“I don’t know. In my heart, I don’t hold a lot of hope Donnel’s still alive. Donnel was a bit of a git, but he was smart and savvy. Unfortunately, he wasn’t a shifter, which gave him a distinct disadvantage against Faegan. It was one of the reasons he capitulated and assisted Faegan with some of his…matchmaking arrangements for packmates.”
“If Frannie really is Tamsin’s mom,” Ken said, “and you said she and Donnel were dating, I kinda wonder if Faegan just killed the real Hyacinth and Donnel and took Frannie. A hat trick—he gets a wife and gets rid of two witnesses who can contradict him.”
Hamish slowly nodded. “That would be something Faegan might do. Certainly wouldn’t put it past him.”
Hamish
In fact, he’d be surprised if that wasn’t exactly what happened to Donnel and the real Hyacinth.
The old cottage’s roof had been patched multiple times throughout the years. While the walls lay nearly completely covered with ivy, when Hamish yanked the door open, he was pleasantly surprised to see the cottage wasn’t in bad shape. Dirty, and with assorted junk that had been stored and forgotten, but not nearly as decrepit as he’d feared.
Jake let out a whistle. “I’da gave my left nut to have a place this nice while I was hiding out.”
Hamish chuckled. “It was cozy. I know Faegan and Donnel never understood why I’d choose to live here when the big house was available, but I preferred this simple comfort and its inherent peace to skulking around the manor house and trying to avoid my brothers.”
“I get it,” Ken said. “Living within your means. I had a small apartment when I met Dewi. I could have probably got something bigger, but it would’ve meant spending more money, and I wasn’t exactly rich. Not to mention, I was avoiding my step-brother. If I’d had something larger and fancier, he would’ve moved in and I’d never have gotten rid of him.”
Jake and Hamish looked at Ken. “You coulda kicked him out,” Jake said.
“You didn’t know me before Dewi.” His thin smile bore pain Hamish was well acquainted with. “He could beat the crap out of me. He’s the reason I didn’t have a car—he wrecked mine, and I wasn’t inclined to replace it when I could bike to work. He was too fucking lazy to bother to bike.”
“What happened to him?” Jake asked.
Ken snorted. “Dewi kicked his ass, then he still showed up at my apartment, and I kicked his ass. That was right after we got together, and I just…” He shrugged. “I don’t know how or why I snapped, but maybe it was something to do with being mated to Dewi. All the rage and hatred I had for him spilled over, and I unleashed on him in a way I never had before.”
“Considering what his father did, it sounds like he needed a good ass-kicking,” Jake noted.
“He made my life hell from the moment Mom started dating his father. I’m convinced his father killed his first wife, too.”
“Perhaps Dewi should pay him a visit in prison and ask him,” Hamish suggested. “She could find out if he did and if he did, have him confess to it.”
Ken seemed to consider it. “That’s not a bad idea. Would serve him right.”
Hamish walked over to the rickety old table he recognized as being the one he’d used when he lived there. He smiled as he ran his fingers over its dusty surface. “I’m shocked this is still here. I think Faegan hated that he couldn’t control me the way he could Donnel.”
“You said Donnel wasn’t a shifter, though?” Jake asked.
“Correct. He certainly was Faegan’s lapdog and lackey, however. Trying to stay in his good graces so his allowance kept flowing.”
“What’s your gut tell you about him?” Ken asked. “If he’s involved in this?”
Hamish shrugged. “If his usefulness to Faegan came to an end, it wouldn’t shock me if Donnel came to an end, too. Especially if he was a loose end who could expose Hyacinth’s true identity.”
“What finally made you leave?” Jake asked.
Hamish quickly outlined that evening even as he stared at the old stone hearth, where he’d built up a fire before leaving. “I’m not saying Donnel was an angel, but when I knew him I wouldn’t have wished him dead. Not being a shifter, he was trying to survive the best he knew how.”
“What if they find Donnel?” Ken asked. “Does that mean everything reverts to him since he’s older than you?”
“I have no idea.” Hamish turned, taking everything in. It was ironic this small, stone cottage felt more like home to him than the large manor house ever had. “He’s welcome to it, as long as he didn’t participate in killing off Hyacinth. If he did, I hope he rots wherever he lies, or that I get a chance to help kill him.” He focused on Ken. “My sister-in-law wasn’t perfect, but she didn’t deserve the hell Faegan put her through. If Donnel participated in making her life worse and he’s still breathing, then he shouldn’t be allowed to live.”
Chapter Fifty-Eight
Ken
Ken realized shortly after their return to the house that his eyelids were drooping and he couldn’t stop yawning. “Okay, naptime for me, sorry.” He glanced at his watch. “I haven’t slept in eighteen hours. Wake me up if you find something or need me.”
“Of course,” Hamish said.
