“No. I’ve always been glad you were born first.”
He nods, looking at the water. “I won’t let her have any power over you. You know that, don’t you?”
His arm goes round my shoulders and I remember being here before, as pre-teens. Resting my head on my brother’s shoulder, his arm around me. Sibling solidarity.
“Keep your word on that.”
“I will. How’s Ben?”
He knows. Everyone knows. “I don’t know. I haven’t spoken to him other than after the explosion at the casino.”
“He’s a good guy.”
“He has his demons.” And I didn’t know what they were, other than they were stopping him from being with me in the way I wanted.
“Isaac was there in the casino, wasn’t he?” Lennox’s arm becomes lighter.
I know Lennox is aware of exactly who was there and who wasn’t. By now, he’ll know more than me. Our intelligence agency will have details, records, identities.
“Yes. I was with him when the alarm went off.”
“Alone?”
I move away from Lennox and look at him through narrowed eyes. “Yes.”
He shakes his head. “Goldsmith doesn’t trust Isaac.”
“I don’t trust Goldsmith.”
Lennox picks up another stone and skims it. “There are rumours about Isaac. No one knows who his father is or where his money’s from. He’s secretive. Someone suggested that his lovers are both men and women, and I thought you should know that.”
“There’s nothing wrong with that. As long as there’s consent.”
My brother’s jaw tightens. “Don’t get dragged into whatever world he functions in, Blair. We have no idea what his agenda is. He’s an excellent advisor and passes on information to Goldsmith that’s invaluable, but we’ve no idea what his intelligence sources are.”
My muscles tighten. “What does he know that he shouldn’t?”
“Nothing that has affected us so far.” Lennox sighs and shakes his head. “Isaac is intelligent, maybe dangerously so. He knows things that Goldsmith’s tried to keep hidden. I can’t tell you who not to speak to, but please be careful with Isaac.”
I feel a twinge of satisfaction.
“I’m always careful.”
“He’s a player, Blair. And not just with women.”
I sometimes wonder if my brother would be less promiscuous if he had better taste in women or if he could ever find what he was looking for.
“I don’t kiss and tell.”
“I know. I’m just concerned about what Isaac’s game is. I don’t want him to scupper the work Goldsmith and I have been doing.”
I hold the exasperation I have in, caused mainly by Goldsmith’s name. My brother appears to be enamoured with the man.
“Are you sure about Goldsmith?”
“Surer than anyone else. He’s been in agreement with most things I’ve put forward. He wants to take you out again. I think he’s genuinely interested.”
My brother was a fool.
