CHAPTER SEVEN

– DWIGHT –

“You’re up early,” Prez states from beside me.

I glance his way. “Only because I went to bed in the afternoon and didn’t even spend half the time sleeping.”

Perrin chuckles. “Glad to hear you properly claimed your old lady.”

Shoving the coffee pot back I ask, “Why the hell are you up early? Everything okay with Meadow?”

“Meadow is fine. She’s still sleeping actually. Spence called me an hour ago. He told me they managed to find Caddy’s mother. The house she was living in was part of a real estate investment owned by Holt Bridges, but a few months ago the ownership was transferred to a company that they’ve managed to link to Caddy.”

I turn to face him. “Really? He throws his wife out of his house all those years ago, but still supports her by letting her live in a damn building he owns?”

Perrin shakes his head. “No. Spence had Roux, his computer intel guy, run a thorough background check. I hate to say it, but that fucker is better than Cecil, or Cecil still has a lot to learn. Anyway, he thinks due to the date of purchase and all that Caddy was the one who bought the building using her father’s funds. Holt would never have known about it since Caddy was the one managing the books. She might have had a long time planning ahead, wanting her mother in her corner since she hated Marlene, and eventually, her father after she discovered Marlene wasn’t her sister.”

That makes sense. “Caddy gained all the power at her fingertips when she took over the books. She did plan all of it, the shit with Liam and Sylvan, wanting to create a huge stash of money before she brought down her father. Killing him was probably not the way she wanted him to go down. She was making his business bleed by embezzling money, that’s why he was in debt. I’ve gone over Holt’s finances because his cruise ship business has always been profitable. Caddy was building up her revenge while making sure she was financially stable for when the time came to cut her loss and disappear.”

“Right. So, the question is…if she has a nest egg in place…why the fuck is she still around risking getting caught?” Perrin questions.

“Because she’s a vindictive bitch,” Marlene states as she strolls into the kitchen. “Can I have some coffee? Don’t tell Brixton. He read some books and now he’s an expert on pregnancy and what I should and shouldn’t be doing, eating, drinking, whatever. But I need coffee, and I sure as hell can have one freaking cup of it.”

Perrin and I share a look. Judging from his expression, and the fact his wife is pregnant as well, he’s going to side with Brixton. That’s why I take my phone in hand and quickly search pregnancy and coffee.

The first hit I get is what I read out loud. “It says here you should limit. One cup won’t hurt.”

Marlene shoots me a grin. “Exactly.”

Perrin frowns but stays quiet while I fix them both a cup.

“So, this is why I had to drag myself out of bed to get my own coffee instead of waiting for you to come back,” Rowan states with a smile on her face when she wanders into the kitchen.

I hold out her mug. “Sorry, darlin’, I got caught up in discussing stuff with Prez.”

She shrugs and takes a seat at the kitchen table right next to Marlene. Perrin and I also bring our coffee as we each take a chair.

“As teenagers, Caddy would ignore me for days, and then be right back in my face with whatever she plotted during that time. She hasn’t changed, well…she became more vicious and murderous. My father used to take her side at first because she always made it seem she was the innocent one. It got worse when he found out she was the one lashing out. I had no clue why she hated me…I mean, it wasn’t my fault her mother kidnapped me as a baby.”

Rowan reaches out and covers Marlene’s hand with hers. “Definitely not your fault. Some people are wired differently. Brains are complicated and to think we don’t even use our full brain capacity. Reasoning, the principles of right or wrong, empathy, each and every person has their own dash thrown into a mixture of it that shows in their actions and motivation. It’s also why we have brilliant scientists, and yes, some of those are really insane as well. See? Twisted people are among us, it’s why the guys sitting across from us do what they do.”

Marlene glances at me and Perrin. “Ride their Jet Skis, bikes, play with their boats and shoot the shit?”

“She has a very low opinion of us,” Perrin grumbles.

A low chuckle fills the kitchen when Brixton strolls toward Marlene. “Nah, she’s just cranky if she’s up early and hasn’t had her coffee yet.”

Marlene holds her mug with two hands and slightly turns away from her old man as if she needs to protect the treasure that’s her coffee.

“Managing a marina is hardly shooting the shit,” Perrin grumbles.

Rowan giggles and when Perrin glares at her she quickly covers her smile by bringing her mug toward her mouth.

Clearing her throat Rowan turns to Marlene and asks, “What did your sister do when she was shooting the shit?”

“Kayaking in the ocean or swimming laps. My father loved the sea and we all used to own a kayak. My dad didn’t have the time anymore with running the business, and I lost interest as well. For us, it was more of a hobby, but Caddy’s an expert.”

Suddenly all our interest is spiked. Damn. We’ve had inside information on the suspect without realizing it.

“No fucking wonder she could slip away the last time. She can handle herself perfectly in the open water,” Perrin states.

Marlene’s voice is small when she adds, “She also enjoys snorkeling.”

Brixton curses. “That’s beneficial. Not to mention, sea kayaks can have camping gear, food, and fuck knows what other supplies.”

“They are seaworthy, basically a boat fit for long journeys,” I grumble. “There’s your transportation, and she could stay anywhere if she’s camping. Everything she’s done with booking a hotel–”

“Is to throw us off and to keep our focus on land,” Brixton snaps.

“Oh, that’s smart.” Rowan winces. “Sorry. I didn’t mean it as a compliment. I hate her, but she’s sneaky and pretty damn dangerous.”

“You can say that again. She could sneak up on us by coming through the fucking water,” Perrin snarls. “That’s it. Wake everyone up. Church in thirty minutes. We need to refocus and map out all the risks again.”

“I’ll wake everyone.” Brixton places a kiss on Marlene’s head. “Stay here, love. I’ll be right back.”

“Is there anything we can do?” Rowan questions.

“Stay put and chat some more, maybe you guys can come up with more personal details that aren’t in the file we have on her. Shit like what we just found out only shows up in a person’s background check if they take classes, join some club, or whatever. Anything else, how tiny or useless it might seem for you, Marlene, it might help bring her down.”

“I’ll grab some paper and a pen. We can list all the things she beat you at when you guys were kids, sports or school. Then her annoying qualities, things she excels in, what she loves, whatever.” Rowan gets to her feet and strolls out of the kitchen.

Nails are softly ticking on the floor right before Nerissa, Perrin’s hairless dog jumps toward him. Perrin grunts as he catches her and she starts to lick his face, keeping his head in place with her paws around his neck. There’s no escaping her enthusiastic good morning hug.

Rox steps into the kitchen. “Mind telling me why I’m up this early?”

Perrin is still dodging Nerissa’s tongue when he asks, “Why do you have Nerissa? Where’s Meadow?”

Rox shrugs as she moves toward the coffee. “I ran into your two girls in the hallway. Both of them needed to pee. I figured you wouldn’t like your woman bouncing on her feet to keep her pee in while she went out the back to let Nerissa pee first.”

“Motherfucker, that’s seaside,” Perrin snarls and Nerissa is now trying harder to soothe her owner.

Rox frowns as she takes the mug she filled with coffee to the kitchen table. “What’s wrong? Do you have a lead on Caddy? Is she close?”

“We just found out Caddy is a pro in kayaking and likes to snorkel.”

Her eyes widen when I give her the information.

“Oh, shit. No wonder she managed to get away so easily the last time.” Rox turns to Perrin. “This is bad. Not only can she sneak up on us, but she can easily attack when we’re working. We have yachts to clean and have some of us scheduled to be on a damn Jet Ski this morning. All while she can pop up anywhere, anytime, and not just by land? Fuck.”

“You guys did meet her first at sea when you went undercover on the cruise ship,” Marlene deadpans and adds on a grumble, “It’s not like she’s a mermaid with legs or anything.”

“No,” Rox agrees. “But there’s a difference between a bitch knowing her way around a damn boat, and one who feels damn comfortable in the fucking water.”

“Hey.” Rowan covers Marlene’s hand. “No reason to raise your voice in annoyance, we’re all on edge here.”

Nerissa jumps onto the table and heads for Rox who takes the hairless dog into her arms to nuzzle her. “Sorry. I get bitchy if I’m dragged out of bed and haven’t had coffee yet.”

“Don’t we all?” Marlene’s statement allows all of us to have a hint of a smile on our faces.

Though, there’s nothing funny about the situation we’re still in.