I’ve never called her before, but I have her number.She has mine too.I made sure of it after her sister was beaten.I should have given it to her sooner.I should have had a family dinner before now, but I didn’t want to force her or her sister to have a relationship with us unless they wanted to.I knowAintínalready considers them hers and a part of the family.
“Paddy?”
“Yeah.”
“Does Alek know you’re calling me?”I like that she clears things with her husband.I can’t wait until Daria does that.
“Yeah, he told me I could, but under strict instructions.”
“Okay.What can I do for you?”
“Why can’t I just call to see how you’re doing?”
“My husband just texted as you said you had his permission.”
I chuckle.“I know you can access my VPN here at the club.Use only that for what I need you to do.That way no one knows who’s doing the searching.”
“Okay.Go on.”
“You’re good at finding people.We have an aunt who’s missing.According to her husband, she’s in a local psych hospital.But I just went there, and it’s not myaintín.I don’t know who that woman was, but she’s not a MacEvoy.When I questioned the staff, they said she showed up at the hospital in 2003 and has been listed as Eireen Gillingwater.”I pause as another thought hits hard.“That’s the year my mother was killed.The last time I saw my aunt was at my mom’s funeral.It was only a couple of days later that my uncle claimed she’d had a mental break.The woman in that hospital has black hair and can’t speak at all.”
“I’ve already logged into your VPN.”I hear typing over the line.“I see that Eireen MacEvoy Gillingwater is a strawberry-blonde.I’ll keep looking.Do you think maybe someone took her to the desert?”she asks the question I’ve been dreading since I saw the imposter in the bed.
“If she was, I’ll kill him with my bare hands.”
“I’ll keep looking.Give me a bit.What was the exact date of your mom’s funeral.I have a date of death.”
“It was over a week later.Give me a second, and I’ll see if I can get the date.”
“Nope, never mind.I have it now.”
“Dang, girl, you are fast.”
“I’ll call you later with an update.Oh, wait, I can’t.I have dinner with Alek at a friend’s house.”I like how she doesn’t give away any details.
“I know.Tell my girl I’m thinking of her.”
I hang up and look at the numerous calls and text messages I received from Broderick while I spoke with Lyric.
“How are we going to keep him from this?”JJ asks.
“I’m not going to.Security says he’s here now.”
The door opens without a knock, and it grates on my nerves in a way that only he can.I stand from my seat, keeping the desk between us so I don’t kill him right here and now.JJ stands too, using his full height and mass to intimidate Broderick.
“Twice in one day.What’s the occasion, Broderick?”I don’t give him the title of respect he’s come to expect from me.
He recoils and steps backward, knowing I’m upset.
“Why didn’t you tell me you went to the hospital?I could have saved you the trip and told you Eireen isn’t seeing anyone today.It’s a rough day.”
“Is it?When was the last time you saw her?”
I want to see if he’s going to lie to me more.
“I was just there last week.They called me this morning to tell me she was feeling off.”
“Really?Because the administrator of the facility says the patient in room 314 hasn’t had a visitor since she was checked in… almost sixteen years ago.”I let that bomb drop and wait to see what other lies he’ll give me.
