Page 45 of Brix

“You demand it?” said Brix, slowly lifting his head. Deirdre paled, seeing his face. She took a step backward, then spotted the other men and law enforcement coming in behind Brix.

“You demand it,” he said again. “This must have been what those children felt when they realized they were locked inside that room on the ship.”

“I got them off! They weren’t trapped as it was sinking!”

“We’re not sinking,” smirked Major. “We’re perfectly fine. You’re not very observant, are you, Deirdre? We were the only passengers on this ship. It’s not like we’re easily hidden.”

Dierdre just stared at the men. Collecting her breath, relieved that they weren’t sinking, she removed the life jacket and took a seat in one of metal chairs. She crossed her legs in an elegant fashion, folding her hands over her knees.

“Alright. You have me. Now what?”

CHAPTER THIRTY

They took Deirdre off the ferry, allowing the real passengers to board the ship and make their way to Orkney. She wasn’t as lucky. Taken to the local police station, she was locked in a room where she refused to speak unless her attorneys were present.

“Give me five minutes,” said Zulu to the Scottish official. “Look the other way, close your ears. Just five minutes.”

“I wish I could, lad. It’s not how we operate here.”

“It’s okay, Grandpa. Let me speak with her.” The officer nodded at Brix, opening the door to the room. Deirdre was cuffed to the table, a cup of water beside her.

“Are my attorneys here?” she asked calmly.

“No. Your attorneys aren’t coming. They’ve said you are no longer their client, and they won’t be coming up here to assist you. Another counsel will be appointed to you.”

She glared at him, shaking her head.

“You think you’ve won, don’t you?”

“Won what, Deirdre? What have I won? If you mean a beautiful life with Daphne, then yes, I’ve won. If you mean justice for Randolph and the others you’ve murdered, no. I haven’t won.”

“Randolph was unfortunate,” she said calmly. “He’d caught on quickly and wouldn’t let it go. He wanted answers and found them.”

“What do you mean?” asked Brix.

“One of the things Randolph was very good at was research. It always concerned me if he got his teeth into my background. For years, I was able to satisfy him and keep the household under control. Then you came along.”

“It wasn’t me. It was your blind ambition.”

“Blind ambition,” she scoffed. “It was as clear as my crystal glasses. I knew exactly where my ambition was taking me.”

“Where was that, Deirdre? What was so important that you sent forty-seven children to an orphanage that you built and allowed them to be adopted out.”

She was quiet for a very long time, just staring at the young man. She didn’t know that Brix was a master of patience. He wasn’t going to give in any time soon.

As she stared at him, she noticed how incredibly handsome he was. Daphne had made a good choice and would certainly have babies that were beautiful. She wondered what he looked like naked and, for a moment, felt a rush of heat in her body.

Then she sobered. He wasn’t someone that would fall for that. He wasn’t an easy target like Marshall. No, this man was going to be a challenge.

“Do you know who their parents were?” she asked softly.

“I know they were all members of the Lightkeepers organization,” said Brix. “Those people helped others. They did good in the world, and you stole that from them in one heinous act.”

“Good? You believe they did good. For whom, young Brixton? That’s the question.”

“For anyone who needed it,” said Brix. She let out a loud burst of insane laughter, and Brix shrank back a bit.

“No. For those they believed needed it. No one else.” Brix waited, staring at the woman, hoping she would continue.

---