Page 11 of Home Free

Julia looked at Elise. “That’s up to you.”

Elise didn’t like the implication. “You’re the one who wanted to take a walk.”

“Because I know how you feel about what they’re doing,” Julia said. “And so do they.”

“I haven’t said anything,” Elise said.

“You don’t have to.”

Elise turned away from her sister’s eyes and watched the water tumble over the rocks that were barely visible in the deeper part of the river. “I can’t pretend to like it.”

“No one likes it,” Julia said.

Elise looked at her. “Then why do they do it?”

Surprise crossed Julia’s features. “Okay, wow. Maybe you should define they and it.”

“Come on, Julia. You know what I’m asking,” Elise said.

“I just don’t know why you’d bring up the business now,” Julia said. “It hasn’t been a secret.”

Elise resisted the urge to get defensive. Julia was right. She’d been home for two years. Why was she getting self-righteous about MIS now?

But she knew why. It was because of Finn. Because of what it was doing to him.

She and Julia had never discussed MIS from an ethical point of view. It was, after all, because of the Murphys that Elise was alive and free. Was it fair for her to pass judgement on their tactics when it had been those same tactics that had saved her life? When those same tactics had brought about accountability to the men who had kidnapped and assaulted her, the men who had done it to countless women before her?

She didn’t know.

“I haven’t had much of a chance to consider it before now.” She’d been focused on her recovery. She’d just been grateful for a safe place to land, and she couldn’t deny that Ronan, Nick, and Declan had made her feel safe in spite of the work they did.

Or maybe because of it.

“And now you have a problem with it,” Julia said.

Elise took a deep breath. It was less about MIS and more about Finn. That was safer territory. “This is killing him,” she said softly.

They were sisters. Julia knew exactly who and what she was talking about. “It’s his choice, Elise. It’s not like Ronan forced him to find out who killed Fedir and Iryna. Finn is the one who wanted this.”

Elise looked down at her toes in the water. “That doesn’t mean it’s good for him.”

“Finn is a big boy,” Julia said. “Don’t you think he should decide what’s good for him?”

Her sister, as always, was the voice of reason. “I’m just worried about him, Jules, that’s all.”

“I get it,” Julia said. “Just don’t make it about Ronan and MIS. That’s not fair.”

Elise considered her next words carefully. “I just don’t know if it’s something I believe in.”

Julia didn’t say anything right away, and Elise knew they were in the dangerous territory of sibling judgement.

“Do you want to leave? Is that what you’re saying?” Julia asked.

“I don’t know,” Elise said. “I don’t know what I’m saying. I guess I’m just trying to figure out what’s next.”

“So this is about you and Finn,” Julia said.

Anger flared in Elise’s chest. “Why does it have to be about Finn? Can’t it just be about me? About what I want?”

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