Page 37 of Roark
Ridge did something with his eyes that clearly relayed a “duh” expression. “Because you’re not good with women.”
Roark was about to reply to that comment with vehement disagreement, but then he thought there was a better use of his time. “Look, you wanted to know what’s going on, so just listen.”
Ridge sat back and smirked. “I’m listening.”
There was no key Roark could hit that would take him through the screen so he could strangle his know-it-all brother. “This woman had been sending me text messages the week after Mum died. I ignored them, because I didn’t know who she was. I met her out here Saturday morning when I arrived, and later that day, her mother’s cottage was set on fire.”
“Wait.” Ridge leaned closer to the screen. “Some random woman wanted to meet with you, and you agreed to leave London to meet her. Then her mother’s house catches on fire—is her mother dead? And Gibbons came to see you? Call me crazy, but I feel like you’re still leaving something out.”
Roark took a deep breath and released it with a huff. “Her mother’s alive and in the hospital. Their housekeeper was also injured, and she’s in the hospital too. A year ago, her father was killed in a fire. In her father’s office, she found a letter written by Mum three days before her father died.”
Ridge looked like Roark had felt the moment he’d heard about the fire at Sandra Rayder’s cottage. “Whoa.”
“Yeah, that about sums it up.”
The raise of Ridge’s brow said he was intrigued. “Does this woman have a name?”
“Tamika Rayder.”
“Is she good-looking?”
Roark shook his head. “You’re a jerk.”
“Nah, I’m a man, and so are you, sometimes. So, is she good-looking or not?” Ridge wasn’t about to let this go.
“She’s fine.”
“She’sfineor she’s fine as in she doesn’t have a temperature or need medical attention?”
Roark chuckled. “Again, you’re a jerk. Tamika came to me because she thought there might be a connection between her father’s death and Mum’s. Then her mother’s cottage caught fire, and now Gibbons and another detective out here think there’s a connection too. Actually, they think Tamika and I are conspiring to kill our parents for the insurance money.”
“Wow.” Ridge took a deep breath and released it the same way Roark had just done. “What are you going to do?”
“Cade and someone from his team named Pierce are looking into it.”
“Well, there goes your calming retreat.”
“Yeah. I thought I was going to have some quiet time here in the clubhouse alone, but now Tamika’s staying here because she can’t go back to the cottage and—”
“Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. This woman you can’t tell me is good-looking or not is staying in the same house with you? Man, this is good! I mean, it’s not good because people are being hurt and you’re both suspects, but it is good, because if there’s one thing that can help keep you calm, it’s sex with a good-looking woman.”
There was a knock at Roark’s door, and he welcomed the interruption. “For the last time, you’re a jerk,” he told his brother with a chuckle. “And I gotta go. I’ll call Suri later today and touch base with you about what’s going on tomorrow.”
Ridge was also laughing now. “Yeah, keep me posted. And seriously, man, if you need me to come out there, just say the word. Like I said before, we’re in this together.”
Roark nodded. “Yeah, I know, bro. I’ll call you tomorrow.” After disconnecting the call with his brother, Roark went to the door and opened it, his light mood taking a tumble when he met Geoff’s gaze.
“Agent Rawlings is in the den, sir.”
“Thanks, Geoff. I’ll be right down. Have you—”
Geoff nodded. “After you asked the last time, I called Vaughn. He’s the driver I assigned to Ms. Rayder this morning. He said Ms. Rayder was finished at the hospital but that she wanted him to drive past the cottage and then they’d be on their way back to the clubhouse. That was a short while ago, so I expect they’ll arrive any minute now.”
Roark felt a little embarrassed that Geoff had known what question he was about to ask. And that he was even asking the question, again. He shouldn’t care where she was or how long it was taking her to get back here. She was an adult with her own life, and so was he. “Thanks, Geoff. I’ll come down to see Agent Rawlings now.”
Roark wanted to ask the man what he thought about Colin Hopkins being a suspect. Even though that wouldn’t explain his mother’s murder, Roark thought Colin was a good fit for wanting to kill Tamika’s parents. From his track record and the way Tamika had described him, the guy sounded like the controlling type who would’ve been out of his mind with rage at the fact that she’d walked out on him. There was no doubt Tamika loved her parents above anyone and everything else, so it wasn’t a jump to know that hurting them, killing them, would destroy her.
Roark found Pierce in the den, pacing, his black lace-up shoes moving over the plush forest green rug. “What’s wrong?” he asked the moment he was close enough. The questions he’d just had in his head to ask were now lost with the look of concern etched on the guy’s face.
