Page 68 of Wretched Soul
We reach the vending machine, and Ash punches some buttons to make our drink selections. “I can’t wait to meet her,” he says.
I’m waiting for the punchline, but there isn’t one. Ash actually means it. “Assuming we take it any further. She’s not even talking to me right now and…”
My voice trails off as another man approaches. The bruising has faded, but Ray’s nose is permanently flattened.
“What the fuck do you want?” I ask.
“Ash,” Ray says with a quick nod to my brother. He completely ignores me. “This needs to be quick.”
Ash sets down a cardboard cup. “Tell us what you know.”
“She’s not linked with the Bratva as far as Barrett’s aware,” he says, “but she is going to be working at the estate.”
“Are we talking about Quinn Jamieson?” I ask. I still haven’t been able to find a digital trail to follow.
Ash nods, but it’s Ray who continues. There’s sweat beading on his upper lip. He doesn’t want to get caught with us,and Barrett will be somewhere nearby. “Barrett’s appointed a skeleton crew. House staff, a gardener, and Quinn’s going to project manage the build to its final completion,” he says. “Although his plan is to keep her on for a good while longer to help him set up home.”
“He’s planning on living at the house?” asks Ash.
“More than that. He wants it to be a family home. One he can grow into.”
“Jesus, don’t tell me he has another bride lined up,” I say.
Ray shrugs and picks a non-existent piece of lint from his jacket sleeve. He’s being shifty, but I think I can fill in the gaps.
“What are the chances of there being two mystery women in his life?” I ask.
Ash rubs a hand across his beard. “You think he’s set his sights on Quinn?”
Our informant holds up his hands, looking relieved he wasn’t the one to join the dots for us. “I can neither confirm nor deny,” he says. “That’s all I have for now. I need to go.”
No sooner does Ray disappear down one end of the corridor than Reid appears at the other.
“Forget the drinks, you need to get back here!” he calls to us. “You’re wanted.”
Alice’s assistant has dark circles under her eyes, but she greets us with a sympathetic smile and leads us to our mother’s room. Reid waits outside, but when Maddie goes to hang back too, Hunter keeps hold of her hand and she’s pulled through the door.
I’m not sure what I was expecting. We’d been warned that Alice was unlikely to make it through the night, and it’s a shock to find her sitting on top of the bedcovers wearing a cashmere sweater and camel-colored slacks. Her hair is near identical to how it was styled back at her apartment, and only now do I suspect it’s a wig. Her makeup doesn’t quite disguise her deathlypallor, and the oxygen tube and IV drip break any illusion that her health is anything but failing.
The seriousness of the situation is underlined by the fact that Barrett is seated next to her bed, or more to the point, that he’s allowed us entry.
Maddie tucks herself behind Hunter as my brothers and I line up at the foot of Alice’s bed. Her watery eyes go to each of us in turn. When her gaze settles on Ash, she simply blinks her greeting.
“How good of you to come,” Barrett says with a heavy dose of sarcasm.
“Why did you ask for us?” Ash says, directing the question to Alice.
She nods to Barrett to respond.
“Don’t worry, we won’t keep you long,” he says. “We just needed to go through some simple housekeeping matters.”
Alice goes to raise a hand, possibly to object, but Barrett reaches out to grasp it. She aims a look at him, but her eyes don’t hold the menacing authority I first witnessed during that long-ago summer break we spent with them.
“Obviously, we wanted to give you the opportunity to say your final goodbyes to our mother,” Barrett continues, forcing the words out. Alice relaxes a little. “And I thought now would be a good time to manage your expectations. I hope it won’t be too disappointing to discover that none of you are going to be recognized in my mother’s will.”
“Recognized being the operative word,” says Hunter. He’s looking at Alice when he adds, “You haven’t wanted to acknowledge us for almost thirty years. It’s no surprise that you intend to take your guilty secrets to the grave.”
“My mother has nothing to feel guilty about,” Barrett hits back. “Your father was a heartless manipulator, and it’s obvious it runs in the family.”
