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Marley stifled another yawn, eyes watering, and struggled to focus on her computer screen. The promotion to assistant manager meant more money and less physical labor on the job, but some days she missed the close contact she’d had with the residents as a care aide.
“Another late night last night with someone?” said a rough voice behind her. “Or are they working you too hard as usual?”
She swiveled her chair around and smiled at Henry. He usually stopped by around this time every day to visit for a few minutes.
As assistant manager she technically shouldn’t have favorites amongst the residents here, but Henry was absolutely her favorite—and one of a kind. A former Marine in his late eighties, he was a little rough around the edges with a wry sense of humor that was an acquired taste for many, and he had an adorably soft spot for her. They’d hit it off right away on her first week here when she’d first been hired.
“Long night,” she said. After tossing and turning in Everleigh and Grady’s guest-room bed for another night, then dealing with the police and insurance company again before work this morning, her concentration had been shit all day and she was fading fast.
On the bright side, she only had another hour to go and then she could head home. Not to bed where she belonged, because her brother was due to arrive around dinnertime.
She was really looking forward to his company, the sense of safety and stability he’d always given their broken little family. “What mischief are you getting up to today?”
His white, spiky eyebrows lifted. “Mischief? Me?”
“Now I’m even more concerned.” She rested her forearms on her desk and gave him a playfully stern look. “What have you done?”
He blinked. “Nothin’.”
“I’m not convinced.”
He waved it away. “Don’t try to deflect this at me. Is it a guy? It’s a guy, isn’t it.” He sounded convinced.
“Henry. You know I can’t talk about—”
“What’d he do?” he growled, a menacing look in his eye.
She sighed and held his gaze for a long moment, debating on how much to tell him. She made it a point not to share things about her personal life with residents, but she and Henry had grown close over the year she’d worked here. He knew more about her, her background and family than anyone else in Crimson Point besides Everleigh.
“He let me believe he’s been dead for over a year, but it turns out that’s not the case.” She left out the shooting bit because he would worry about her too much. He was eighty-seven and had heart issues.
His watery blue eyes bulged. “Shit, are you serious?”
“Yes.” She’d been tormenting herself about it ever since Warwick had walked through her door two nights ago.
“What the hell,” he muttered, face darkening.
“Yeah. So it’s been...kind of a long week so far.” She was still struggling to process everything. Wasn’t sure it was even possible to process what had happened.
Henry shuffled his walker forward and leaned in to brace his forearms on the counter, eying her with fire burning in his faded eyes. “You give me his name and location, and I’ll fuck him up.”
A laugh burst out of her. She never knew what was going to come out of Henry’s mouth. “You know what, Henry? I believe you would.”
His chin came up. “You’re damn right I would. Asshole. So where’s he at?”
“I wish I knew.” For all she knew he’d taken off again and left town. Might be on his way back to the UK or somewhere else overseas at that very moment.
Henry set his jaw. “Well, whoever he is, the bastard doesn’t deserve you. You can do way better.”
She smiled faintly. “Thanks.” Her track record with romantic relationships wasn’t exactly stellar. Her family relationships had been a bit rocky too, especially with Decker.
Then Warwick had blindsided her and she’d fallen head over heels, had honestly thought he was different. That what they’d had was something real and lasting she could build a future on.
Wrong again. The man had let her think he was dead all this time rather than tell her the truth. Why?
Sick of driving herself insane about it, she put her fingers back on the keyboard and cleared her throat. “Anyway, I’ll be okay.” She was strong. She’d been through painful shit before. She’d get through this too. Somehow.
“Yeah?” Henry didn’t sound convinced.
“My brother’s coming into town to stay with me for a few weeks.”
“One of the twins?”
“The eldest. He’s got an interview with a company here. If all goes well, he might be moving here permanently.”
“Glad to hear it. Your family should appreciate you more.”
“Henry?”
They both looked over at the young care aide who’d called his name from the hallway.
“It’s time for your shave.” She waved a bottle of shaving cream in her hand and smiled.
Henry scowled. “This new recruit is a pain in my ass,” he muttered to Marley. “She’s always fussing over me. I don’t like being fussed over. I’m a goddamn Marine. Told her that, but it didn’t make a damn bit of difference.”
He was so adorably gruff. How could she not have a soft spot for him? “Your toughness is just one reason why I love you so much.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “And don’t you dare tell anyone I said that.”
His expression shifted. For a moment he looked almost embarrassed, then the tips of his ears turned pink and the side of his mouth tugged upward. “They couldn’t torture it out of me.”
“I don’t doubt that.”
“Good.” He slapped his hands on the countertop and straightened. Slowly, his stiff joints hampering him. “Give me a SITREP on your situation if there’s an update. And if you need anything, anything at all, I’m here for you.” He paused to look her dead in the eye. “I know it probably doesn’t seem like much because I’m an old fart with a walker, but I mean it. I still know how to use a weapon and hide a body.”
The backs of her eyes began to sting. Shit, was he trying to make her cry right here in front of everybody? “I know. And same goes for me.”
“But you’re not an old fart.”
She laughed again. “Not yet. Getting there though.” Especially on the inside. She felt ancient right now.
His grin flashed in the midst of his white stubble.
“Henry? Come on.” The new aide waved him over from the hallway. “Visiting time’s over.”
He rolled his eyes, a scowl falling into place as he shuffled his walker around and headed her way. “Damn fussy woman,” he muttered under her breath.
The visit with Henry had actually made Marley feel a lot better. She was able to focus on the rest of the work she needed to get done, and the text from Decker confirming he’d arrived in Portland further lifted her mood.
On the drive home, she held on to the excitement at seeing her brother. Any nerves or awkwardness were obliterated in the face of everything else. Besides, she had zero control over the situation with Warwick. She didn’t know where he was, didn’t have a way of contacting him, and wasn’t going to hire someone at Crimson Point Security to track him down.
She needed to accept that he was alive, didn’t want her, and move on.
Resolved, she pushed aside her fatigue and got busy in the kitchen, losing herself in the familiar rhythm of cooking a meal. It only took twenty minutes to throw together Decker’s favorite meal and pop it in the oven, and the time in the kitchen helped give her something else to focus on.
She heard a vehicle pull up out front. The window was still boarded up so she went over and looked through the peephole in the door.
Sheer joy filled her when she saw Decker’s tall frame step out of the SUV. She threw open the door, stood there grinning like a lunatic as he wheeled his suitcase up the walkway.
“Hi.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him hard. He was taller than her, almost six-four, with chocolate-brown hair and hazel eyes. “God it’s good to see you.”
He gave her a slightly awkward one-armed hug in return, and her heart squeezed. Technically they were half-siblings but she’d only ever thought of him fully as her brother.
The one she’d secretly hero-worshipped her entire life. The one whose approval she’d always tried to earn. Only three years separated them, but she’d always seen him as a kind of father figure. Probably because he’d been forced to take on the role of provider and head of the family at eighteen.
“You too.” The second she released him, he nodded at the window, face grim. Still imposing. Still frustratingly aloof. “You find out what happened yet?”
“No, but I’m fine. Come in and get settled. You must be starving.”
He walked in, took off his shoes and inhaled appreciatively, shooting her a look. “No. Is that...”
“Homemade chicken pot pie? Why yes, it is.” She used frozen puff pastry for the top and a rotisserie chicken and chopped frozen veggies in the filling, making it super simple to whip together. Bit of butter and flour and broth to make a nice roux, add in some broth, and cream, and voilà. Heaven in a casserole dish.
He groaned. “If I’d known you were making this, I’d have driven faster.”
She lifted an eyebrow and snorted. “And I’m not reason enough to risk a speeding ticket for?”
His teasing expression turned serious. “That’s not what I meant.”
Apparently he wasn’t in the mood for teasing. “I know. Come on.” She directed him to the guestroom, let him put his stuff away and was plating them both pot pie when he walked into the kitchen several minutes later. “Beer?”
“Yeah, that’d be great.” He joined her at the table, gave her a smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth and made his eyes twinkle. “It’s good to see you, Mar.”
She smiled back, chest tightening. “Happy to have you. It’s been too long.” She raised her own beer. “Cheers, Deck.”
They tapped bottles, took a sip, and then dug into their dinner. “So tell me more about the job you’re applying for at Crimson Point Security.” Getting him to talk about financial or work-related stuff was always a sure way to keep the conversation going.
“There are two possible openings I’m interested in. One’s for a specialized personal protection slot, and the other’s for recruitment.” He took another bite of the pastry and filling before continuing. “I’ve built up a good network and a lot of contacts over the years. Figured I could put them to good use. Guys—and women,” he added hastily, “are looking for good options outside the military. The company’s got a really good rep.”
“I know. They’re growing like crazy, too. Nadia said they’re interviewing people all the time for different positions.”
“Who?”
“Oh. Callum’s wife.” He was basically Ryder Locke’s right-hand-man and helped run the company. “They both live in town and I’m in a book club with her.”
He nodded, went back to eating. She loved seeing people she cared about eating and enjoying her cooking. Something about providing nourishment satisfied her on a deep level.
“The boys might be interested in applying too, once they’re out.”
He meant the twins. “Yeah? They’ve only got what, another six months left on their contracts?”
“Give or take. I told them I’d report back after my interview.”
“It’s next week, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Great. That gives me the whole weekend to show you around.” And a much-needed distraction from her own heartache.
He didn’t comment, just kept eating. When he finished, she took his plate and got him seconds. All three of her brothers were massive eaters. He picked up his fork, pinned her with a hard look. “So what’s going on with the insurance company and whatever?”
She lowered her gaze and focused on her own dinner, not wanting to get into the details. “They’re going to send out someone to do a report and give a quote in the next day or two.”
“And the cops haven’t said anything yet?”
“No, but I’m pretty sure the shooter meant to target next door instead.”
He didn’t look any happier about that, jaw tight as he eyed her. “And?”
“And...?”
“You’re hiding something. I know it.”
She shrugged. He was too damn perceptive with her. “No, it’s nothing. Just a guy thing, but that’s done now. He’s gone.” For the second time, again without a word. But goddammit, she was still furious with him for ripping her wounds open all over again. If he hadn’t planned on sticking around, why bother coming here in the first place?
Her phone rang in her pocket. She fished it out. “It’s work. I better take this.” Decker grunted and kept eating, so she answered. “Hi.”
“It’s Bev.”
“Hey. Everything okay?”
“Well...no, actually.”
She straightened. “Why, what’s wrong?”
“It’s Henry.”
No. “What happened?”
“We think he had a massive heart attack. The ambulance is rushing him to the hospital right now.”
Oh, God, not Henry. “Was he conscious?”
“No. I’m sorry, Marley. Thought you’d want to know.”
“Yes, thank you. I’m on my way.” She shoved her chair back as she ended the call and stood, swallowing past the lump in her throat to face her brother.
“What’s wrong?” Decker asked, frowning in concern.
She could handle a lot. She prided herself on it, on not getting flighty under stress. But too damn much had happened in the past forty-eight hours and she didn’t think she was steady enough to drive herself. “I need to go to the hospital. Can you take me?”
“Yeah, of course,” he said, jumping up and heading to the door with her.
An hour later, she walked out of Emergency into a cold rain, drained, sad...and angry. Henry was still holding on, but it didn’t look good. The doctor had told her it was unlikely that Henry would make it.
It wasn’t fair. He would hate lingering this way. If it was his time, she wanted it to be quick and painless. Not lying in an ICU bed strapped to a bunch of machines, waiting to die.
The only thing that had remotely helped was that Grady had been on shift. He’d let her in to see Henry briefly, had explained what was going on, then sat with her while she held Henry’s gnarled, age-spotted hand for a few minutes.
The grizzled old Marine she’d come to love had no family left. No one to be with him. She’d wanted him to know he wasn’t alone.
Rain pattered on her jacket as she stepped down off the curb and started toward the parking lot. Decker was parked somewhere on the other side waiting.
Partway there, she saw another man making his way across the lot in front of her. He heard her footsteps and glanced back. Froze.
She stopped too, riveted to the spot.
Apparently the universe wasn’t done throwing jabs at her yet, because for the second time in forty-eight hours, Warwick James was once again standing in front of her.
