Page 99 of Secret Triplets for Christmas

I wouldn't deny that I was glad to hear that. If Oliver came over and stayed as well, it would be a crowded and probably tense house, but we'd all be here together, alive and well.

As the evening wore on, my father and Mira made dinner. We ate together, but the mood was quiet and somber. I hadn’t heard from Oliver, and I wondered how much longer he was going to be questioned.

The girls were exhausted, so I put them to bed in my bed and lay with them until they finally fell asleep. I was tired myself and decided I’d just crash for the night as well, but my father appeared at my door.

“The FBI is here to see you.”

I carefully extricated myself from the girls and left my bedroom. I checked my watch and noted that it was late with still no word from Oliver.

I entered the living room where Agent Marsden and Agent Langdon stood.

"How is your little girl doing?" she asked.

"She’s still pretty shaken up, but she's happy to be with her sisters. Thank you so much for whatever you did to save them."

Agent Marsden grimaced. "I'm sorry to say that's all on Mr. Quinlan. He took it into his own hands to deal with this, and it's fortunate for him and your daughter that everything turned out okay."

I nodded. I didn't have any details of what had gone on. I'd only heard murmurs of a shooting and that Detective Donovan and Darcy were victims. Once I heard Oliver and Olivia were okay, the other details didn't really matter.

"I know it's late and it's been a hectic day for you, but we need to tie up a few loose ends."

"I'll go make some coffee," my father said. He left without waiting for their response.

I motioned for them to sit. Agent Marsden sat in the chair my father had been in earlier, but Agent Langdon remained standing, pulling his notebook out. I sat on the couch, tucking my feet under me.

Agent Marsden asked me about the accident, whether I'd seen anything unusual that morning or noticed anything about the vehicle. I hadn’t. I reiterated what I had told agent Langdon earlier about what Oliver had mentioned to me about Darcy and the other guy named Johnny.

My father brought coffee and lingered as I continued to answer their questions. I told them everything I could remember about the time I spent with Flynn.

"Do you think one of them killed Liam?" I asked.

Agent Marsden shrugged. "It's possible. But we believe that Detective Donovan and Ms. Patrick were actually working against the man we think killed Liam or arranged Liam's murder."

I didn't like hearing that. That meant that Liam’s murder was still unsolved. It was wrong, but I hoped that things would go back to how they were before. I wanted Liam to be in my past. But what did that mean for me and Oliver? Or, more specifically, Oliver and the girls?

Agent Marsden pulled out a sheet of yellow paper from her bag and set it on the coffee table in front of me. "Mr. Quinlan asked that I deliver this to you." She rose from the chair. “Agent Langdon and I will show ourselves out. It's possible that we’ll have more questions later, but you've been very helpful tonight. Thank you."

I reached out and picked up the paper and then looked up at them. "Is Oliver all right?"

She nodded. "I think he's shaken up like everyone else. He was extremely cooperative today, and I imagine he's planning his return home."

Home?

The agents left, and my father took their coffee mugs back to the kitchen.

I opened the sheet of paper and read the note that Oliver wrote.

Lindsay–

I’m sorry for everything. I'm sorry I couldn’t do more for Liam. I'm sorry that I abandoned you and in doing so, abandoned the girls. I won't deny that it's still painful that you hadn't told me about them, but I can't blame you either. Liam and I had the misfortune of being conceived and raised in toxicity. I had thought we could escape it, but I was wrong.

Liam brought danger into your life, and that danger still exists through me. The only way for you and the girls to be safe is for me to get as far away from you as I can.

I gaspedand my hand covered my mouth. What was he saying?

But I wantto leave you and the girls with a few things. First of all, while I know you don't need any financial help from me, I'm hoping that you will accept some. It's not just an obligation to the girls that I feel. I want to be a part of their lives, even if it's just helping them be able to do all the activities they want to do or go to college or have a fancy wedding.

I want you to know that I think you're a tremendous woman and an amazing mother. The girls are beautiful, and I'm in awe of all you've been able to do to raise them.

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