49. Will

Chapter 49

Will

I climbed the narrow staircase up to Mum’s maisonette apartment in Oxshott, England, the events in Monaco on an endless loop. The familiar creak of the steps under my feet was a stark contrast to the luxurious surroundings I’d left behind only hours earlier. As I reached the landing, I fumbled with my keys, exhaustion settling over me.

“I’m home,” I called out as I pushed open the door.

“We’re in here, George!” Mum’s voice came from the kitchen.

I froze, my hand still on the doorknob. George. My father. Dead for over a year now. I closed my eyes, willing away the sudden tightness in my chest.

Not one of her better days, apparently.

The conversation with Emmett and Jenn about assisted living replayed in my mind, followed quickly by my sister’s daily reminders while I was away.

‘She’s not doing well, Will,’ Katie had said after day one. After three, it became, ‘How long are the waitlists?’

“And you’ll never guess who’s here!” Mum’s voice, bright and eager, carried a clarity that deepened the ache in my chest—it was only a fleeting echo of the woman she used to be.

Leaving my suitcase by the door, I went to the kitchen. As I rounded the corner, I stopped short.

Evelyn Reynolds sat at our worn kitchen table, a chipped teacup held between her fingers. My mother beamed at me, her eyes bright with an excitement that came and went with the weather.

“Evie came for a visit!” Mum exclaimed.

“This is a surprise,” I said. Why was she here instead of at home?

“Good to see you again,” Evelyn said smoothly, deftly avoiding using my name.

“Of course,” I replied, my tone carefully neutral. My fingers itched to grab my phone and alert Emmett or Scarlett, but I resisted.

The sound of the front door opening again rescued me from having to say more.

Katie appeared in the kitchen doorway, carrying a grocery bag and a small, distinctive bag from Harrods. She pulled out a box of chocolates, handing them to Mum with a smile.

“Thanks for staying while I went out, Auntie Evie,” said Katie.

“Katie,” I said, keeping my voice steady, “I want to take Evie upstairs to show her the addition.”

Mum looked up from inspecting the chocolates, her brow furrowed in confusion. “We only have one floor, George.”

“I meant the attic space.” My chest tightened again, but I forced a smile. We’d converted the attic almost a year ago when I moved home to care for my mother. I leaned down to kiss her cheek. Turning to Evelyn, I gestured toward the back of the kitchen. “The stairs are this way.”

Evelyn squeezed Mum’s hand before standing to join me.

The stairs groaned as we ascended to my workshop. Upstairs, Evelyn’s attention roamed over the cluttered workbenches, the shelves lined with gadgets and prototypes. Her gaze lingered on a half-finished device near my main workstation, and a flicker of pride passed over me despite the circumstances.

I walked to the large worktable in the middle of the room, running my hand along its edge. How many scale models had I constructed here? “Scarlett’s been looking for you.”

She didn’t respond immediately, instead touring the perimeter of the room. She inspected the 3D printers, slowing in front of my electronics table before moving to the upright cabinet where I kept most of my tools.

Was she looking for something? Or avoiding me?

“The relationship between mother and child is fascinating,” Evelyn finally said, giving nothing away with her tone. “We spend much of our lives trying to ensure our children will be happy and successful. We educate them about the dangers of the world, while trying to shield them from those dangers.”

Where was she going with this?

Evelyn paused in front of a 3D model of the Albrecht house. I’d built it for Emmett’s rescue mission in April.

“You kept this one?” she asked, eyebrow raised. “That was a risk.”

She was right. I shouldn’t have kept it. If the authorities came here for some reason, it would be evidence tying me to that recovery. But I couldn’t separate myself from that job. Until this week, it was the only job I’d physically been present for in ages. It was a reminder of the old times before I moved to Oxshott. Before my father died. Before I found out about my mother. Before I left my life behind.

“I’ll get rid of it.”

Evelyn nodded, then changed tack abruptly. “Brie says your mother needs additional care.”

Like the London job, I didn’t want to give up on her, either. “Katie and I haven’t decided yet.”

“I’ve spoken with some people at home and found somewhere that will take her.” The same regret I’d seen in Katie’s eyes after she came for her first visit flashed behind Evelyn’s. “Somewhere I’d approve of.”

“Really?” I’d been looking casually for a few months, and the waitlists were over a year long. How had Evelyn managed it so quickly?

Stupid question, Will. Because she’s Evelyn Reynolds .

“First, they took Emmett.” She nodded, lifting the roof off the house model and inspecting the garage. “Then they manipulated Scarlett. Tried to kill Declan and Rav. Tried to kill Jayce and Drew.” She placed the roof back on. “But this time, they took Jenn. I’d planned on going slow. Watch them and find out what they were up to. I’d thought we had time to find the photos they took of Scarlett. But if they’d touch someone outside our team…”

Scarlett was right. Her mother had been planning.

“You and your mother are too exposed here,” Evelyn continued. “When we make our move, I’ll need you both at home, where I can protect you.”

Protect us? Didn’t Noah take Jenn because she was already at the Casino Rocher? Or was something else going on? What sort of move was she intending?

“Does this have to do with Joseph?” I asked, voicing the question that had been nagging at everyone on the jet. “And his apparent framing?”

Evelyn’s eyes snapped to mine, sharp and assessing. “We need the team to regroup. But locally. Not remote anymore.”

Was it finally time to go home again? Instead of settling Mum somewhere in England, I could take her back to Halifax. Back to the office where Brie and I worked side by side, our desks so close I could hear the quiet hum she made when deep in thought. Back to the space where my tinkering surrounded us, her suppressed laughter always within reach. And back to the team, of course. “When?”

“The room is opening up for her in two weeks, and I’ll ensure it stays available. Plus, I’ll cover the fees as part of the relocation expenses.”

It was sudden. I’d discussed distant plans with Brie and Katie but hadn’t thought it would happen so soon. “I’ll have to get the house ready to sell…”

“You kept your condo, didn’t you?”

My condo overlooking the waterfront.

Brie had been with me the last time I was there. She’d tried not to cry when I told her I didn’t need a ride to the airport. But her boyfriend had been with her, and I wouldn’t accept a ride from him. As far as I knew, they’d broken up before Christmas, and she was still single.

I pushed those thoughts aside, focusing on the matter at hand. “So we’re going on the defensive?”

“Ahh, William…” Evelyn’s voice trailed off, and I couldn’t help but notice the hint of an RP accent that always came out when she was tired.

I used to think it was because Evelyn had spent so much time with my mother back when we lived in Halifax, as if Mum’s accent had rubbed off on her. But after what we learned about her past last night, things were so clear. I’d missed clues about her past, too.

Evelyn’s lips curved into a wicked smile. “You know what they say about the best defense…”