Page 112 of Barristers & Bones

I nodded and laid it out. As we sat and talked, I couldn’t help wondering how I’d ended up aligned with the Spade family. Necessity certainly made strange bedfellows.

Kilian shook his head as we finished up our meeting. “Luna just can’t catch a break.”

Leaning forward, I gazed at him. “She doesn’t need to catch a fucking break anymore, she’s got me now.” He studied me for a few seconds, then smiled.

Chapter 37

Luna

Less than a month after my mother left the second time, she returned with my uncle in tow. They cornered me outside the law school as I walked out with Milo. Her red face and disheveled clothes made me take a step back.

“You fucking bitch! Do you know what you’ve done?” she screeched as Milo blocked her from getting to me.

“I’ll call the campus police and have you arrested if you don’t control yourself, lady,” Milo warned.

“Fuck you!” she yelled, pointing her finger at us.

“Evelyn, step back. This isn’t what we talked about,” Alistair muttered as he tugged on her arm.

“I won’t step back,” she hissed. “You’re his daughter, alright. You’re the only other person who knew about those accounts. How did you get his passwords? Did your criminal friends hack into my phone or his computer?”

My eyes went round, and I stared at them. “What are you talking about?”

Alistair studied me, and I could see the resemblance to my father. His styled, light brown hair, posture, and clothing screamed good breeding and a country club membership. His eyes also held that same cold, reptilian gaze. Unease slid through me.

“What happened to the money, Luna?” he asked quietly.

I shook my head, my eyes wide in disbelief. “I don’t know, and why areyouhere? Are you two… together?” My voice held a note of shock. I wondered briefly if I was overacting, but I would have been shocked if I hadn’t already known about them.

“I’m just helping her get away from him. You, of all people, know what he’s capable of.”

Turning to my mother, I gazed at her earnestly. “I sent you the list of his account numbers, but it’s over ten years old and I was eleven when I copied it. Are you sure he even has those accounts?”

“Yes,” she hissed, glaring at me with frustration. “And the passwords to those accounts were changed yesterday. Montgomery came after me this morning when he found out they’d been emptied and he couldn’t get in.” Her voice hitched, and I knew she’d finally been the one on the receiving end of his brutal temper. “If the housekeeper hadn’t been there, I don’t know what would have happened.” My stomach lurched because I had a good idea.

Milo pushed her back and pulled me away from them. “So you came to confront Luna, probably leading that bastard right to her, even if she doesn’t know what the hell is going on.” He shook his head in disgust. Neither of them looked guilty or ashamed.

My eyes slid to my mother. “That email account you gave me to send the bank account numbers to. Does Alistair have access to it? And the passwords. Could he have gotten those as well?” Then I turned to Alistair. “I don’t remember you very well, Uncle, but I do recall you being audited by the IRS, and your company paying some hefty penalties. I doubt you would have any problem cheating my parents out of their blood money.”

Evelyn stared at me and opened her mouth as if to deny my allegations, but I witnessed doubt and suspicion slowly seep in.

Alistair scoffed. “What are you insinuating?”

But when he turned to Evelyn, he saw the suspicion in her eyes. I stepped back as they silently stared at each other.

Milo took my arm. “Don’t contact Luna again or she’ll be filing a restraining order against you.” We turned and walked away, leaving them on the steps staring at each other.

On the drive home, I asked Milo to stop by the mortuary to check on Ezra and Sylvie. I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach.

He shook his head. “You can call them, but it’s too dangerous.”

“What did you mean when you told Evelyn she led my father right to me?” I asked.

Milo glanced at me. “Just what I said. I bet your father doesn’t trust anyone, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s already aware your mother is having an affair.”

The feeling in my stomach grew. “Milo, knowing what you know about my father, if you were him, what would you do?”

He glanced at me. “If I were him, I’d follow her and try to get the money back.”

---