Page 10 of Midnight Escape

Moira had met Diana Boyle more than a year ago when Justin Franks—her and Declan’s American friend since childhood—had introduced them. Justin had stated he worked for her dad, but the two had been tight-lipped about who that man was or what exactly Justin did for him. Although rich and secretive, Moira hadn’t wanted to believe the amazingly nice woman was the daughter of a known drug lord.

She’d also not wanted to believe Justin worked for a criminal. From as early as she could remember, Justin and his family visited hers for nearly a month every summer. Their parents had a close relationship. But, for some reason or other, her family never visited the Frankses in the US. More than once, she’d asked to visit, but her parents always said it wasn’t possible. In her young mind, she’d equated that to mean they didn’t have enough money. They’d never been poor, but they’d never been described as well off.

During those younger days, Justin and her brother had been close. Danny, Justin’s younger brother by four years, hung out with them, but as a girl three years younger than Danny, she’d been banned from their antics. Not that she’d wanted to do some of the stuff the boys did at those ages.

Always kind, and probably feeling sorry for her, Danny made it a point to spend time with her during each visit. They’d walk, play, and she’d give him tours of areas that she’d later learned he’d visited many times. Danny never excluded her or made her feel like she hadn’t belonged. Justin hadn’t really either, but when the two oldest boys were together, she was treated as if she had the plague. As a child, it’d broken her heart when her brother had ignored her, but after the Frankses left, Declan became the attentive and loving brother he’d been before their visits.

She hadn’t seen or spoken with Danny since the family’s last visit when she was sixteen. From her brother, she’d later learned that their father had died on a DEA op. That’s when she’d found out that the sons had followed in their father’s footsteps and were both DEA. Scratch that, had been DEA. They’d left after their father’s death. Although she didn’t know the particulars, she’d understood the brothers hadn’t parted on the best of terms.

Justin, however, appeared two years ago, claiming to have moved to Ireland for work. From the beginning, Justin had described his boss as nothing more than an Irish businessman who dabbled in many things. When he’d just shrugged off telling her the name, she hadn’t pursued it. Truly, it hadn’t been her business. Though, she’d noticed tension between him and her brother that she couldn’t define.

When Justin introduced Diana, he’d informed Moira that escorting her was sometimes a perk of his job. Justin had winked at Diana when he’d said that, but Moira had only noticed the playfulness in it. Nothing felt sexual between the two. Like when you can’t stand to be near two people because the electricity is zipping back and forth.

Like when Diana and her brother were near each other.

That’s when she’d learned who Justin worked for and why the underlying tension existed between the two men. If it hadn’t been for Declan’s draw to Diana, she’d worried he might arrest Justin on the spot. However, the two men must’ve come to some agreement because the four of them spent time together.

When she’d told her brother about her discomfort befriending Diana because of her father, Declan convinced her to not hold that against the woman. Given that her brother was a guard and hated criminals, that’d surprised the hell out of her. But he’d been right. She enjoyed the times she spent with Diana.

In the house, Justin turned to her and nodded as he walked away, speaking quietly on his mobile phone. His unusual tight-lipped smile shot her ball of fear to a new level. If he—someone who worked for the criminal who’d spoken in that office—was concerned, then she hadn’t heard wrong.

With red-rimmed eyes and a tissue in hand, Diana waited on her brother’s khaki couch that had seen better days. The spots of black dog hair that clung to the woman’s peach-colored blouse made Moira notice the absence of said dog. Normally, Moira would’ve been bowled over by the beast before she made it through the entryway.

She turned back to her brother, who’d closed the front door behind them, sliding the dead bolt. “Where’s Bella?” Really? Those were the first words out of her mouth? Where was the dog? She’d heard someone wanted to kill her brother and Diana, and she asked about the dog. Great. Avoiding serious situations had been one of the things Cassie had told her she had to stop doing. Moira would consider this fitting right into that realm.

When he ignored her, she walked over and plopped on the sofa beside a pale Diana. Hadn’t Boyle said she was pregnant? Once again avoiding the main issue, she repeated, “Where’s Bella?”

Declan dropped into the chair opposite the couch. He looked ten years older than yesterday, and her heart clenched at his obvious pain. This couldn’t be easy for him. She’d be freaking out worse if the threat had been against herself. Maybe it was the cop thing that helped him remain calm. “The neighbor has her. Don’t try to stray. Tell me what happened. Then we’ll make some decisions.”

“I’m here.” Justin returned and stood near the front window. After he peeked through the curtains that she’d just realized were closed on this beautiful day, he gave the room a nod. “Tell us.”

With a sudden fierceness, she wanted to rail at Justin. It’d hit her hard that he worked for the man who wanted her brother dead. And, how could he? The Frankses had been good people. While Justin appeared to be a good man, his choice of profession stymied her. He’d been deadly serious in his response of “No” when she’d once asked him if he was a cop working undercover to catch Boyle’s criminal activities.

Before she dug into her recitation, she allowed part of her anger to spring forward. Turning her gaze from Justin, she pleaded with her brother, “How can you trust him? He works for the man who wants to kill you? He could be here to kill you now.”

Before she realized it, her hand slapped over her mouth. She’d said all that out loud—in front of Justin. Good grief, why not give him a chance to kill them all now? This was the time a person’s loyalties would be tested. It scared her to know that she had no idea where Justin’s lay. How could her brother have allowed him inside knowing of the threat? Heck, he’d even brought Diana with him. Kill two birds with one stone. Now three since she’d opened her big mouth.

Justin laughed, and she tossed him a venomous gaze. Why hadn’t her brother tied him up or something?

“If I planned to kill you, I’d have already done it and been long gone.”

She bristled. Okay, his lethal tone and the fact his statement was probably true nearly put her in her place. Nearly. Declan had always told her she didn’t know when to stop, so she opened her big mouth, once again. “Well, what are you going to do then? Take us some place and do away with us, so no one can find the bodies?”

Leaning back, with his feet crossed, against the wall beside the window, Justin assumed a relaxed pose with his arms draped over his chest. Under eyelids that seemed to droop, he slowly stated, “It depends on what you have to say.”

As her heart pounded at his threat, her gaze raced back and forth between her brother and the man she no longer knew if she could trust. If Declan wasn’t jumping up to fight Justin, he must trust him. Although, his tenseness when looking at their friend didn’t go unnoticed.

Diana bolted up and rushed into Declan’s lap. “I can’t believe it. I knew he was upset when he found out I was pregnant and wouldn’t tell him who the father was, but this?”

Closing his eyes, her brother pulled Diana into his arms and rubbed his hand up and down her back. Her brother’s loving, soothing touch appeared to calm Diana, somewhat, but she remained glued to him. “We knew things wouldn’t go well if he found out about us. We’ll figure this out.” Looking pleadingly at Moira, he demanded she tell them everything.

Pushing aside her jealousy for the attention her brother bestowed on Diana and not her, she spent the next fifteen minutes speaking. It should have taken less time, but Moira halted every time Diana wailed for Declan to calm her. Justin only broke in for clarification.

In wonder, she observed the closeness of the couple. Their love for each other glowed in their gazes, even with the fear in Diana’s and the combination of fear and anger in Declan’s. As she thought back, she remembered all the sensual looks, light touches, and whispers between the two when the group had connected. She’d not put it together more than that, and it made her feel like such a fool for being blind to her brother’s happiness.

While it’d become glaringly obvious Justin had known of the relationship—actually helping push it along—her irritation at him swelled. Although, she should’ve wondered why the four of them hung out more often. When Justin had started offering to take her to her flat, she’d thought maybe he’d been doing it for time alone with her. He’d been friendly but never crossed a line. She’d found that odd but hadn’t questioned it. Long hugs and kisses on the cheek or forehead always seemed sisterly to her.

Now she knew that he’d been giving Declan and Diana time alone without her father knowing. Of course, Declan had wanted Diana. Heck, the woman was beautiful and elegant. But Declan was a policeman and her father was a criminal. How did he ever think that’d work out?

---