“Just about everything,” Griffin said. “Why were you down here anyway?”
“I … .” Hmm. Double crud. “Is that really important?”
“Oh, she’s hiding something,” Redmond said. “You can always tell because she changes direction mid-course when talking. Nail her … but not in a gross way.”
Griffin ignored him. “Let’s start this over from the beginning, shall we?”
That sounded like a terrible idea. I was trapped, though. We all knew it. “I finished a job in Harrison Township and got a text when I was leaving. Someone wanted to meet me for lunch at the Mexican place down the block. That’s why I was here.”
“Who?”
“Who what?”
Griffin growled. “Who did you have lunch with? It’s obviously someone you don’t want to own up to spending time with, because you’re dancing and you have no rhythm.”
“Do you really think insulting me is going to result in you getting what you want?”
“That’s a diversionary tactic, too,” Redmond offered. “She turns things around on you when she’s hiding something. She was a master at it when we were kids. Once Dad caught her sneaking in the window after midnight and somehow he ended up apologizing for not setting the security system properly. It was … amazing.”
I love my brother, but he doesn’t know when to shut his mouth sometimes. “Thank you, Redmond.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“Well, if you’re not going to tell me, I’m going to make up scenarios in my head,” Griffin said. “You could’ve met Jerry because he’s feeling neglected, but he’s working in Royal Oak today and there’s no reason for him to be in Detroit. You could’ve met your mother, but you’re not exactly keen on spending time with her. You might meet her if you think it would benefit you, but I doubt you’d do it alone.”
He’s good. I have to give him that.
“You could be meeting a man,” Griffin continued. “You wouldn’t want to tell me about that if you think I’ll be jealous. Is that it? Are you seeing someone else?”
My mouth dropped open with incredulity. “Really? Do you think I have time to keep up with a second man? I just moved in with you. We spend all of our free time together. I don’t have the energy to keep up with another man. And, even if I did, I don’t have the inclination … except times like now, when you accuse me of really stupid things.”
Griffin’s expression softened. “I’m sorry. That wasn’t a real suggestion. I was trying to make you admit who you were having lunch with by ticking you off. I guess that kind of backfired.”
“I don’t know,” Redmond said. “That wasn’t exactly a denial. She attacked you for thinking that about her. She didn’t say she wasn’t doing it.”
That did it. I whacked the back of Redmond’s head hard enough to jolt him forward. He scowled when he lifted his eyes to mine.
“I was not having lunch with a man,” I said. “I was with a woman. Can we please leave it at that?”
Griffin pursed his lips. “Fine.” He said the word, but I could tell he was irked.
“Maybe she’s a closet lesbian and no one noticed,” Redmond suggested. “A woman might not be any better for you and your broken heart than a man. It’s too bad, too. I was just starting to like you. It was nice knowing you.” Redmond clapped Griffin’s shoulder. “I’m sure you’ll find someone better.”
“Hey!”
Redmond smirked. He was baiting me … and enjoying it far too much.
“You know what? There’s really no reason to lie or cover this up,” I said. “I was keeping it to myself because I wasn’t sure I wanted Dad to know, but it doesn’t really matter now.”
“Dad? Why would Dad care?”
“Because Barbara asked to meet me for lunch and we had a long discussion about feelings … and relationships … and all that gooey stuff that makes me want to puke,” I replied. “There. Are you happy?”
“You didn’t need to hide that,” Griffin said, slipping his arm around my shoulders and pulling me closer so he could kiss my temple. “I don’t care about that.”
“I wasn’t hiding it from you,” I said. “I was hiding it from Redmond the Mouth.”
Redmond was affronted. “I won’t say anything,” he said. “Why would I say anything about that? Quite frankly, the whole thing makes me sad because Barbara must be desperate to want to spend time with you given the way you’ve treated her.”
“I will have you know that I’m a very warm person,” I argued. “Barbara loves me because of my giving spirit.”
Griffin and Redmond snorted in unison.
“I see the margarita has made you fuzzy,” Griffin said. “I guess we should walk around the cemetery until you sober up, huh?”
I narrowed my eyes. “I am not drunk.”
“You’re very cute, though.” Griffin kissed my cheek and then linked his fingers with mine as we moved toward the gate opening. “I’m sorry I pushed you on who you were having lunch with. That wasn’t fair.”
“Yes, like I would ever cheat,” I grumbled.
“I didn’t think you were cheating, but the idea of you having lunch with another guy is mildly annoying.”
“I have lunch with Jerry all of the time.”
“That’s not even remotely the same,” Griffin said. “This one is on me. You didn’t do anything wrong. I just got … territorial.”
“Like a dog,” Redmond said, falling into step with us. “He wants to mark his territory.”
“You’re not helping matters,” Griffin said. “I apologized. I wasn’t being fair. It’s not as if I tell her who I have lunch with during my shifts.”
Now it was my turn to be suspicious. “Are you having lunch with women?”
“I have lunch with fellow officers,” Griffin replied, averting his gaze.
“That wasn’t a denial, sis,” Redmond said. “He’s having lunch with women. Get him.”
“You only want to see a fight,” I argued.
“I admit I’m a bit bored these days,” Redmond said. “I wouldn’t mind a fight to perk things up. Waiting for a different kind of fight – one where we might die if we’re not careful – makes me antsy.”
“Join the club,” I said. “Now that the Grimleys are gone and most likely dead, all I can wonder is if we’ll be next.” I cast a sidelong look in Griffin’s direction. “I only hope they don’t go after the people we care about, too.”
Griffin balked. “Don’t say things like that,” he chided, leading me into the cemetery. “I can see your mind working, and if you get hurt trying to protect me we’re going to have a huge fight.”
“Well, at least Redmond will be happy if that happens.”
“Oh, no,” Redmond said. “I don’t want a huge fight. I like the small ones when you make up right away. The huge ones make me nervous.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m pretty sure he’s your only shot at happiness, and you’ll be crushed if you lose him,” Redmond answered honestly. “I don’t want to see that. So, while I think he’s far too free with the gross kisses and hugs, your happiness is more important than my comfort.”
“Oh, that’s the sweetest thing you’ve said to me in days,” I cooed, smirking as I poked his arm. “It’s okay. I have no intention of getting into a big fight with Griffin. Well, unless he’s having lunch with random women. Then we’ll fight. That never even occurred to me until now. Thanks for that.”
“I just had to open my big mouth, didn’t I?” Griffin shook his head as we walked the path that led to the Olivet family’s mausoleum. No one made the conscious decision to start our search there, but since so many other things happened in that place it only made sense our destination would ultimately end where our troubles began so many months earlier.
In an effort to change the subject, Redmond drew my attention by clearing his throat. “What did you and Barbara talk about?”
“Only that she’s the one who broke up with Dad because she didn’t w
ant to stand in the way of a potential reunion for him and Mom,” I replied. “I felt bad for her. It seems she’s had a crush on him for years and was really excited when he finally asked her out.”
“Who knew Dad had a way with the ladies?” Redmond teased, although his eyes were somber. “Did you tell her there’s not going to be a reunion?”
“I did, but she’s too good of a person to stand in the way of them trying,” I explained. “I don’t think her ego can take being second fiddle to Mom even if she’s not trying to win back Dad. It’s too much for her, so she’s taking a step back to see what happens.”
“Do you think Dad is upset?”
“I think Dad has so much going on he doesn’t know what to do with himself,” I answered. “He knows he can’t trust Mom and yet … .”
“He can’t completely shut her out of his life,” Redmond finished. “It’s tough.”
“If Braden wasn’t such a mama’s boy Dad might be able to make a hard decision, but that’s not going to happen now because he knows he’ll alienate Braden in the process and he refuses to do that,” I said. “The rest of us would survive and take his side. I’m not sure about Braden.”
“Braden is stronger than you think, and you need to stop poking him whenever the opportunity arises,” Redmond said, tilting his head as we crested the hill that led toward the Olivet mausoleum. Since Grimlock family roots trace back to the 1800s, our family mausoleum is located only a few spaces down. I destroyed the Olivet mausoleum in a fire several months ago, but someone had been busy, because a new structure had already been erected in its place – and it looked eerily similar to the first – including a newly carved rune above the door. It matched the one on the fence and the seal. “Well, that’s new.”
“That’s definitely new,” Griffin said, tightening his grip on my hand as he glanced around. It was early afternoon so the sun was high in the sky even though the wind was cool. “Did we know that someone was rebuilding that monstrosity?”
“I haven’t been here in weeks,” I said. “Once Mom came back from the dead there really wasn’t a reason to visit her grave. That’s the only reason I came here in the first place.”
Griffin’s expression was unreadable as he brushed a strand of hair from my face. “I think it’s okay to come here and mourn that mother if you want. There are no rules in a situation like this.”
I had trouble meeting his gaze. “I … no. That’s not really how I roll.”
“I know.” Griffin pulled me close for a brief hug and kiss on the forehead before releasing me. “Do we want to look inside?”
That was like asking if I wanted to look at a train wreck. It was awful and terrible, but that didn’t mean I could look away. “We don’t have much choice, do we?”
“We have a choice,” Griffin said. “If you don’t want to go in, we don’t have to.” He knew it would be difficult for me because I burned several people alive when I destroyed the old mausoleum. It still haunted my dreams occasionally. “It’s up to you. I am not going to push you to go inside that building.”
“Thanks, but … I want to see.”
“Okay.” Griffin slipped behind me as I reached for the door handle, keeping one hand on my hip and his wary eyes alert as I pushed open the door. He poked his head in first to make sure we were alone and then cast a final glance to the small rolling hills surrounding the mausoleum. “It looks clear.”
“It’s clear out here, too,” Redmond said.
Walking into the mausoleum was surreal. Whoever constructed it went to great pains to make it look exactly like the previous structure – with one notable exception. There was a door along the back wall. It didn’t look to lead outside, but there was also nothing behind the mausoleum that would indicate a need for a door. So … why was it there?
“Where do you think that goes?” Redmond asked, his eyes naturally drawn to the door. “That’s the only difference.”
“That’s a good question,” Griffin said, keeping his hand on my arm as we moved to the other side of the building. He tentatively reached out his hand and when he tried to twist the knob, it didn’t move. “It’s locked.”
“Can you kick it open?” I asked.
Griffin made a face. “I’m a police officer. That’s technically against the law.”
“So is that thing we did in the Royal Oak City Park when you got bored with the music festival this summer,” I reminded him.
“Yes, but that wasn’t my jurisdiction.”
“You two are sick,” Redmond muttered, shaking his head. “Even if he wanted to kick that in, though, it looks heavy. I think we’ll need tools to open it.”
“That, too,” Griffin said. “We can come back if you think it’s important. I’ll wait outside and pretend I don’t know what you’re doing when you open it.”
Redmond snickered. “Oh, he’s so cute. He’s enabling you to be a felon, Ais. You really did find the perfect man. On a serious note, what do you think this is?” He ran his fingers over an odd-shaped groove above the handle. “Do you think something fits in there?”
“I have no idea what that is,” I admitted. “It’s weirdly shaped, though.”
“Yeah, it’s definitely weird,” Griffin agreed, his forehead creasing.
After a few minutes of fruitless staring, I shifted my attention and focused on the vault to our left. “Everything else is empty but that. That looks new.”
“That does look new,” Redmond agreed, furrowing his brow as he moved closer. “It says it belongs to someone named John Anderson … and he apparently died a week ago.”
“So how did they get the plaque done so quickly?” Griffin asked.
“That’s a good question. The better questions are: How does he tie into the Olivet family and how did he die? It makes sense that no one else is laid to rest here because I burned all of the other bodies. I thought the Olivet line was long ended, though.”
“I think that’s something we’ll have to ask Cillian about,” Redmond said.
“Because he’s the smart one?”
Redmond scowled. “You are such a pain.”
“You say that as if it’s news,” I said, leaning into Griffin when he slipped behind me. “I think we should get out of here and see what Cillian has found out about that symbol. This place gives me the heebie-jeebies.”
“We’re going,” Griffin said. “I don’t want to stay here either. Even though it’s new, it feels old.”
“And evil,” Redmond said.
“It definitely feels evil,” Griffin agreed. “Come on. I think Aisling is sufficiently sobered up and I’ve had enough of creepy cemeteries for one day.”
“You didn’t tell me how you even knew where I was,” I said, slipping my hand in his as we left the mausoleum. “Are you psychically drawn to me now? Are we just that magical?”
Griffin’s eyes momentarily twinkled, and then he told the truth. “Redmond texted for backup.”
I stilled as I cast an accusatory look over my shoulder. “Tattletale.”
“Hey, you find trouble no matter where you go,” Redmond said. “I wanted help, and Griffin was my best shot. It worked out for all of us, didn’t it? You got to cuddle with your boy toy and I didn’t puke. What’s to complain about?”
He had a point. That didn’t mean I was willing to concede my argument. “I’m going to make you pay later.”
“Not if you don’t want me telling Dad who you had lunch with.”
“Ugh! That’s exactly why I didn’t want to tell him who I had lunch with, Griffin. This is all your fault.”
Griffin wasn’t even remotely sorry. “This family makes me tired. You know that, right?”
“You make me tired,” I shot back.
Griffin’s grin was wolfish. “Perhaps we should take a nap before we go back to work.”
“Oh, I’m going to deafen myself with Q-tips if you keep this up,” Redmond complained. “I’m going to puke all over you.”
The jokes were flying fast and furi
ous, but I couldn’t push the thought of the mausoleum’s locked door out of my head. What exactly are they hiding in there? And who is doing the hiding?
22
Twenty-Two
“I can’t believe they already rebuilt that mausoleum.”
Dad was flummoxed as he stared at the photos on my camera. I kept my head long enough to snap a few shots of the new mausoleum, and then I headed straight for Grimlock Manor while Griffin returned to work. He seemed upset at the prospect of leaving me, but he knew he couldn’t watch my every move. I promised to be careful, gave him a little more guff about having lunch dates with women, and then turned my mind to serious matters.
Something was going on and we were close, but we had no idea how everything fit together, and it was frustrating. The longer we went without understanding the enemy, the more likely it became that the enemy would find us before we were ready.
“I can’t believe we didn’t think to check,” I said, reclining on one of the office couches and resting my feet on the coffee table. “It seems that should’ve been on our weekly to-do list.”
“It never even occurred to me,” Dad admitted, scowling when my phone beeped to indicate an incoming text message. Instead of getting up and walking the phone over to me he tossed it in my direction. “I mean … who is rebuilding that thing? The Olivets have been gone from the area for years.”
I caught my phone and glanced at the text message, my cheeks burning when I read it. Griffin was apparently bored at his desk and sending suggestive ideas for our evening activities. “I … um … what were we saying?”
“What’s that message say?” Redmond asked as he tried to read over my shoulder. “Dad looks as if he wants to find a hole to crawl into and your face couldn’t be any redder if you spent an entire day in a tanning bed.”
“Don’t worry about it,” I replied, clicking off the phone screen. “It’s none of your concern.”
“Oh, that means it was a dirty text from Griffin,” Redmond said, chortling. “Oh, I’m right. Look at Dad’s face. I was wrong. He’s not looking for a hole to climb into. He’s looking for a hole to bury Griffin in. Ah, my day just got better.”
Grim Expectations (Aisling Grimlock Book 5) Page 19