Chapter 51

“Sorry to interrupt this happy moment,”Lynette said, her gaze landed on Liv and Zeke, “but there’s a situation we need to discuss as a family.” She motioned for everyone to join her, Grams, and Ash near the fireplace. “Gather around. You too, Kayla.”

Kayla’s eyes caught Ash’s, and he gave her a small nod.

Cruz and Phin finished refilling their glasses from the extensive selection of amber choices. Zeke pushed away from the mantel at the opposite end of the Hall. Kayla, Lena, Maddy, Cilla, and Liv popped up from the plush leather couches and took up identical positions on this side of the room. Everyone was present, except for Rohan.

Noticing her fourth son’s absence, Lynette looked at Lena. “Would you mind texting?—”

“Already done.” Lena smiled and winked at the older woman, who gave her an appreciative smile in return.

The front door slammed, and Rohan appeared. The rumpled nature of his dark hair and the laptop hanging at his side were testaments to what activity he’d been engaged in.

Lynette waved him forward. “Come sit, m’boy. Better yet, grab a glass of something that will ease the strain around your eyes.”

Rohan complied, because that’s what they all did when their veteran mother doled out orders. Even as grown men, they still had a healthy respect for—and fear of—their mama.

Once everyone was settled, Grams edged off her favorite chair. A three-stranded red coral bead necklace swayed away from her chest as she did so, until she reached her full four-and-a-half-plus feet. She joined her daughter-in-law standing before the fireplace.

Ash stood on the opposite side of Lynette. His hands sweating as he stared into a sea of curious faces.

“Asher shared with us,” Grams said in a somber tone, “there’s evidence to suggest that Kayla might have also been in the crosshairs of the governor’s assassin.”

“What?” Liv’s expression was half-shock, half-reproach when she stink-eyed Kayla, sitting kitty-corner to her on a matching sofa. “You let me go on and on about nursery colors while you have a target on your back?”

Kayla, in turn, glared at Ash.

Zeke moved to stand behind the couch, where Liv sat, and rested soothing hands on her shoulders, then he cast a “you’re dead” look at Ash.

Before he went up in flames with all the heat directed at him, Ash said, “There’s ‘evidence to suggest,’ not to confirm. Some,” he nodded toward Kayla, “don’t believe she was an intended target.”

“But your experience tells you otherwise,” Liv pressed. As a former special agent, she would understand that foolproof evidence wasn’t always available during the early stages of an investigation. Often, law enforcement had to lean into their instincts to solve cases.

“Yes.”

“Who put the hit on the governor?” Phin asked, worry for his employer knitting his brow. Maddy inched closer to him on the loveseat and threaded her fingers through his.

Ash’s attention landed on Kayla. “We have credible information that points to a company called HCVS.”

Her eyes widened. “That’s not possible.”

“You know them?” Cruz asked from his position on the sofa next to Cilla.

“They’re one of my clients.”

“Why have I never heard of them?” Phin asked.

She angled her head around. “I work with them exclusively.”

Phin frowned.

Kayla addressed Ash. “There’s no malice in the organization. They would have no reason to kill me or the governor.”

Rohan’s fingers danced across his keyboard, while Lena peered over his shoulder. “I’ve been searching all day for any mention of HCVS. So far, the only thing that pops up is what’s on the Secretary of State’s website.”

“You’re searching for HCVS?” Kayla asked, her voice sharp.

Rohan didn’t lift his head as he peered at Ash over the rim of his glasses.

“I asked him to.”

“But Rohan said he’d been searching ‘all day.’ How is that possible?”

This wasn’t at all how he saw this play out in his mind. He thought he’d update the family on the situation and request their assistance to watch over Kayla while he continued to search for the shooter.

The current downward spiral of their conversation shouldn’t have surprised him. Predictable was not a term he’d use for this eclectic group.

“Maybe you and I should adjourn someplace more private.” He had no wish to interrogate her in front of everyone.

“Maybe you should have thought of that before getting your family involved.” In one swift motion, Kayla stood. “If you’ll excuse me, I need a bit of fresh air.” She didn’t rush out of the room, but strode away in her normal confident, purposeful stride.

Liv made to follow her best friend, but Zeke exerted the lightest pressure against her shoulders to keep her in place. She scowled up at him.

When the front door closed, Cruz asked, “She going to run or call her attorney?”

Cilla elbowed him.

“What? It’s a legitimate question.”

One Ash couldn’t answer.