Page 41 of Triplet Tease

“The place was raided. Wow.” What the hellwent on there? It wasn’t my kind of a place, but it all seemedabove board.

“Why was the owner arrested?” Finn asked ashe picked up the bottle of maple syrup and held it in his hand.

She shrugged. “I’ve no idea. You tell me.”

He took the common expression as a literalquestion. “How would I know?”

“Well, you and Eton were drinking with him.Then you insisted I leave with you. Thirty minutes later, the policeare in there checking everyone’s ID. It looks a bit suspicious.”

Putting down his coffee cup on the table, Etonsaid, “We didn’t have a drink with the owner.” But he didn’tlook so sure. “Did we?”

“Apparently, yes. A sleazy guy called Lee.Ring any bells?”

“Both the guys sitting with us were sleazy;one was called Liam. Black hair, mustache.”

Siena nodded. “So, you guys don’t knowanything about it?”

Finn poured far too much maple syrup on hispancakes and cleared his throat. “Honestly, Siena, the guy was acreep. I wouldn’t be surprised what he was involved in.”

“Well, the girls are all legit. Gill keepsthe books and bar straight, so she’s sure we’re all fine. But shecan’t say for sure what other shit Lee might have his fingers in.She wonders if he’s involved in money laundering.”

“Well, we don’t know him or anything aboutthe raid,” Finn said firmly and filled his mouth with sugarypancakes.

“Or monkey laundering,” Eton mumbled underhis breath but loud enough for me to hear. He tapped a finger on theside of his plate. “It’s not strictly true. We do know somethingabout Liam. He’s a crook, one way or the other. He was posing as anillegal monkey dealer. If it’s true, maybe they caught up with himfor that.”

Siena narrowed her eyes. “You guys aren’tinvolved in any illegal monkey business?”

I covered my smile with my hand. Her cleverchoice of words seemed accidental, and I didn’t want her to think Iwasn’t taking things seriously enough, or worse, that I wasinvolved in illegal monkey business.

“Hell, no. We are everything I’ve told you.A vet, an architect, and a photographer.”

“And you’re staying in a lovely apartmentand have a lot of money for three men who’ve just taken six monthsoff work. I don’t know you guys. The only thing I know is that youmet Lee, Lee of all people, in a lap-dancing bar for business.” Sheplaced air quotes around the word business, and I wondered what thehell the guys had said to her. She had a good point, and she lookedat Finn for an answer.

I reckoned Eton and Finn had created enoughchaos here, and I’d have a go at sorting things out. “Siena, Idon’t know what these guys have told you about us, but let meexplain.”

She stood up. “Look. Save it. I’ve got togo and figure out a life, and the money in my bank account won’tlast long without another job.” She stepped toward the hall. “Eton,I’ll just get my things from your room, and I’ll be gone. I’msorry to put a downer on the morning, guys. I did have a great timelast night, and that’s how I want to remember you all. It seems ourparents are going to be married, but apart from the wedding, we don’tever have to meet again.” She was just about to disappear into thehall when she stopped. “Just keep me informed about whatever coverstory you decide upon for the fact that you two were in bed together.I don’t suppose either of our parents will want to know what reallywent on, and my mom won’t ask me, but if you need me to cover foryou with some made-up story, I can.”

We were all out of our seat and standing as shespoke, but not one of us made a move to stop her.

When I heard Eton’s bedroom door close andknew she must have gone inside, I turned to my brothers. “Neitherof you told her that we’re loaded? She sees a bunch of young menwho mix with lowlife and live the high life without any obviousincome to pay for it.”

Both of my brothers looked guilty as theyrealized how things must have looked to her.

“She has no reason to believe a word we sayright now.”

Finn opened his mouth, but I had no time tolisten to him.

“And the fact that you paid her to come backhere last night just makes it so much worse. I can’t…” I shookmy head. “Both of you, stay here.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

SIENA

Icouldn’t flounce out as quickly as I wanted because I wasn’tdressed. Isplashedwater on my face in an attempt to clear my head andwashedmy hands in Eton’s bathroom, and I took off the top he’d loanedme and put on my dress from last night. Thankfully, I had a big coatto put on over the top. It took just a few minutes before I was readyto leave. Then I made my escape.

I didn’t see any of the triplets on my wayout. None of them tried to stop me. I pulled the door closed anddecided to take the stairs to the ground floor. I couldn’t get outof that claustrophobic building fast enough.

At the street level, I saw a taxi parked up ina good spot to pick up the wealthy people who stayed in places likethis. Unfortunately, I felt like a Pretty-Woman type hooker sneakingout after a long night’s work. I didn’t belong in a building likethis. And I felt more out of place as two police officers got out ofthe squad car that was parked in front of the cab and walked towardme. Guiltily, I tried to avoid eye contact, but it was difficult notto stare as the officers looked identical. It wasn’t just theiruniforms; I was seeing twins everywhere. The two identical copscontinued straight past me.

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