More Than a Mission - Caridad Pineiro [67]
“These things were murders, Ms. Moore. Cold-blooded, for-hire assassinations,” Shaw said.
The woman was a little more sympathetic. She laid a well-manicured hand over hers and squeezed reassuringly. “Look, my sister…She got into trouble, too. But I was able to help her.”
“Help her? Like maybe we can do an intervention? Or maybe there’s an anti-assassin patch that’ll curb her need to kill?” Anger laced her words, mostly because despite the proof before her, she couldn’t believe her sister was what they said.
“Maybe there’s a reason why she did this,” Aidan offered from across the way.
She picked up her head and shot him a glare. “A reason? How about that maybe you’re wrong?”
“Maybe what happened to your parents pushed her over the edge,” Shaw piped in.
Out of the corner of her eye, she examined the man beside her. Attractive, if you liked the Nordic type, which she obviously did since she’d given it up to Aidan. But his eyes weren’t as clear a blue and his hair not as blond. And she could sense the tension between him and Aidan.
Although right now he was trying to be sympathetic. Caring. Possibly open to her pleas about Dani. “When Ma and Da were killed, Dani lost it. She felt guilty that she hadn’t gone with them that morning. We had both slept in after a school dance.”
“Did you feel the guilt?” Shaw asked.
“Wouldn’t you?” she shot back quickly.
“If you’d gone, maybe you’d both be dead right now,” Aidan said.
She met his gaze. “Maybe. It didn’t make it any easier then. Not even now. You always wonder about the what if.”
“What if that’s what made Dani do this?” Lucia said and once again, squeezed her hand.
She considered it for only a moment. “Afterward…Dani wasn’t quite the same. She had always been a protector and after, it was even more extreme. She became everyone’s champion. Always there to right a wrong.”
“Maybe that’s how she justified all these kills. Except for Mitch, every one of these men were involved in nasty things. Seemingly above the law—”
“But not beyond the Sparrow’s own brand of justice,” Aidan finished for Shaw.
Even with that explanation, Elizabeth still couldn’t believe it and shook her head. “You’re wrong,” she reiterated.
“And if we’re not?” Shaw pressed, but Elizabeth didn’t get to answer as all three of their cell phones went off at the same time, creating a noisy cacophony in her front parlor.
Shaw was quickest on the draw and, as the other two waited, he listened quietly. His expression grew darker with each second that passed. When he hung up and slipped the phone back into its holder, he shot an uneasy glance between Aidan and Lucia.
“We’ve got major problems. Lord Southgate will brief us back at the hotel, Lucia. Aidan, I think it’s wiser for you to stay here. If the Sparrow’s back in town—”
“She’s bound to turn up around here. Brief me once you know more,” he said and rose, walked the other two to the door. Once they had left, he faced Elizabeth and said, “You’re not telling us everything about Dani.”
“What?” she said, uncertain of what information Aidan thought she might have. “I’ve told you everything I know.”
He strode over and suddenly loomed before her, his arms on either side of her on the back of the couch, effectively trapping her. “No, you haven’t.”
She tried to bat his arms away, but he held firm. With a sigh, she said, “What else could I possibly tell you?”
He knelt before her until there was no way she could avoid looking at him. Finally he said, “You can start by telling me where Dani is.”
Chapter 23
Dani hurried along the coast road, intent on reaching the cottage. She had to find out who the man was making moves on her sister.
She thought she had seen him today, after she had dropped by Kate’s to get the scoop on what was up. Kate was always the one in the know and things hadn’t changed. Their old friend had been able to tell Dani about Mr. Tall, Blond and Dangerous who had appeared in town right after Lizzy’s bartender had deserted her. A man who had made his attraction to Lizzy clear.
An attraction that even Kate had noticed was reciprocated