17. Evangeline

Everything changes after that day with Theo and Ryder. I go back to working at the manor, resuming my usual duties. A few of the staff are still standoffish and cold toward me, but the others give me less grief.

And while the Everharts never start treating me like a princess, they cool down on the crueler orders. I'm still nearly run off my feet by the end of the day, but I feel as though I'm slowly gaining their respect.

The weight of my decision to keep the baby's paternity a secret hangs over my head, though, plaguing me with nightmares of the brothers discovering the truth and forcing me to give my child over to them.

But we've only just reached tentative peace. They haven't come to my room since that day, either, so it's not like we're in any sort of relationship, other than the one where I'm their maid and they're my employers.

I know that they're busy men, so I don't expect them to go out of their way for me. Still, I wish I could see any of them again soon. Being around them is addicting, a craving that gets worse with every exposure.

The doorbell chimes, and since I'm the one closest to the front door, I call out, letting the others know I'm answering it.

Smoothing a hand over my black uniform dress, I make sure my hair looks tidy in its bun in the mirror next to the door. Fitz impressed upon us the importance of maintaining a neat appearance should we be required to greet guests.

I open the door, prepared to address the guest, but I'm surprised when I see Daniel Stone standing there, wrinkled tie hanging from his neck as though he just shoved it back on in the car.

"Hey, are the Everharts home?" Daniel asks, looking around.

"I believe Oliver should be back shortly," I tell him. "Would you like to come in and wait?"

He nods, stepping inside, and I direct him to the parlor.

"Can I get you anything? Maybe coffee?" I offer.

"I'm fine," Daniel says, tugging at his tie. "No, wait, do you think I could get some water? Is it hot in here? It feels warm."

"I'll fetch you a glass," I say, eyes widening at his odd reaction. Leaving him alone feels like maybe a bad idea, so I hurry, filling a glass with ice and water in the kitchen before bringing it back and pressing it into his hands.

"Thank you," he says, tipping the glass back and drinking it quickly, letting out a satisfied sigh as he lowers the glass. "I needed that."

"Can I help you with anything?" I ask, trying to suss out what's on his mind.

"I brought some information for the Everharts," he says, looking down at the files he's got clenched tightly in his hand. "I shouldn't be telling you this, but… since you work closely with them, you should know."

My brow furrows, and he lifts the files, sitting them on his lap as his knee jiggles. "You're aware of their… business associations, right?"

I give him a tight-lipped smile. "Yes, I'm aware of how they make their money," I say with a nod.

"Are you familiar with their uncle?" Daniel presses. I furrow my brow.

"Not really. I mean, I know that they have an Uncle Declan, who isn't actually their uncle, whom they kind of work for, but I've never met him."

"Right." Daniel stands up, pacing with the folders tucked under his arm. "I shouldn't be telling you this, then. You have no association with him," he continues, as though speaking to himself. "But on the other hand, I don't want to keep you in the dark when your life might be on the line as well…"

"Daniel, what's in those files?" I ask, breaking through his ramblings.

"I found evidence that Declan O'Malley may have been the one responsible for Marcus Everhart's death," Daniel blurts out.

I gasp, shock settling over me as I process the news. I've seen pictures of Declan around the manor, standing next to Marcus. In all the photos, the two of them look thick as thieves and close as brothers. I couldn't imagine his turning on Marcus like that.

"Are you sure?" I ask, voice soft. I don't want to draw too much attention to our conversation in case someone is eavesdropping.

Daniel pulls out the folders, opening the first one up for me. He tilts it toward me, showing me a picture that a high-resolution telephoto lens took from far away. It's a photo of Declan, standing close to another man, a tall man with slicked-back, dark hair.

"Who is that?" I ask.

"That's Salvatore DeLucci, also known as Sal. He's Giovanni DeLucci's right hand-man and his top lieutenant. Oh, and his brother. Now tell me, why is Declan meeting with one of his biggest enemies?"

"Are you sure that they weren't just trying to intimidate each other?" I ask, understanding Daniel's anxiety now. Revealing this information would be devastating to the Everharts.

"Here." Daniel shows me more photos from the same location. Declan is handing some kind of manila folder to Sal in the next, then Sal takes it and pockets it, then they both appear to be looking around before the next photo shows Declan shaking Sal's hand.

"This was just days before the attack on Shadowvale," he says, expression serious. "I brought this to show Theo, but it's difficult. How can I bring them evidence that their uncle likely called for a hit on their father?"

I nod, sympathetic to his plight. "Well, I can help if you want. We can find a way to break the news to them together." I may not be their girlfriend or their mistress or anything, but I feel that we've at least established a connection, which will help in breaking the news.

As we wait, the grandfather clock in the hall ticks along, the only noise in the room. It's as though we don't know what to say to each other after this revelation. I watch as Daniel checks his phone for the time a few times in a row before he stands up with a sigh.

"I can't stay," he says, looking almost mournful about it. "But this information needs to get to them quickly. There's no time to waste."

"I'll give them the files," I tell him, standing up and offering out my arms. Daniel looks at me in surprise, but his phone begins to ring.

"Are you sure about that?" he asks. "Are you certain you want to get involved with this?"

"I'm already involved just by knowing about it," I point out to him. "And it would be better coming from me, anyway. I know the risk to your friendship is high if you tell them, but I'm just the maid."

A strange sort of protectiveness settles over me the more I think about it. I have to help them here. They deserve to know the truth. Maybe they can finally get some closure on their father's death.

Daniel nods and hands me the files, then answers his phone. "Stone," he says quickly, walking toward the door. I follow him, shutting it behind him, and lean against it, files in my arms.

With a heavy sigh, I look down. Have I really just gotten myself deeply involved in this whole thing? It still seems to be hitting me just what I've gotten myself into. I'm potentially making a dangerous man angry with me, and making the Everharts into my enemies again if they don't believe me.

Worried that someone will see the files and look at the contents, I hurry up to my room with them and stuff them into the suitcase at the back of my closet. No one will look there, so I'm safe for now.

I just have to work up the courage to tell the three of them about this information. At that moment, I spot Ryder's car pulling up the drive.

Okay. I can do this. I can do it. I just have to tell a man who has barely tolerated me until a few days ago that his surrogate uncle probably killed his father. Easy, right?

Releasing a shaky sigh, I exit my bedroom, heading for the top of the staircase. Ryder comes in just as I start descending the steps.

"Eva," he says, giving me a wink and a half-grin that melts me on the inside.

"Hello, Ryder," I say, trying to steady my racing heart. "You had a visitor. Daniel Stone?"

"Oh, yeah, Danny," Ryder says, grinning wider. "What did Danny want?"

"Mr. Stone… needed to talk to you about something," I tell him, trying to get out the words.

"What about?" Ryder asks as he takes off his leather jacket. I take it from him and hang it up in the hall closet.

"He…" I stop, a sudden thought occurring to me. What if I tell him and he doesn't believe me? What if he gets so angry that he has me thrown out? My mouth closes, fear overtaking me.

"Eva?" Ryder asks, tilting his head in concern.

"He didn't say," I lie, a strained smile on my face. "He couldn't stay, so he'll relay the information later," I add.

Dammit. Why can't I get the words out? Whenever I try, my tongue seems to stick to the roof of my mouth like my brain won't let me get it out.

Ryder leans forward, concern etched in his features. "That's strange. Why would he come all the way here to deliver a message and leave without saying anything?"

"I think he was busy," I tell him. "When I asked if I could give it to you, he said it… it had to be him and he had to do it in person."

Frick. Daniel is going to be so annoyed that I backed out of the promise I made to him. "Okay." Ryder nods, though concern is still present in his eyes.

"Right. Anyway, I should get back to work," I say, taking an awkward step back. "I need to clean the… pool house."

"Of course," Ryder says with a nod. "Don't let me keep you."

I turn and all but sprint away, pissed at myself for not being able to just tell him like I said I was going to.

As I make my way out to actually clean like I said I was going to, I can't help but wonder what is going to happen now. Someone has to be the one to tell the Everharts about their uncle.

And it looks like it's not going to be me.