Page 91 of Unexpected Entanglement

“And that’s bad?” Rae questioned. Her voice wasn’t thrilled.

“No, Rae,” Chris jumped in. “That’s not what they mean.”

“What do you mean, then?” Rae looked at the two siblings.

Kieran shrugged. “He’d probably think you’re a cousin or something. We have cousins with similar features.”

“Oh, cousins.” Rae chuckled, but there was no humor in her expression.

Kieran frowned. “What’s wrong with cousins?”

Knowing this thread would lead to digging up the past, Chris quickly took over. “Kieran meant nothing by that, Rae. Gibbes thinking you’re related shouldn’t be an issue. It’s just that he has been looking for ways to stir up trouble, probably because he wants them to sell the property. Your dad sold a few acres tohim—”

“He shouldn’t have done it,” Kieran said.

“What else could he do, Kieran? We needed the extra funds,” Rowan said.

Rae looked confused without the context. She listened to Rowan and Kieran argue with each other with draining patience. Chris was about to intervene again when Rae snapped her fingers at Rowan and Kieran. The two turned to her with identical raised eyebrows.

“You two going to keep arguing? Or are you going to tell me what the hell is going on?” Rae asked.

“Did you just snap your fingers at us?” Kieran asked.

Rae ignored the question and pointedly asked him, “Who is Connor Gibbes? And why is he a problem?”

Kieran fumbled at the direct questions but answered, “He’s the big guy on the island. He owns the biggest lobster fleet. He wants our land. According to Dad, he’s always wanted it. This property has been Kelly land going back three generations before us. Ever since Dad sold eighty-something acres to him, he’s been pushing me for more.”

“So you told him no,” Rae said. “What’s the problem?”

“Problems started popping up around the property,” Rowan answered. “Unexplainable incidents.”

“Incidents that have caused injuries,” Chris added, showing Rowan’s cut hand that had mostly healed. “And there was a break-in yesterday.”

“Do you have proof linking Gibbes to these incidents?” Rae asked.

“No.” All four of them answered in unison.

“Then how do you know it’s him? Why would someone like Connor Gibbes stoop to B&E? What is his goal?” Rae questioned.

“To make it hard for me to reopen this inn. He probably thinks I’ll give up if things get too hard, and we’ll sell then,” Rowan reasoned. “God knows the thought has crossed my mind.”

Kieran squeezed Rowan’s shoulder. “He doesn’t know how hard-headed you can be.”

Rae watched the bond between Rowan and Kieran before she looked at Chris. “You agree with this theory?”

“I just got a feeling about the guy—”

A loud knock interrupted him, and the front door opened, taking their attention to a middle-aged, balding man peeking through the opening. Rowan stood up abruptly.

“Bruce? What are you doing here?” she asked. “Do we have an appointment?”

“No. Do you have a minute?” Bruce requested.

“Who is he?” Chris asked Rowan in a low voice.

“Health inspector,” she replied quietly, then said louder to Bruce. “Of course.”

Rowan excused herself from the group and went to the door. Chris followed her. They stood and faced the inspector together.

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