Dash thankfully broke the silence again. “Kennedy, why don’t you go play with your toys while your mother and I have a talk?”
“Will you play with me?” she directed to Keenan.
“I need to talk with your mother too, but I’ll play as soon as I’m done.”
“I’ll come play, sweetie,” Lake offered. She patted Keiran’s shoulder on the way out, and just that simple touch from her seemed to calm him.
“Why are you guys here?” I asked as soon as Lake led Kennedy from the room.
Keiran and Keenan quickly ran down the events of last night leading up to Kennedy’s rescue. “One of the men who took Kennedy was one of the investigators your father hired to find her.”
“How is that possible?”
“That’s something we’d like to ask your father,” Keiran replied with ice dripping from every syllable.
“Are you seriously suggesting my father had something to do with his own grandchild being abducted?”
“What I’m suggesting is that we ask him. He at least has to know some information about the men he hired that could lead us to why he hired them in the first place.
“Which man was it?”
“The one Keiran didn’t try to kill,” Q answered matter of factly.
“And if my father doesn’t know anything?”
“Then we start looking at him as a suspect.”
“Yeah, but there is just one little detail you’re missing. Why would my father want you dead? This whole nightmare started because of you. Someone is after you, not me, and not Kennedy.”
“As long as she’s a Masters—”
“She’s not. She’s a Chambers.”
Keenan and Keiran each narrowed their eyes in a similar fashion, and if I weren’t so pissed, I would have been amazed by how alike they truly were. It had been impossible to see in high school because while Keiran wore his crown proudly, Keenan had been the devil in sheep’s clothing.
“A fact your parents seem to hold against you.”
“Enough,” Dash barked. “It doesn’t fucking matter what her last name is. We protect her regardless. Now, my father is no saint, but having Kennedy abducted is not something he would do despite how he feels about paternity.”
“So what are you saying?” Keenan asked, but it sounded more like a challenge.
“I’m saying we ask him for the information on the investigators he hired, but we consider other angles. Keiran, you’re going to need to think harder about your past, and be sure there is no one left who would want to hurt you.”
The doorbell rang so I used the opportunity to escape the overwhelming tension currently circulating the room.
“Good morning, Ms. Chambers.” The federal agents assigned to Kennedy’s case stood on the front porch.
“Good morning. I promise I was going to come in. I just—”
“No need for apologies. The important thing is that Kennedy is home safe. We’ve covered most of the questioning with her father, but as her legal guardian, we wanted to ask some additional questions. They are routine if you have a few moments.”
“Yes, of course.” I moved aside to let them in.
“Is there somewhere we can speak in private?” I led them past the kitchen to the small library down the hall.
“Can I offer you something to drink?”
“No, that won’t be necessary. This will only take a few minutes.”
“So, how can I help you?”
“The men who found your daughter last night found themselves in a sticky predicament. Two men were killed rather gruesomely, particularly one whose throat was cut and then stabbed nine times in the heart. How much do you know about the events that took place?”
Bile rose up in my throat at the mental picture he unnecessarily painted. “Not much. I wasn’t there.”
“Were you aware of what they were planning to do before it happened?
“By aware, do you mean if I knew if they planned to kill those men?”
“We’re concerned, given the history of the men involved, particularly Keiran Masters. Throughout this entire investigation, we’ve been given little information and are curious as to how a house a few hours from here was suddenly happened upon.”
I didn’t know if it was paranoia, but I suddenly had the feeling that I was being tricked into a corner, only I wasn’t the prey.
“I’m sorry… you said there were routine questions you needed to ask?”
“Yes, we just wanted to check in to make sure little Kennedy is settled in okay. You take care now.”
The agents were gone as quickly as they came leaving me confused and nervous. I rushed out of the library to warn the guys but found that no warning was necessary. Keenan, Keiran, Dash, and Q had the agents surrounded and though they appeared casual, I knew it wasn’t anything other than a threat.
“Did you forget something or did you just miss us?” Keenan taunted. I was rooted to the spot because, for a minute, I saw the old him.
“We were checking up on Ms. Chambers and Kennedy now if you’ll excuse us.” They squeezed through the small opening of the circle and disappeared out the front door.
“Have you all lost your minds?” Lake shrieked. I hadn’t seen her standing on the stairs. Thankfully, Kennedy was nowhere in sight. “Those are federal agents.”
“Baby…”
She held up her hand. “Don’t, Keiran.” She turned and headed back upstairs.
“You’re in trouble,” Q sing-songed. Keiran shoved him into the table and stalked off toward the back of the house. “What did I say?”
* * * * *
Somehow, our weekend trip for two turned into eight. We piled into three cars and made our way to the California coast. Kennedy had managed to bounce around in excitement for all of thirty minutes before falling fast asleep.
“She has a lot of energy,” Keenan remarked shortly after her eyes drifted shut. It was the first that Keenan had spoken since we left. We were in Keiran’s car alone together with Kennedy while Keiran and Lake rode with Dash, and Q and Jesse rode together.
“Kids tend to do that,” I replied dryly. Among the other things about him that angered me, I was still more than a little annoyed that he had insisted on not only inserting himself into our trip but also our lives. I told myself I wouldn’t dwell on it. This weekend was for Kennedy. I wanted to fit as much good and happiness into her life, needing to erase the terrifying week she’d endured.
“What I’m trying to say is she seems like a happy kid. John was adamant that you’ve done a great job with her.”
“Remind me to thank him for the compliment.”
“I do not like your attitude, Shelly.” His voice deepened from lighthearted to dangerous, but I refused to let him intimidate me.
“Bite me.”
Real mature, Sheldon.
I’d no sooner spoke the words than Keenan hazardously turned the car onto the side of the road. I thanked my lucky stars that traffic was light while keeping the panic at bay. We stopped with a screech of tires as rocks and dirt flew around us.
“Have you lost your mind?”
He ignored me as he pulled out his phone. His keystrokes were quick and angry. Whatever message he sent must have been short because he had already pocketed it again.
Shortly after Dash and Q’s cars pulled up beside us. Keenan hopped out and opened the backseat, unbuckling Kennedy’s seatbelt, who by some small favor was still asleep. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
I quickly unbuckled my seatbelt, but by the time I made it around the car, Keenan already had Kennedy strapped in Dash’s car.
“What’s going on?” I heard Dash question.
“Sheldon and I need to have a private conversation. Take Kennedy and we’ll follow you.”
“Dash, don’t!”
I expected that if anyone helped, it would be Dash, but when he shook his head, I felt my confidence waver and panic rear its ugly head. “I can’t help you anymore if you’re going to keep giving in. You need to work it out,” he said before driving off.
“How could you just take my daughter?” My rant was cut short when Keenan tossed me over his shoulder. “Stop!” He walked the short distance back to the car, but when he bypassed the passenger and rear door, confusion took the place of my anger.