When a young man cleared his throat, she realized that the others, Steele and his lovely wife, had left them. Addie waved the man over, and Evie knew that her granddaughter had found love, true love, at last.
“This is Nicholas Stark. He just asked me to marry him, and I said yes.” Bentley shook his hand to congratulate him, but Evie wanted a closer look at the man who would love her Addie. “Grandmother, he’s so wonderful. You’ll love him.”
“Young man.” He nodded at her and smiled. “Do you have any idea what my granddaughter is worth? What she will be bringing to this marriage?”
“No. And frankly, I think you asking me borders on being rude. And before you ask or investigate me, you should know that not everything you find will be right. Yes, I’m a son of a drug addict. My sister killed herself the same way when she was just shy of her ninth birthday. I killed my stepfather with a screwdriver for…well, let’s just say that he wasn’t a good man. But all that matters nothing to Addie, and that’s all that matters. I will be polite to you, might even like you, but for her money or yours? I could care less. I have a good job. I make good money, and I have invested well. I love her and will care for her in the best possible way.” Evie liked him. When he winked at her, she thought perhaps she might even love this man after a time. “But most importantly, Mrs. Simon-English, she is my world, and the rest of it can go to hell for all that I care.”
“You’re a very candid young man, aren’t you?” He nodded and kissed her on the back of her hand. “I think we’re going to get along just fine, you and me.”
“Good. Now, I’ve just talked to Steele, and he and I are under the agreement that rather than just run around a bush that will get us in the same position as we might have should we just jump right in, I want to tell you what I do for a living.” She nodded, not sure at all that she wanted to hear this. Looking at Addie wasn’t that assuring either, but Evie sat when he asked her to. “My friend and the owner of this house is going to sit with us too. As are the others that live here. Mrs. Simon-English, some of this is going to be very hard to swallow, but I want you to have an open mind.”
“Something has happened.” Nicholas nodded. “All right. And call me Evie. And this is my best friend, Bentley. Where I go, he goes.”
“Good to know.” Nicholas turned and looked at Bentley, extending his hand in friendship. “Mr. Bentley.”
As the other men filed into the room, Evie watched them. Steele she had met with his wife, but the others were just as comfortable with each other as Steele had been with her. Evie knew people born to money, and Steele had been. He wore it well, and she had a feeling that he would tell you that it meant nothing to him. And for once in her life, she would believe him.
Nick, as he asked her to call him, introduced the others in the room. “You’ve met Steele Bennett and his wife Kari. This is Drew Mullins…he’s the dark and quiet kind of guy. Hugh McGuire is to his right. Hugh is…he can say more with one word than most can say with a book. Ray Hancock is former FBI and sort of the head master of us. He keeps us in line and is our savior for the most part. Landon Logan is…Landon is Landon. He’s one of the most honest and hard men I know.” Landon tipped an imaginary hat and smiled at her. “Mitch Riley is a thinker. His mind rarely rests, and if you stay here, which I’m to understand that you’ve been asked to do, you will see him roaming the halls in the middle of the night more often than not. Izzy and her husband Jake run the kitchen and the rooms. There is a staff here that takes care of us better than we deserve.”
Each of the men welcomed them. Evie knew there was more. There had to be. And as she waited for it, she saw the men shuffle their feet and squirm on the couch. For some reason that made her more nervous than she was before.
“Well? Spill it. I’m an old woman, but I’m not a stupid one. Tell me.” He looked to her right and she did as well. There was nothing there. “Young man, don’t piss me off before we begin.”
“Jacob Simon is there with you. He’s been there since you came into the room, feeling the emotion that you are feeling for having Addie back with you.” Evie sat back in the chair as Nick continued. “Billy Pike is here too. He died some years ago and helps us on our job a great deal. There is also Donny and Carlton. Donny died about twenty years ago—drive by shooting—and Carlton won’t tell us what he was killed by. I’m thinking he was having a tryst with a married woman and got caught.”