That was the truth. Her brother had liked fine dining, luxury apartments where his friends would let him stay once in a while, places with excellent Wi-Fi and plenty of nightlife. He enjoyed foreign films and exotic foods—but nothing outshone his love of horses. Mackenzie held her breath.
“He started showing up almost daily at the stables, and even after he went back home, we talked on the phone for hours. Eventually, I called him out on his ‘job interview’ cover story, and he admitted he was moving some product for Bullseye.” Her face burned in the lamplight as if the memory were branded there. Mackenzie felt singed by the confirmation too.
Her brother had indeed been selling drugs for Bullseye. Aaron, a drug dealer. Why?Gideon squeezed her wrist, but she barely felt it.
“Keep going,” she said to Cordelia.
“I told him if there was going to be a future betweenus, he had to quit dealing drugs. He promised he would, as soon as he had enough to launch his tech company. I begged him to do it immediately.” She looked at the ceiling. “I’m proud and stubborn and impatient, but I begged him to get out. We could survive on the income from the stables until he got established, but he was too proud for that.”
Mackenzie’s heart bent toward this woman who’d loved her brother and tried to steer him on the right path. “Thank you,” she said quietly. “For trying to persuade him to quit.”
For doing what I should have done.
Cordelia shook her head. “It wasn’t enough.”
“Why do you have his phone?”
Cordelia smiled. “He lost it when we were out riding. I found it the day after he left, but there was no way to reach him. I knew he was coming back soon, so it didn’t seem like a big deal. He had a burner phone for his work things.
“Two days before he was supposed to meet me here, I saw a news headline about a man being shot and killed in Aaron’s hometown.” Her voice wobbled. “I knew it. Even before they released his identity, I knew it was him.”
Mackenzie was horror-struck at the excruciating way Cordelia had found out about Aaron’s murder. Cordelia’s grief was real, the deep ache close to the surface. “I’m sorry you learned about his death that way. If I’d known about his relationship with you, had some kind of contact information, I would have called.”
Cordelia didn’t acknowledge the remark. Her throat convulsed as she swallowed hard, trying to master her emotions.
“Why do you think Aaron was killed?” Gideon said.
Her voice was dull. “Because he worked for Bullseye. Simple as that. Drug deals go bad in that business. He should have walked away when I asked him to.”
Cordelia seemed to shrink in on herself. Mackenzie gave her a moment before she asked the next question. “Why didn’t he tell me about you?”
“Probably because you’d ask all the things you’re asking now. How did we meet? Why was he coming to town in the first place? He didn’t want you to know about his dealing. He was ... ashamed. Deeply.” Her gaze grew cloudy. “He said his job was to look after you, keep you away from trouble.” She shook her head. “Looks like you landed yourself right in the middle of it anyway, didn’t you?”
Mackenzie experienced a stab of guilt. She had run into the mess and towed Gideon along with her. And had she dragged Aaron’s grieving fiancée into the crosshairs too? She swallowed a sob. “Guess I’m stubborn like my brother.”
“Guess you are.” Cordelia’s gaze drifted over the small space. “We’d meet up at this old place when we both could get away. I guess we were like kids, playing house and pretending he didn’t deal drugs, counting the days until we could be together legitimately, go public so to speak, but away from this town. I was going to help him run his tech business and relocate my stables, maybe nearer to where your family lived.” She paused. “He told me I’d like your parents.”
Mackenzie felt the hot tears trailing down her cheeks. “You would.”
“And that I’d like you too, because we were both strong-willed, intelligent women.”
It was almost too much to bear, listening to the things Aaron had said to this woman he loved who would have to live her life without him. The vise squeezed her heart.
Gideon cleared his throat. “Thank you for telling us about you and Aaron. There are a few other things I’m still unclear about. How did you know Mackenzie arrived in town?”
“I didn’t at first. Even when you two showed up at the stables, I didn’t know who you were. There was something familiar about you, Mackenzie, but I was too distracted saving the horses to notice the family resemblance. After Jerry and Al tried to ambush you, I started asking questions and figured it out. I found your podcast, listened to every episode.” She chuckled. “Gotta admit, you have some serious nerve to call out a kingpin like that.” Her smile faded as she looked at Gideon.
Mackenzie toyed with her mug.
Cordelia shook her head. “Bullseye feels threatened. He’s got to be really rattled to spend so much energy trying to catch and kill you. The good guy is much more his preferred persona in town. He fancies himself a Robin Hood type, providing jobs and pouring money into projects and people when he feels magnanimous. It’s not comfortable for him to be publicly vilified, I’d imagine. You made an enemy of him and you delivered yourself right into his backyard in the process. What information were you after, by the way? Did you get it?”
Mackenzie frowned. “A lead about his real name, but I lost my contact before I got it. Do you know his identity?”
She hesitated. “Yes, I do. Are you sure you want to find out? After everything that’s happened?”
Mackenzie’s whole body went slow and quiet. At last, this was the moment. “Yes, I do. Tell me who he is.”
She nodded. “Okay. His name’s Frank Soliel.”
