“You got the number for the officers who are trailing Wilde?” Bennett demanded. The guy had been gone about thirty minutes—and Bennett needed to know just where the fellow was at that moment.
“Officers Brady and Givens.” The chief immediately rattled off Brady’s number. Bennett yanked out his phone and called the officer. The line rang once, twice.
“Officer Brady.”
“You still have eyes on Wilde?”
“Yes, sir…he’s just…he went back to his house. He’s gone inside and pulled the blinds shut. His car is out front.”
“If he leaves, if he moves at all, you call me right away, got it?”
Because he didn’t trust Wilde. And it wasn’t just about Ivy and the past they shared. It was something deeper. Darker.
***
“When I heard that shot, I jumped out of the pool and ran inside as fast as I could,” Hugh said, his voice halting. “I was dripping water everywhere and I thought about how much Dad would hate that. You know how he always wanted the house to look perfect. The perfect house to hide our screwed up family.”
She squeezed him harder.
“Cameron was in Dad’s room. When I ran in, he was standing over Dad. Staring at him. I didn’t even understand what the hell had happened, not until Cameron looked up and told me…he said it was all over now. Dad had killed himself.”
He shuddered against her.
“That’s what one of the cops told me last night,” Hugh whispered. “Same stupid words. That Shelly was gone. That it was all over for her. All over. What the hell does that even mean?”
She looked up at him. “How much have you had to drink?”
“Not enough. I can still see Shelly. I see her everywhere.”
She glanced around the wrecked house. “Is that why you’ve been breaking everything?”
“Ives…I’m scared. I don’t think I can do this without her.”
“Hugh.” She snapped out his name, saying it hard and fast.
His bleary stare met hers.
“You can do this. You will do this, do you understand me? You aren’t going out like our father. You are going to get through this. Because I’m going to be with you. We always stick together, don’t we? No matter what?”
Hugh nodded.
“We’re going to find the man who hurt Shelly. We’re going to stop him.”
His shoulders straightened a bit.
“You have to get yourself together, though, Hugh. You have to get some sleep. Eat. Stop drinking.” Don’t take our father’s path.
“It hurts…”
“I know. And it’s probably going to hurt a lot more before it gets better.” She wouldn’t lie to him. The funeral would be hell. “But doesn’t Shelly deserve justice? Don’t you want to give her that?”
“Yes.”
Damn straight. “Good. Then let’s get you to bed and—”
“I…wrecked the bed.”
She frowned at him, then went to investigate. She peeked in the room and sure enough—“Why?” She turned around and Hugh was behind her. The detective had waited in the den.
“Because the sheets smelled of her. Because I could still feel her there.”
Ivy nodded. “Okay, then we’re going back to my place.” Because she wasn’t leaving her brother alone. “You’ll stay in my guest room. And we’ll get through this—together.” She offered her hand to him.
He stared at her fingers. Slowly, his hand rose and curled around hers. “Is this what it felt like for you?”
“What do you mean?”
“When Bennett left you? Is this what it was like? You hated the whole damn world and pain was ripping your guts out?”
She’d hurt, so much, but it wasn’t the same. Bennett had still been alive. Just not with her. Shelly… “Everything is going to be all right.” But those words felt like such a lie.
And his bitter smiled called her on that lie. “I told him to leave you. To never look back. I saw what he did to Dad. Saw the way he attacked him…he was dangerous, Ivy. I thought he’d hurt you.”
“Let’s go, Hugh.”
“But I’m the one who hurt you…I forced him to leave, threatened him with jail. I did that to you. Not just Dad, me.” His fingers squeezed hers. “I’m so sorry.”
So was she. For so many things. Bennett never mentioned that Hugh threatened him. Just my father.
Why had he kept that part secret?
Hugh didn’t speak again as they left his condo. Their guard watched them, the detective’s face grim. At least the guy hadn’t needed to use his gun. Her brother was safe.
She’d make sure he stayed that way.
***
Bennett’s phone rang just as he was heading out to his car. He yanked the phone to his ear. “Bennett.”
“Detective Morgan? He’s…he’s gone sir.”
“Officer Brady?”
“I got worried because his place was so quiet. I went to the door, knocked—”
So much for keeping a low profile.
“The house is empty. The back door was unlocked, so I-I searched the place before calling you.”
Sonofabitch.