Page 57 of Roark
“And what if it doesn’t?” Roark asked the question he knew everyone was thinking.
“We’re going to focus on the first step for now, Kaymen’s endgame,” Cade said. “Stopping him before he can put his plan in motion.”
“How are you going to do that? Do you even know where this guy is?” Ridge asked.
“Once we knew it was Kaymen, we dug up everything we could find about him. It wasn’t much, especially not after the accident. His parents even had a funeral for him. Everybody thought he was dead. We know somebody had to help him out of that ditch. He would’ve been injured, badly burned, so there’s no possibility he just walked away on his own. Besides, if he had, he would’ve immediately gone in search of his friends.” Pierce shook his head. “We didn’t find any medical records, and there’s nothing on Kaymen after that time. No credit cards, no jobs, no home, no action on his social security number at all. He’s basically been dead for forty-five years.”
“So why did he come back now?” Ridge asked.
“That’s a good question,” Cade said. “But more importantly for us, how did Aunt Max know he was coming back long before he walked into her house and burned her alive? And why, if she knew he was eventually going to come for her, didn’t she do something to try to stop him, or at the very least protect herself?”
“Cadence, the food is getting cold,” Aunt Birdie shouted from where she stood in the doorway, and the four men turned to look at her.
“Uh, yes, ma’am. I’m coming now,” Cade said. “We’re on top of this. All you need to do is keep your security detail. Pierce and I will work out the rest.”
Pierce nodded. “Right. I’m circling back to the MPD now to speak with the Chief Detective about last night’s developments. I’ll touch base with you later today, Cade. Since you’ve got to go eat your breakfast.” The sarcasm was thick in Pierce’s tone and if he weren’t such a serious, strait-laced agent, Roark might have chuckled at him.
Cade only grinned. “No shame in my game,” he quipped and turned to walk toward Aunt Birdie.
Pierce had left the room first but before Cade and Aunt Birdie could leave, Geoff appeared.
“Sir,” Geoff said, looking directly at Roark. “Dorianne informed me earlier this morning that we had more guests. Is there anything else I can get for you or them?”
“No, Geoff, thank you. We’re okay for now,” Roark said.
“You work here too?” Aunt Birdie asked Geoff. She was staring at him strangely, and Roark moved to stand closer just in case she went off on a tangent and he needed to get her out of the room quickly.
“I do,” Geoff said. He turned to Aunt Birdie and bowed in front of her. “I’m Geoffrey Ewing, Concierge of Donovan Manor, and I’m at your service.”
Aunt Birdie continued to stare at him. “I knew a man named Ewing before,” she said quietly and then just as abruptly she waved Geoff out of her way and continued walking back toward the dining room.
Cade followed her, leaving Roark, Ridge and now Geoff to stare after them.
“Love her to pieces, but I swear she’s a strange one,” Ridge said when Aunt Birdie was clearly out of earshot.
Roark didn’t reply but he was surprised to hear Geoff say, “We all have one in the family, I guess.”
Geoff walked away, and Ridge looked at Roark. The brothers both shrugged and chuckled before going back to the dining room to join the others.
“Hey, you.” Roark breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of her. When she lifted her head and smiled, he inhaled even deeper at the quick onslaught of desire that punched him in the gut the moment he realized she was sitting in the hot tub.
“Hey. Long time no see,” she replied.
It’d been a long time, all day and a good portion of the night, which was why he’d gone around asking everyone currently staying in the clubhouse if they’d seen her. He’d finally lucked out when Dorianne said she’d suggested Tamika come here for a little peace and quiet.
“I see you found a place to hide out for a while.” He continued walking toward her.
The clubhouse had an indoor and outdoor pool, just like the manor. This part of the house was located on the far west end. She hadn’t switched on all the lights, so it was dark when he’d looked through the glass doors, but something had told him to enter anyway, and Roark was more than glad he had.
“Aunt Birdie and Tuppence have a war of words going anytime they’re in a room together. My mother’s crying a lot, and Suri looks at me like she knows something I don’t.” She shrugged. “It just got a little overwhelming.”
“I can imagine.” He was closer now, the steam from the bubbling water reaching up to make the skin on his arms feel warm.
After dinner, he’d gone for a run around the property. It served a double purpose, one because he’d been off his workout regimen since coming here and two, he’d wanted to see the security he and Devlin had put in place. He wanted to make sure they were being protected from all ends. Ridge had opted not to stay at the clubhouse even though, after learning what was going on, Aunt Birdie had thought it best they all stay in one place. Ridge thought that would make them all sitting ducks, and he’d walked out amid Aunt Birdie’s ramblings.
She leaned back against the lip of the hot tub. “I heard you went for a run.”
He nodded. “Yeah, I did. Relaxed me a bit, I guess. Then I had a shower before coming to look for you.”
