Page 36 of Sins and Salvation

I waketo a man's voice, low and urgent. For a moment, I think it's Declan, that he's somehow made it to Kerry. Then I recognize Jack's tone as he argues with someone downstairs.

I throw on a robe and creep to the landing, peering down into the foyer.

Jack blocks the door, his hand inside his jacket where I'm sure he keeps a gun. "You can't come in. Mr. Donovan's orders."

"I just need to talk to her," a woman says, her back to me. "Five minutes."

"No visitors. Period."

"Please." The woman's voice breaks. "She needs to know what's happening."

I step onto the stairs. "Who is it, Jack?"

Both heads turn toward me. The woman is blond, pretty, and vaguely familiar.

"Mrs. Brennan, go back to your room," Jack says. "I've got this."

"Maeve." The woman steps forward. "You don't remember me, do you? I'm Fiona. Declan's cousin. We met once, years ago."

The face and the voice, I remember—a birthday party at the Donovan house, before I knew what kind of family they really were. She was drunk, and Declan’s dad got pissy about it.

"What are you doing here?" I ask.

"I need to talk to you. It's about Declan and Siobhan."

Jack moves between us. "Mrs. Brennan, I don't advise?—"

"It's okay," I say. "Let her in."

"Mr. Donovan said?—"

"I don't care what Mr. Donovan said. This is about my son's father."

Jack reluctantly steps aside, but his hand stays near his weapon as Fiona enters.

I lead her to the kitchen, aware of Jack hovering in the doorway. "Talk fast."

"Cormac isn't telling you everything," she says, voice low. "Siobhan didn't just shoot Declan. She took him."

Ice fills my veins. "What?"

"He's not at Cormac's right now. They don't know where he is. Siobhan's men grabbed him after she shot him."

"That's impossible. Cormac called me. He said Declan was sedated, recovering."

Fiona shakes her head. "He lied. They're searching for him, but—" She glances at Jack. "The family's divided. Some think Cormac should pay whatever Siobhan wants. Others want to go in guns blazing."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because you deserve to know. And because I might know where they're keeping him. Because I have a son too, and this family is fucking stupid."

Jack steps forward. "That's enough. You need to leave."

"Wait," I say. "Where? Where is he?"

"There's an old fishing cabin north of here. It belonged to our grandfather. No one uses it anymore, but Siobhan and I used to play there as kids. Manky old place, but good for hiding things."

"And you think she took him there? Why not tell Cormac?"

---