Page 54 of Silos and Sabotage

Okay. That made sense so far. She was still perplexed about the way he’d treated her father. “Why didn’t you want to have anything to do with my dad?”

“I did,” he protested. “The reason I chose not to is a long story that I hope you’ll allow me to share with you someday.” Though his high forehead was flushed with embarrassment, he met her gaze squarely. “It was mostly my pride. For that, I beg your forgiveness.”

Feeling lost and out of her element, Ella’s gaze slid to Gage, who was leaning against the railing on the opposite side of the gazebo. She already knew his feelings about the topic of forgiveness. “I, er…”

Gage nodded reassuringly at her, giving her the courage to continue.

“To be honest, sir.” She returned her gaze to her grandfather and found him watching her with an expression full of so much wistfulness that it twisted her heart. “You look so much like my father that it would be impossible to hold a grudge against you for something you didn’t even know about.” The last thing she wanted to do was look weak in front of the man who’d ignored her father’s existence for so long, but it was impossible to hold back her tears. They dripped down her cheeks. “It feels like I lost him only a few days ago.”

Her grandfather whipped out a handkerchief and held it out to her, shooting a helpless look at her mother.

At first, her mother refused to look at him. She watched stonily while Ella used the handkerchief to dab at her eyes. Only after Ella collected her emotions did she speak.

“She’s recovering from a rare form of amnesia,” she informed him crisply. “To her, it feels like five years ago. The grief she’s experiencing is quite fresh.”

Anguish wafted across his lined features. “What can I do to help?”

“Help?” Her mother’s voice rose. “Oh, for crying out loud, Creston! You’ve been absent from her life for twenty-nine years. What could you possibly do for her now?”

He bristled beneath her scathing words, turning even redder. “I’ve asked for forgiveness for my pride and ignorance. What’s your excuse? You’re the one who divorced my son and abandoned your only child.”

Her mother made a wounded sound and lunged in his direction.

“Please!” Ella stepped between them, holding out trembling hands to keep them apart. “You asked what you could do to help, sir.” She returned her drenched gaze to her grandfather. “There’s only one thing I want, and that’s finding my father’s killer.”

His gaze glinted with blue fire. “That’s all I want, too. I hired Lonestar Security this afternoon to assist me in my search and gave them full access to everything they need — my company, my bank accounts, everything. I assure you that no expense will be spared.”

Ella jolted in surprise. “But I already hired them! It was, um, a couple of weeks ago.”

“Well, I beat you both to the punch,” her mother interjected sharply. “Gage and I have been working together for over a month.” She rounded on him. “What is this?” She waved a hand in agitation toward her former father-in-law. “Why have you brought us together?”

Gage pushed away from the railing, grinning in elation as he joined their huddle. “Because of a little thing called client confidentiality, I was not at liberty to tell the three of you what you just told each other.” He paused and gazed at each of them one by one. His gaze lingered on Ella the longest. “Everyone standing in this gazebo is on the same side of this fight.”

“Hold on a second.” Her grandfather rounded on him. “Are you trying to tell me you’re being paid three times over for the same service?”

“You haven’t been billed a single cent yet, sir.” Gage stepped around him to stand beside Ella.

“Nor have I.” She tipped her face up to his. “Sothat’swhy you only mentioned bodyguard services in my contract?”

“Maybe.” He lightly tapped her nose, looking like he wanted to kiss her.

She leaned into his touch. He was amazing, truly amazing, for pulling off what he’d done this evening. She couldn’t wait to thank him later for not only getting two arch enemies together, but also getting them to talk. And so far, no blood had been shed.

“I guess that means I’m footing the entire bill for this investigation.” Her mother sounded smug. It was clear she enjoyed having the upper hand.

“I’ll split the cost with you,” Creston Bolander offered quickly.

“I’m not interested in your money,” she spat.

“We’ll get further quicker if we join forces,” he pleaded.

“Join forces?” Her voice rose indignantly. “With the man who spent over fifty years refusing to acknowledge?—?”

“Yes,” he interrupted. “Please,” he added in a quieter voice. “Let’s do it for Mick. All I’m asking for is a temporary truce. As soon as we find his killer, you can go back to hating me.”

A tense silence settled over their group.

“A temporary truce,” Avery Radcliffe finally agreed stiffly. “But there’s nothing you can do to make me like you. The fact that you look so much like the man I loved will just have to be my cross to bear.”

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