Page 90 of Bit's Bliss
Trevino held my hand, then helped me into the SUV. “Aren’t you coming with us?” I asked when he didn’t get in after I slid to the middle.
“I thought you’d rather ride with your dad and uncle.”
“Of course I would, but I want to be with you more.”
When he climbed in beside me, there was a tightness to his eyes. I’d ask what was wrong, but he wouldn’t want me to as long as we had an audience. I put my arm through his and rested my head on his shoulder. Rather than relax into me, his muscles remained taut. I was about to pull away, but Trevino held me tight to his side. We’d talk later, once we were alone, I reminded myself.
My father sat on the other side of me, and Uncle Michael got in the front passenger seat.
“Ready?” Trevino’s brother Snapper asked.
Even though no one answered, he put the truck in reverse and drove down a gravel road.
“What winery is this?” my uncle asked.
“It was Hope Springs,” said Snapper.
“Also taken out by the consortium,” my father muttered. “It was in Lucas Hope’s family for decades.”
“He’s Saffron and Felicity’s father, right?” I asked.
“Yes,” Snapper answered before my dad. I could see his grip on the steering wheel tighten.
A half hour later, when we pulled up to the newly installed gate of our estate, my father’s eyes widened, but he didn’t say anything.
“I’ll go over the new security systems later,” Snapper said over his shoulder.
My dad didn’t respond, but when I put my free hand in his, he looked at me and squeezed it.
I could only imagine the guilt he must feel, but like I’d said before we got on the road, everything he did was to protect me.
Could that be the cause of the tension I felt from Trevino too? Did he believe he’d somehow failed me?
Snapper pulled up near the front door to let us out. Trevino went ahead of me to enter his code to open it.
Once inside, my father looked around as if it had been far longer than a few days since he’d been here. Apart from the secret garden being destroyed, nothing had changed.
He stood in the entryway, and his eyes filled with tears. “It’s okay, Dad. We’ll figure this out together.”
There was a knock at the door. Trevino opened it, and Decker, Zin, and Kick came inside.
“Let’s go in here,” I said, motioning to the living room. “Can I get anyone anything?”
“I’ll take care of it. You sit down,” Trevino said.
Snapper put his hand on his brother’s arm. “Let me, Bit.”
We sat on the sofa like we did in the SUV. Trevino on one side of me, and my dad on the other.
“I’m going to start with what we learned about Tiernan Burke and the others responsible for the abduction,” said Decker. “Prior to your rescue, we learned Burke’s real identity. He was Liam Devaney, grandson of Christopher Devaney. Who, along with Liam’s father, was arrested earlier today.”
My father stiffened, and I put my hand on his.
“What we believe is that after the raid and dismantling of both the Killeens and FAIM a year ago, the Devaneys saw an opportunity to take over their territories here in the States. We also believe the intention was to build a war chest, if you will, of cash.” He looked at Trevino, then at me, then my dad. “While it was buried under the guise of an LLC, the crime syndicate held controlling interest in the Wine Consortium. Not that it changes anything, but the Warwick family was just one of those targeted. You should also know that, once it went public, it appears the Devaneys dumped their shares of stock, resulting in a big payday. Although insider trading would be the least of their crimes at this point.”
“How was Nancy Burke involved?” I asked. “I mean, I know she was the notary who testified I’d signed the loan documents.”
“Her real identity is Miranda Boyle, Liam’s sister. She, along with her husband, Patrick, and a man named James Dunn, were the three others killed along with Devaney.”
