If Ever I Fall: Book 3 of The Six Series (8 page)

“Tea’s almost ready,” Kirsten told her.

“Aye. Ye looked tired, lass. Go ahead and start breaking everything down. We’ll be closing up early today to celebrate Airen’s return home,” Aunt Brenda told her as she picked up two of the cups in front of me and headed back to her office.

“That’s the best thing I’ve heard all day,” Kirsten replied as she mechanically flipped the switches, powering off the appliances and pulled baskets, dumping old coffee grounds in the trash.

I left her to it, picking up my steaming mug off the counter, following along behind Aunt Brenda.

When we returned to her office, I set the cup down on her desk, not really in the mood for tea, and settled back into my seat. Mum sipped hers cautiously, dragging out the inevitable when I was ready to hear exactly what had transpired at her house that morning.

With the silence between the three of us, my thoughts skipped from Uncle Robert to Aiden, wondering how long it would be before he returned.

Needing to force my mind away from the American intruding on my thoughts, I cleared my throat and spoke. “What happened this morning, Mum?”

My direct question startled her, and she jerked. Hot tea rose up to the lip of her cup, threatening to spill over. She used that as an excuse, stalling to answer me until her teacup was just so on the desk in front of her.

“Oh, do leave it, Mina. It’s no like it has legs and will be walking off the desk when ye let it go,” Aunt Brenda snapped at Mum.

Minerva Campbell, my mum, or as Aunt Brenda and the rest of the family called her, Mina, let go of the cup with a huff and sat ramrod straight in the chair. “I’ll no say a word until I know all the details of what’s happened to my daughter this morning.” She huffed again for good measure, adding, “And ye ken it, aye?”

Aunt Brenda’s eyes shifted over to me and she dipped her head, acknowledging the fact that Mina had put her foot down and there would be no swaying her until she’d got her fill on what had happened to me.

I slid forward in my chair, turning to face her, and told her what happened. The same as Aiden and I had told Aunt Brenda.

When I moved back in my seat, Mum reached for her tea. “Weel, that explains the blood on his clothes then.”

Aunt Brenda gasped, and my hands that had been loosely resting in my lap sought purchase against my flesh as my fingers dug into my legs.

I flicked a nervous look at Aunt Brenda, who was scowling at me.
How the devil was I to get myself out of this one?
I thought.

Aunt Brenda’s eyes squinted at me briefly, settling on waiting to ask me when it was just the two of us. My heart gave a hard bump against my chest, and I ducked my head in silent reply.

She knew what I meant as well, considering we’d done the same sort of communication over the years for various reasons. Only never about something so dangerous and definitely never anything about Uncle Robert.

“So he showed up bleeding then? And what else?” Aunt Brenda asked, turning her attention back to Mum.

A sliver of something I couldn’t describe wormed its way down my spine. If Uncle Robert had shown up bleeding, then Aiden had done that. Aiden had shot him. But how? How could he have seen him in the cover of the trees?

Mum pulled in a long breath, and the dam broke. “He threatened to take Airen if I refused to help him. We canna let that happen. Ye know the kind of man he is. I willna lose another I love. My heart canna take it.” Her shoulders hunched forward as large sobs escaped her.

I all but fell out of my chair to my knees and grabbed her hands in mine. “Mum, he won’t take me anywhere. I promise. He’s just trying to scare ye.”

“And a right good job he’s done o’ it too,” Aunt Brenda said, holding out a tissue for Mum.

She took it from Aunt Brenda, dabbing the corners of her eyes and then blowing her nose. “Tha’s why I’m wanting ye to come with me to the country, Airen. We’ll be safe there. And the American agent ye talked of can take care o’ Robert, and we willna have to worry about him anymore.”

Aunt Brenda made a noise all Scottish people made when they didn’t agree with what was said.

Mum pushed herself up from the chair and dropped the tissue inside her purse. “And what do you suggest then? Airen is just as much in danger as the rest of us. He willna stop when he wants something.”

“And what exactly is it he wants?” Aunt Brenda crossed her arms, pegging Mum with a knowing look.

We’d finally hit the crux of the problem. Uncle Robert wanted something, and it scared Mum enough to want to take me and run.

Mum realized she slipped and tried backtracking, but Aunt Brenda was having none of it.

“Do ye mean to tell me that he’s trying to claim rights to what isn’t his?” she asked Mum.

“In so many words, aye.”

Aunt Brenda laughed. “What an eejit! He canna have what isna there.”

“Aye,” Mum agreed. “But he thinks it is, and he willna stop until it’s handed over to him,” Mum said, sinking back into her chair.

There was nothing like a half-spoken conversation, missing the key points of what two people knew, but wouldn’t say. “What? What is it he thinks you have that he wants?” I asked, looking between the two of them, hoping that one of them would speak up about it.

“‘Tis nothing ye need to worry about,” Aunt Brenda answered, waving her hand at my question and disregarding my openmouthed stare. “As for you, Mina, I don’t think ye need to run, but go if ye must.”

“I’ll no go without Airen,” Mum said sternly.

“I’m not leaving Aunt Brenda to deal with this on her own, Mum. That’s not fair to ask of me, but if ye feel safer to go, then go if ye must. I’ll be fine.”

Mum bristled in her seat.

“Will John be going with ye?” Aunt Brenda asked.

Mum’s mouth opened and closed as her eyes welled with tears. “Nay, he left this morning after Robert did. He willna be back, I think.”

Once again, the tears rolled down her cheeks, making me sad and angry that John had walked out instead of standing beside her when she needed him the most.

Aunt Brenda grabbed the box of tissues and handed them over. One tissue clearly wouldn’t be enough.

There was no amount of coaxing Mum to tell us what had transpired between her and John. And she wasn’t coming forth with any information as to what exactly it was that Uncle Robert thought he had claim to.

The only thing I could do was sit through Mum’s breakdown.

If I could wrap my hands around John’s neck and squeeze the life out of him, I might feel a little better. I’d let Mum settle a bit, but she was by no means off the hook.

“I’ll be right back, Airen. I just need to go and lock up behind Kirsten,” Aunt Brenda said as she slipped out of the office and left me with a waterlogged Mum.

I hadn’t been alone with Mum in a long time, and it made me uncomfortable. I had no idea what to say to her to make her feel better.

The silence, between her hitched sobs, lengthened until she pulled herself somewhat together and said, “Airen, who is the American boy yer aunt calls Aiden?”

My eyes widened in response as I struggled with what to say. How could I explain Aiden, when I didn’t even really know him myself? “I… uh, what is it exactly yer askin’, Mum?”

She zeroed in on me, pursing her lips as she searched my face. I blushed in response, wondering just what Aunt Brenda had said to her about Aiden.

“So it’s like that, aye?” She leaned forward, a hint of hope blooming on her face.

“Nay, it isn’t! And ye can stop lookin’ at me as if I’m about to gift ye a son-in-law and bairns to boot,” I said, shifting to get to my feet. Maybe Aunt Brenda would need a hand out front.

“Well, it’s no as if either one of us are gettin’ any younger,” she huffed, snatching my arm as I passed by her. “All right, Airen. Ye made yer point. Sit down, lass.”

I rolled my eyes heavenward, saying a silent prayer to whatever saint was listening, and thought of a way to pull her attention away from Aiden. “Mum, what is it that Uncle Robert wants?”

Her hand fell from my arm, bouncing on her lap as her eyes darted away from mine. “It’s nothing for ye to worry about. The less ye know, the better.”

“Damn it, Mum! He shot at Aunt Brenda’s house, de ye not understand? I’m already involved.”

She reeled back as if I’d slapped her. “I’ll no have ye talk to me like that, Airen!”

My teeth sank into my lip, keeping me from hurling another smart retort back at her as Aunt Brenda opened her office door and pushed it all the way open. “Well, I see you two are about as comfortable as a cat in a room full o’ rockin’ chairs. Sit down, Airen, ye’ll no get any taller standing.”

I would have left, but the pattering on the roof above halted me. I’d be soaked clean through before I made it back to Aunt Brenda’s.

“So, about this boy Aiden…” Mum said.

Aunt Brenda’s face turned up into a grin, her eyes crinkling with something akin to matchmaking euphoria.

I groaned and moved to the couch. Throwing myself on it, I put my arm over my face, hoping like hell Aiden didn’t come back while they were discussing all of his merits.

I
LEFT WITHOUT GIVING BRENDA
or Airen time to object to me staying overnight. Using the excuse to go and get a change of clothes wouldn’t give me a whole lot of time, but enough to talk with Grant.

Hopefully, Nadia had been able to find some sort of record of Robert de Fleur showing up at a clinic or hospital. I know I hit him, well, winged him in any case. The trees had made it almost impossible to get a good bead on him.

I kept constant vigil in my mirrors, making sure I hadn’t picked up a tail when I left The Grounded Bean. The last thing I wanted was to lead Robert to Cole Enterprise’s makeshift headquarters.

As I made a couple of circuits around the block, my foot itched to punch the gas and just keep driving. I missed the two-lane roads in Opp. And I really missed hanging out at the cabin with not a worry in the world, other than fishing or swimming.

It was the quieter moments that made me the most homesick. I really missed my friends. With all the secrets and deceptions we’d become split apart in all sorts of directions.

After Jared’s kidnapping and Ace’s helicopter accident, I doubted Grant and Nadia would allow either of them anywhere close to the Scotland operation. At least until Robert was under lock and key. After that, it would be hard to say. I could only hope we’d all get the chance to get back to the cabin for some much needed R&R.

Another burst of homesickness washed over me. I’d give anything to be able to call Mark and tell him how amazing Scotland was. He’d probably jump on the first flight here with his camera and Paige in tow.

Even with all the thoughts running rampant in my head, I kept my eyes moving from mirror to mirror, keeping steady watch around me. Deeming it safe enough, I parked a block away from the church and walked to the back entrance, letting myself inside.

Grant met me at the bottom of the stairs, phone in hand, rattling off instructions to someone on the other end. He ended the phone call with a clipped ‘call me back when you have the information’ and turned his focus on me.

“He’s wounded, for sure. Damn it if the bastard didn’t slip in and out of a walk-in clinic under an alias. No one saw him leave, but we at least have an address to run a grid search from.” Grant sighed, slipping the phone in his pocket as we walked down the hallway towards his office.

“I knew I’d hit him. Too bad it wasn’t a fatal shot,” I said, unable to keep a sigh from slipping out.

“Slippery bastards like that’ll take more than one shot. Unfortunately. He’s wounded, so that’s at least something. What will you do for transportation?”

“I bought a car.”

“Good. That solves one thing. Oh, so you know, I was able to get a few cameras set up at Brenda’s house. There’s one inside the porch light and two placed in the front yard along the driveway. They’re small enough not to be detected, and they will pick up anything entering or leaving the property.”

“What about the backyard?” I asked.

Grant chuckled. “We tried, but one of Brenda’s neighbors came out so we’ll have to wait and try again.”

“What about Air… Brenda’s sister’s house?” I cursed myself for stumbling over Airen’s name.

Grant didn’t say anything about it, but I knew he filed that under his mental checklist. He’d hit me with it later when I least expected it.

Oh well, let him. I had nothing to hide. Airen was just a girl. Brenda’s niece who needed my protection. And that was all.

“We need to find out why he’s decided to show up on their doorstep after all these years,” Grant said, coming to a halt at his office. “Do you think you can try to stretch it out a couple of days? Staying at Brenda’s, I mean.”

I shrugged. “I can try.”

“Invent a story if you have to. Tell them you’d only rented your room until the end of the month or something. Make it seem like you don’t have any place to go right now. I seriously doubt she’d tell you no. Not right now anyway.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Seriously? You haven’t met Brenda. That woman is a force to be reckoned with.”

Grant opened his mouth, surely to give me more ideas or maybe even some advice, but I stopped him by putting my hand on his shoulder and squeezed. “Don’t worry, Grant. I’ll figure it out.”

He dipped his head, lips pulled into a flat line. “I know you will. Just be careful, Aiden. Robert de Fleur is no one to take lightly. Granted, he’s just a man, but he’s a dangerous one. Okay?”

I let go of his shoulder and took a step back. “I’m gonna grab my stuff and head back to the coffee shop.”

I’d only made it a few steps down the hall when Grant called out to me. “I’ll be stopping in at Brenda’s tonight to talk with her. Maybe she’ll tell me something to help the case along faster.”

I thought about that for a second. “Maybe, but then again, you’re a stranger to her so she might just clam up.”

“True, but if that happens, the responsibility will fall to you. See ya in a little bit,” he said, disappearing back into his office.

It took me only a few minutes to pack my bag, being sure to not only pack the essentials, but extra ammunition too.

I’d just pulled the strap of my bag over my shoulder when Nadia rapped softly on my door and came in.

“All packed?” she asked, even though she saw my bag on my shoulder.

“Yeah, I was just heading out. What’s up?”

Her eyes glittered with a secret as her mouth pulled into a large grin. “I just got off the phone with Jared. He called to tell us that Mark and Paige are getting married.”

“Married…” I repeated, letting a smile similar to hers bloom. “Well, I’ll be damned.”

“Anyway, I just wanted to tell you before you headed out,” she said, turning to leave.

“When?” I thought to ask before she got out the door.

“When…? Oh, the date? Jared said that Mark and Paige refuse to get married without you guys, so they’re waiting to get in touch with everyone. They’d like to get married at the cabin.”

Her lips moved into a frown, briefly, but she schooled her features. “I guess that means we need to get this bastard soon.”

I watched her leave without further comment. Her parting words sank down into my gut like a lead weight. As happy as I was for Mark and Paige, I was also saddened by the thought that if they were waiting on all of us, they might never get married.

I PARKED BEHIND THE COFFEE shop and shut the car off. Leaning my head back against the headrest, I briefly closed my eyes and gave myself a minute to just be me. Not the Aiden who was an operative for Cole Enterprise. And not the Aiden that Brenda and Airen thought I was. Just me. And I was shocked at the depth of my loneliness.

Whoever had said growing up and becoming an adult was the adventure of a lifetime only had it partially right. Sure I’d spread my wings and gone further than I’d ever thought I’d go, but it had also come with a pretty hefty price. I’d gained a lot, but given up so much more.

A horn blared off in the distance. Snapping my eyes open, I pushed the thoughts back and locked them away. There was nothing that could be done about it. I’d made my choices, and life would continue on no matter how I felt.

I let myself back into the coffee shop, noticing there was no sound coming from the front. That was odd, considering it was the middle of the day.

When I’d left, Kirsten had been milling around, cleaning up when she could.

There was, however, the distinct sound of Brenda and someone else I’d never heard chattering away in her office.

Slowly, I moved down the hall, hoping to catch whatever they were talking about. When I heard my name, I came to a stop, ears alert to listen.

Surely, Brenda had at least heard me close the door. But the two women talked away regardless.

“Och, and to be sure, he’s a bonnie lad too!” Brenda’s voice rose as the other woman tittered.

“Aye? Well, Airen, it seems to me the only thing amiss to yer American is his halo,” the other lady replied.

Her American?

There was a rustle of movement as if someone were struggling, and then all hell broke loose in the form of one very pissed-off girl. “He’s no my anything! De ye here me? The two of ye can just keep yer thoughts te yourselves.”

They laughed at her.

Brenda tried speaking through her merriment, but it came out in spits and spurts. “Aye, te… te be sure…” Her voice pitched and crackled. “But he’s seen ye n… na… naked!”

“He
what?
” the other lady hollered.

“Oh, ho! And whose fault was that, Aunt Brenda? Oh, Mum, do be quiet!” Airen sounded at her wit’s end.

It was time to stop the madness, but Airen’s next words halted me. “And as for you and yer matchmaking, I willna have it! I’ve told ye once already what I thought about it.”

She had?

“Aye, I ken what ye said. But do ye remember what I said, lass?” Brenda countered her.

I could hear Airen’s breathing as she struggled to keep her composure.

“I ken fine what ye said, but I’ll no waver. They leave. They always leave!”

Enough was enough. I braced myself, eyes closed, and took the two steps that would bring me to the door of Brenda’s office. When my eyes snapped open, I realized two things at once. Airen was pissed, and she was barreling out the door at me.

I caught her up in my arms as she flailed, sending us tumbling. As I hit the ground, I turned at the last second to keep from falling on her. She shrieked in my ear, landing on my chest hard enough to bruise me. Our heads cracked together with the momentum, making both of us groan at the impact.

I locked my arms around her. One on her shoulder, the other on her hip, keeping her pressed against me in a most favorable position, only it wasn’t favorable with two gawking women hovering at the doorway.

Airen’s head rested against my chest as she groaned hot against the material of my shirt. “Jesus, Mary and Joseph, my head.”

I lifted my hand from her shoulder, cradling her head against me as I blinked away the starburst of white dots that exploded behind my eyelids. I’d worry about what her aunt thought when I could stand up.

Airen pushed up as far as she could and slid off me to her knees. Her hands held the sides of her face as she planted her elbows on her legs.

Coming up on one arm, I moved back far enough to lean against the wall. I hadn’t been taken down like that since I played high school football. Airen, for as small as she was, would have made one hell of a linebacker.

The other lady, standing beside Brenda, bristled as she walked over and kicked me in the thigh. “And who do ye think ye are, manhandling my daughter like that?”

Oh God, my head throbbed against the loudness of her voice and the knowledge that the other lady was in fact Airen’s mother.

Dragging my hands down my face, I sighed deeply and made myself get up from the floor. I wavered for a second with one hand braced against the wall. When the dots receded and the swaying stopped, I reached down to help Airen to her feet.

She didn’t fight me.
Much.
But she couldn’t stand on her own either, so I tucked her against my left side, wrapping my arm around her and sliding my thumb through her belt loop for added measure.

When I knew she wouldn’t waver, I stuck my right hand out, introducing myself to her mother. “Aiden Jacobsen, ma’am. It’s nice to meet you.”