Page 66 of Secret Triplets for Christmas

“Listen, I’d like to have me and the girls back home by tomorrow since I have to return to work on Monday. Can you watch them for me? I know I’ve been asking a lot—”

“Of course I’ll watch them. But your dad is worried about you. Is it safe?”

“Yes. I’ll have the alarm checked. Besides, I think they’ve given up on my having whatever Liam had.” I remembered that Oliver asked if I got a text. While he didn’t say it, I got the feeling he had and I hadn’t, which meant they were leaving me alone, right?

“Just be safe. The girls will be fine here with me and Grayson.”

“Thank you. I owe you.”

Once the girls were settled,I drove over to my house. The snow was piled up, but the roads were passable. I hoped that meant Oliver would be able to make it home.

The living room was just as I’d left it when Flynn and I were here last. My furniture was back in place, and most of the mess was either put back or tossed away. But there were still more rooms to put back right. I headed to the kitchen, sighing at the amount of work still left to do there. I’d gotten all the broken items swept up and thrown away, but there was still more to put away.

My phone beeped with a notification. I tensed, wondering if the texter wasn’t done with me after all. I saw Oliver’s name and relaxed.

At the airport. Boarding a 6 a.m. flight. See you this afternoon.

I grinned with butterflies in my stomach. It was nearly nine in the morning here. The flight had to be five or six hours, which would put him here around two or three in the afternoon.

Have a safe flight.

Pocketing my phone, I went back to work. Hours passed in scrubbing and sorting. By early afternoon, the place looked habitable again. It was nearly one in the afternoon when I’d finally made it to my room. I wanted all the rooms the girls would see the most to look like nothing had happened, so I did my room last since they saw it the least.

As I cleaned up my room, I thought about Oliver’s failed mission to find something of Liam’s at his home. That meant the threat, whatever it was, was still out there. Had I missed something when going through my stuff? Surely, I would have known if Liam had hidden something with me. Or that if he had hidden something, it was gone, tossed when I moved out of the apartment we’d shared. After all, I’d been through my home several times since the break-in. I hadn’t found one thing of Liam’s that I still had.

I sank onto the edge of my bed, exhausted and concerned that maybe this home wasn’t safe to bring the girls to. I scanned my room, wondering what, if anything, I was missing. How could I get the threat off me and the girls?

My gaze caught the piece of art Mira and my father had bought me years ago. I remembered how the person who came into my home didn’t appear to touch anything hanging on the wall, but this piece of art had been crooked. Had they looked there or just accidentally bumped it on their way to tossing my bed?

I rose and took the art piece off the wall. I set it on the edge of my bed, investigating the back. In examining the brown paper covering the back, I noted that one section was taped. My heart raced even as I told myself I was being ridiculous. Still. Had Liam hid something in my art?

The writing is on the wall.Agent Marsden’s reporting of what Liam had told her came back to me.

Holding my breath, I removed the tape and carefully lifted the paper. Underneath was a manilla envelope. My hands shook as I opened it. The information didn’t make sense. Names. Numbers grouped in threes. Dollar amounts. But then it came to me. The numbers were social security numbers. This had to be a list of either foster kids and their social security numbers or a list of buyers of the numbers and the price.

I found it. And with its discovery, my fear level rose. Someone killed Liam for this. I scanned my room as if the killer would be waiting there. My thoughts were scrambled as I tried to figure out what to do. Should I take it with me? No. I didn’t want this anywhere near my family. Should I call Flynn? Or maybe I should call Agent Marsden.

My phone beeped and I jumped at the sound. My heart raced as I nearly came out of my skin. Did the person know I’d found it?

I picked up the phone and saw Oliver’s name.

Just landed. Heading back to hotel.

I needed to see Oliver. He was a part of this and should be involved in deciding what to do with the materials.

Can I meet you there?I rushed from my room, stuffing the envelope into my purse.

You have to ask? I’m hoping for a repeat of last night but in person.

I smiled, but it was difficult to be excited about his text since I was carrying the information that had led to Liam’s death.

I locked up my house and hurried to my car, locking the door once I was in.

On my way. I have a gift for you.Perhaps I watched too much spy TV, but I was afraid to tell him what I found over text.

Will you give me a hint?

I sat in my car wondering if I should play coy or simply tell him. Finally, I texted back,The writing was on the wall.

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