Page 118 of Forbidden Need

“I was more worried about Lachlan. My father has never been a fan of mine; I was never going to please him. My brother? I value his opinion. Disappointing him was difficult. You and Grandpapa never thought about going public?”

Another moment of reluctance passed. “Only when I lose him does the world learn the truth.”

“I’m sorry we didn’t invite you to the memorial. If I’d known…”

“No.” Lupe shook her head. “That was for show, I know that. Lachlan told me, something for the circus.”

“We’ll have something more intimate when it’s over. When everyone has moved on.”

Lupe took that with a pinch of salt and a single laugh. “Moving on…? Is so simple?”

Their eyes met and she saw it. The glint behind Lupe’s gaze, a hollow something that had once been filled.

“Love doesn’t have to be public to be real. It doesn’t have to be accepted or sanctioned. What you and Henry had was real. I can’t imagine what you’re going through. The devastation. One thing I know for sure, if Conn was murdered tomorrow, he wouldn’t want me apologizing to anyone or being ashamed of what we felt.”

Startled, Lupe squirmed. “I’m not ashamed—I… I…”

She shuffled to the edge of her seat. “You can say anything to me. Anything. I’m good with secrets.”

Maybe comforted, Lupe showed her first smile. “You must have to be with the McDades.”

“Sometimes we need to be there for our men. To support them when no one else can. Grandpapa must’ve confided in you.”

“Lachlan asked me about Henry’s work. I told him—”

“Lachlan’s a cop.” She shrugged. “And he has that white hat that makes everyone feel guilty. You don’t have to worry about that with me.” Silence. Reluctance. “I spoke to David Sneddon.”

That broke her resolve. “Henry wouldn’t be told. No matter how many times I said he should stay out of it.”

“Out of what?”

“Corruption was a poison. Is a poison. He felt a responsibility. As he was getting older, he said he wanted to leave the system in a better state than he found it. Crazy old man. I told him he was asking for trouble. That there was a reason no one had been successful in eliminating corruption in the city.”

“You told him he would get himself killed.” A meek nod was the response. “Do you think it was that? His work?”

“His mission. He got caught up, took risks.”

“No one else was in the house that night. Just him and Sneddon.”

“Video in the security office proves it,” Lupe said. “The police told me that, but I didn’t need to hear it.”

“Why’s that?”

“No one except Henry and I were ever allowed on the third floor. We were the only two with keys to his room.”

“No forceable entry. Grandpapa opened the door to his killer. How can that be?”

Something poked at the woman by her. “All I could think was…”

“I’ll take any theory. All I want to do is bring his true killer into the light.”

“He’d been trying to make headway with some of his colleagues. He thought he was close with one or two.”

“Allies or enemies?”

“I can’t believe he’d be stupid enough to welcome someone who’d hurt him. Someone must have turned on him.”

“First, though, the killer had to get into the house without triggering security.”

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