I’d thought the ferry journey back to Glenvulin might be fraught with awkwardness, tension, with all that was left unsaid hanging between us. Fortunately, or not so fortunately, I received a call from DC Alice asking me to come to the station as soon as we docked so they could take a formal statement too.
At least it meant Quinn and I had something to discuss on the journey back, replaying everything that had happened in the past few weeks, who could be behind it, and why. Quinn eventually brought up Frank. Noting the way his expression turned distant at the mention of my ex-fiancé, I decided to be honest with him. Considering the private details of his marriage he’d shared with me, it seemed only fair.
“It’s not Frank.”
“How can you be certain?”
“Frank doesn’t have an aggressive bone in his body. He’s one of the most passive people I’ve ever met. When I broke off our engagement, he didn’t even put up a fight. He didn’t get angry, he was understanding about it, and he walked away easily.”
Quinn’s eyes narrowed. “You say that like you don’t care.”
Familiar guilt pricked me. “I wasn’t very fair to Frank. The truth was, I was settling for him, and I think deep down he knew that. I was afraid I was getting old and I wanted a family and … life with Frank was easy. We didn’t argue because he always gave in to me. What I wanted went. Looking back on it, it’s horrible.”
“You were bored out of your fucking mind.”
My lips twitched, which made me feel even guiltier. “Stop it.”
He grinned smugly. “It’s true, though. I bet even the sex was polite.”
I flushed and shoved him playfully. “Shut. Up.”
“It was, wasn’t it?” Quinn looked far too pleased with himself. “No wonder you broke it off.”
I grimaced. “I was selfish. And when Mum died, I didn’t want him near me. I didn’t treat him very well and he was so patient. But honestly, I think he was relieved when I broke it off. Frank is a pathological people-pleaser, and I don’t think he would have ever ended our engagement after Mum died. He would have seen it as dishonorable. I gave him the out he wanted.” I metQuinn’s suddenly serious gaze. “So no, there is no way this is Frank.”
“Okay. Then we take him off our list.”
The ferry slowed as it approached Leth Sholas.
“So … you didn’t love him then?” I barely heard Quinn’s question over the engine.
“I cared about him a great deal. But no. I didn’t love him.”
“Was there …” Quinn exhaled shakily, his hands clenched around the railing. “Was there anyone you loved while you were gone?”
I tensed because I knew admitting the truth might only muddle things even more between us. But I knew I couldn’t lie. We’d promised to be honest from now on. “No, Quinn. I haven’t been in love since I was eighteen years old.”
He squeezed his eyes closed at my word choice, the muscle in his jaw flexing, but he nodded, accepting my answer.
The atmosphere was a wee bit strained between us as we docked, but the appearance of Tierney, Ramsay, and Akiva provided a reprieve from our overwhelming emotions.
We quickly and quietly explained what happened yesterday in Oban, and Ramsay took my phone. “I’ll get it back to you today,” he promised.
“Are you all right?” Tierney hugged me.
“I … I don’t know,” I answered honestly.
As she pulled away, her gaze flicked to Quinn and then back to me. I saw the question in her eyes. “Later,” I whispered.
“Taran is needed at the police station.” Quinn rested a possessive hand on my lower back. “I’m escorting her.”
“You don’t have to.”
He scowled. “And yet I am.”
I sighed at his stubborn response but didn’t object.
“Meet me at the Lantern at three.” Ramsay waved my phone at me. “I should have some info by then.”
