Page 43 of Ruthless Legacy

“Is it those Ace boys?”

I side glance at Edith, who has stopped what she is doing at the mention of the Aces. “No,” I tell him with a firm shake of my head. “I was with them this evening. It couldn’t have been them.”

“Sis, they have kids at school that could have done this for them.”

Edith comes up and hands Kit a cup of tea. “Let’s leave the police to investigate who has done this. Now you two sit down in the living room and I’ll make you both some toast.”

“I don’t think I could eat right now,” I protest.

“You’re in shock and something in your stomach will do you good. Now go on and relax. Put whatever you like on the television.”

Kit and I head into the lounge and stick-on Netflix. I try to concentrate on the tv show but I’m distracted. This had to have been the Aces, right? Who else in this town would benefit from me leaving?

Kit falls asleep, so I cover him with a blanket. He looks so peaceful and I’m just so thankful that he is okay, but I can’t get the image out of my head of his and my parents’ faces scratched out of that photo. I loved that photo of the four of us as well.

About a half hour later, my grandfather and Calvin walk into the cottage. Wilbur sweeps his eyes over me, almost as if he’s checking that I am okay, and he frowns when he spots the gauze on my hand.

“I spilt tea on my hand,” I offer in explanation.

He takes a seat opposite us, and Kit stirs from his sleep and sits up. “The police are up at the house, dusting for fingerprints. I’m going to increase the security around the house and there will be extra security around you both when you are going to and from school. We’ll get all your things moved to another room, Eliza.”

“I want to stay near my brother’s room. I need to know he’s nearby and safe.”

My grandfather smiles. His shrewd eyes lose some of their harshness from a few seconds ago. “We’ll put you in the room next door to your brothers. Calvin is going to move into the house for the time being and stay in the East Wing.”

I nod my head and give Calvin a smile of thanks.

“The police want to speak with you, but I’ve insisted that it wait until morning. I will not have the Alderman family threatened in this way and I will get to the bottom of who is responsible,” he vows in an unyielding tone.

My phone buzzes in my coat, and I pull it out to see it’s a message. Frowning at who could be texting me at this time of night, I open it. My intake of breath pulls everyone’s attention.

It’s a photo of the writing on my wall in my bedroom and the message says, ‘leave or next time someone will get hurt’. I shudder as I hold the phone out to Wilbur. He takes it from me, and he swears under his breath. “Calvin, take this over to Detective Boyd now, please.” He hands the phone to Calvin, who glances over at me in worry before he strides out of the room.

“I want you to know that I will protect you with every breath in my body. You are my blood, my legacy, and your safety is my paramount concern. Now, both of you try to get some sleep. You have school tomorrow, and we need to show the Bay that no one keeps us down.”

Kit nods his head, looking spurred on by our grandfathers’ words.

“Thank you, Wilbur,” I reply.

“Grandfather, please. After all, we are family.” He offers us a final tight smile before he rises to his feet and leaves us, Edith seeing him out.

“I’m beat. Do you want to take Calvin’s bed and I’ll take the sofa?”

“No,” I shake my head. “I don’t think I’m going to get any sleep for a bit. You go crash out; I’m going to watch some television for a bit.”

Kit gives me a hug and takes himself off to get some sleep. Edith makes sure I’m settled, before she takes herself back to bed. It’s already four in the morning. It’s playing on my mind about the Aces. Last night I felt a part of their close-knit group and as much as I hate to admit it, it felt nice to belong. Was it all an act to draw me in, make me feel secure and then tear me down? As they say, keep your friends close and your enemies closer. I really need to get to the bottom of what I have done to Archer. Sometimes I catch him looking at me like he hates me with every breath in his body, and then other times he looks at me with such heat in his eyes.

Edith wakes me at seven-thirty in the morning. I’ve had about two hours’ sleep and I’m exhausted. Calvin accompanies me back over to the house, to my new temporary room next to Kit’s. I actually prefer this room. It’s painted in a mid-grey with a white carpet and white furniture. It has that New England vibe going on. They have already moved my clothes into the walk-in wardrobe in here. I shower quickly and change into my uniform. My phone has been left on the dressing table and I can’t resist looking at the message again from my mystery stalker. When I enter the kitchen, Chester and his mum are already in here eating breakfast. Alexis gestures for me to sit next to her. Her face is full of concern and worry.

“How are you, Eliza? It must have been such a shock walking into your room and seeing it like that.” She studies my face with those big, expressive eyes of hers.

“Yeah, it was quite a shock,” I agree, as I bite into my toast.

“It’s one way of getting moved from the pink bedroom,” Chester chips in, observing me with a cold smirk.

“Are you implying I did that to my own room?” I ask him, a brow arched.

He shrugs. “I’m just saying at least it gets you out of the barbie pink bedroom.” He dismisses my accusation with smug nonchalance. It’s then that I notice he is wearing the Hawk Bay uniform. “You’re starting at Hawk Bay?”

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