Page 15 of Forgotten Promise

“The Trinity Masters has secrets, layers of secrets,” Kailani said. “I’m not saying I know all of them because I’m sure I don’t, but there is one…thing…my family was trusted with. That call was related to my family’s…” She paused, clearly choosing her words carefully. “Inherited duty.”

John nodded slowly. “And you think you can’t tell us about it.”

“I can’t.”

“If you don’t tell me what’s going on, I can’t help you.” John pushed away from the wall. “If I don’t know the full story, I can’t help, and I want to help.”

Benjamin blinked as he realized what John was doing. Why his words felt vaguely familiar.

John was questioning Kailani like she was a suspect. Benjamin had heard detectives saying nearly exactly the same things in the true-crime documentaries that were his guilty pleasure.

Kailani let out a frustrated breath, her words rushed. “Thank you for wanting to help, but this is something I have to do alone. I know this probably seems crazy, but it’s a coincidence. The fact that the call started with ‘keyholder’ is proof that this has nothing to do with us. That was them asking me to initiate emergency procedures.”

“Emergency procedures?” John asked. “That plus them telling you the society is under attack makes me think this is something you shouldn’t be handling by yourself.”

Benjamin wanted to jump in and demand answers, but he bit back the urge. John’s questioning method was clearly more effective.

“I won’t be alone. That’s actually part of it.”

“There are other keyholders,” John said.

Kailani jerked in clear surprise. “I…yes.”

John’s faux confusion was gone, his eyes sharp with intelligence. “And one of the keyholders is going to be the acting Grand Master because our current leader has been attacked and is incapacitated in some way.”

Kailani only stared, eyes wide.

“You’re the Grand Master’s…designated survivor,” John concluded.

It was Benjamin’s turn to be shocked as he looked between John and Kailani. All the pieces were there, between what they’d heard on the phone call and what Kailani had revealed under questioning.

The Grand Master was dead, and now Kailani was the Grand Master?

Benjamin realized in that instant that there was a new absolute worst-case scenario for his life, and he was living it. Fuck.

Kailani opened her mouth, then closed it. “Damn it,” she breathed. “I shouldn’t have let you hear that call. It’s not…exactly like that.”

“It’s not?” John asked. “Because it sounds like the Trinity Masters have procedures in place to maintain leadership in case of assassination or attack. And it sounds like maybe they chose a designated survivor from a legacy family, who lives as far away from Boston as they can, while still being inside U.S. borders.”

Benjamin looked at John. He felt oddly proud of how intelligent he was. This was a man he’d be honored to marry.

Except he wouldn’t be truly married to John because Benjamin would accept nothing less than a real trinity marriage. Even if their marriage wasn’t dissolved, it would be in name only as Kailani had made it clear she was unwilling to be a part of it.

“I can’t stand here and argue with you two. I don’t have time.” Kailani sounded almost panicked as she turned and opened the staff door.

Her anxiety was triggering Benjamin’s own. He forced it down and looked at John. “That was cool, man. How you questioned her.”

He’d kept his voice low, he thought. Too low for Kailani to hear.

As with everything related to her, it didn’t go as planned. She must have excellent hearing because she whirled on them. “Questioning?” Her expression went slack, then morphed into a cool, professional mask that hid everything she might be feeling. “You questioned me like I’m a suspect.”

John shot Benjamin an irritated look, then faced Kailani. “No, I asked you questions in a way designed to get information from people in crisis.”

Kailani’s expression didn’t change as she marched into the office on the other side of the staff door.

The room was small and cluttered, but in a tidy way, with a tiny desk, file cabinet, and a large wire shelving unit with assorted dishes and a few shelf-stable grocery items. The most interesting part of the room was a large wall safe half hidden by the racks. That must be what she’d come for.

Benjamin started to follow her, but Kailani swung the door shut in his face.

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