this cousin of mine. She’s the closest one to my age but we’ve just never really had a chance to get to know each other. Much of my childhood was spent in boarding schools, as was hers. Different ones. I barely even remember her parents. I look at Quinlan. “You seemed surprised when I walked in today. Did you not know I was on the board?”
“Oh no,” he snorts. “I know you’re on the board. I watch you on Aquarius all the time. I just hadn’t seen you in person in quite a while—the funeral doesn’t count—and you startled me. You look so much like your mother. She was beautiful with all of that curly brunette hair.”
I warm. “You knew my mom?”
“Of course,” Nico answers for him. “We all did. The extended families were all much closer when your mom was alive. I think after her death, your father pushed everybody away and focused entirely on the business.”
I swallow. “I barely remember my mother.”
“She was a kind person,” Quinlan says instantly, leaning forward. “She made the best peanut butter cookies.”
“Oh my God,” Nico says, sitting back with a fond smile on his face. “She did. I’d forgotten about that. She would put these pieces of . . . what was that . . . ?”
“Brownie,” Quinlan says.
Scarlett laughs. “That sounds like heaven.” She sobers. “I wish I could remember her.”
As do I. She’s merely a wisp of sound or scent of vanilla to me.
“Lanetta was instrumental in keeping the families close.” Nico sobers. “When she died, it’s like, I don’t know, the light went out of everybody, especially Mathias. At least that horrible car wreck didn’t take you from us, too.”
Impulsively, I lean over and pat Nico’s hand. “Thank you for sticking close to Dad and Greg.” Nico and Greg were the best of friends. I was so caught up in my grief that I really hadn’t checked in with him during the last two months with Greg gone. “How are you doing?”
“I don’t know,” Nico says. He looks down at his phone. “I hired a private detective to look into his death, and it’s suspicious. I’d be better if I could figure out whether somebody killed him.”
Quinlan jerks. “Killed him? I thought he was in a car accident over Vulture’s Perch.”
“An accident just doesn’t make sense to me, especially in light of the attack on Alana the other night. It’s like the family is on somebody’s hit list.” Nico scrolls through photographs. “I’ve been putting together a timeline.” He shows a picture.
I sit back. “Is that your apartment?” On one wall is an entire murder board with facts, data, and a big timeline.
“It is,” Nico says.
I look at him more closely. There are dark circles under his eyes as if he hasn’t slept. “Nico, what makes you think that somebody killed Greg?” I can’t breathe. The mere idea is unthinkable. “My father doesn’t believe that.”
“I don’t know what your father believes,” Nico says, looking at me bleakly. “He may be conducting his own investigation. I’ve tried to talk to him several times, but I can’t get anything from him. If he has facts, I need to know them.”
“So do I,” I say, rearing up, my stomach clenching. “If you truly believe this, then I’m going to help you, but you have to tell me why.”
He rubs the back of his neck. “We were together that night, partying over at the Green Train Tavern. Quinlan was there.”
Quinlan nods. “Yeah. We had a lot to drink that night, and I left before you two.”
Nico rolls his neck. “Greg was meeting some girl, I don’t know. He had more women than I could count, and we had too much to drink. He drove me home, but he had sobered up by then. He seemed calm. We had a good discussion. Then all of a sudden he drives off a cliff on the way home from my place? Come on. You know what a good driver Greg was.”
It’s true. My brother had actually competed on the semipro racing circuit. “The police report says it was an accident,” I murmur.
“But the police report can be faked,” Quinlan says grimly. “Who would want to kill Greg?”
“Nobody,” I burst out. “I mean, nobody I know. I guess it’s possible one of the other families took him out. But why?”
A muscle ticks in Nico’s jaw. “If something happened to one of us, Greg would’ve been the first one asking questions and demanding answers. I’m telling you, this stinks.”
I sigh. “Okay, if we’re really going to do this, let’s meet tomorrow morning at your place, Nico, where you’ve set up headquarters.” A chill ripples down my spine, and I look around to see familiar guards in several directions. “How many do you have on us tonight?”
“Three teams. Keep in mind that somebody out there still wants to kidnap you,” Nico says. He looks at Scarlett. “Get used to having a bodyguard because one will escort you home.”
She blows out air, and I totally get it. Suddenly, I need a moment. “I’m hitting the restroom.”
Nico gestures with his chin at two of the men not so subtly hanging out at the bar.
