Daniel reared back as though Audric had slapped him. “You killed Carmen?” He rushed toward Audric, but before he could get to him, Zane grabbed him around the waist.
“Don’t. He’s not worth going to jail over. Think about your son.”
Daniel slouched in Zane’s arms. “I loved Zola. I wanted my child. You, Iggy. I wanted to be your father. I was saving money, and we were going to run away together, but Buchard had spies everywhere. When he found out about your mom, he threatened both of your lives if I didn’t leave the country. And because Kreegon had kept my secret, Buchard sentenced him to a life abroad too.” Daniel wiped his face, but the tears kept coming. “How did you find out that he and Ilga aren’t your parents?”
“The servants talk. I was called a bastard behind my back all my life, but I always thought they were jealous, not that they were being literal. I befriended one of thestable hands, and one day, he asked if I had ever met my real mother. When I asked what he was talking about, he told me the truth as he’d heard it passed down through the years. Fa– Buchard had me sit in on his stuffy meetings in his office with him and Yezny.”
“Yezny, I can see since he’s heir to the title. Why include you and not Jurith?” Craig interrupted.
Iggy toed at something on the ground. “Jurith is dead. He wrecked his car about five years ago. I’m so sorry.”
Craig turned to Daniel. “Did you know that?”
“Me? I’m not the one who speaks to Buchard on a weekly basis. No, I didn’t know.”
Craig blew out a breath. “You sat in on the meetings and…?”
“Jurith was kind to me, but Yez liked to pretend I didn’t exist. They all did. After Jurith died, I did what I could to amuse myself, and that included paying attention when Buchard opened his safe without knowing I was in the room. One night when he and Ilga were off at some fancy dinner, I got in the safe just because I could. That’s when I found the letter he made Zola and her parents sign. After that night, I started planning. I made excuses to remain at Uni instead of coming home, when in fact, I was researching my mother and her family. I couldn’t locate her, so I tracked down Audric. I told him I wanted to find you. As soon as I turned twenty and had access to the first part of my inheritance, I paid him to fly here and meet with you. I swear I had no idea he hated you so much. He pretended to be happy that I knew the truth.”
“And Zola?” Daniel asked.
“Don’t act like you—”
“Shut the fuck up.” Tabitha pointed her dagger in Audric’s face.
Large flakes of snow began falling, and Iggy wrapped his coat tighter around him. “I couldn’t find her because her parents had taken the payoff money Buchard gave them and moved to a little town in Spain, but I convinced Audric to tell me where. She, uh, she’s unwell. According to my grandparents, after she gave birth, she just sort of withdrew into her mind and never came out.” He swiped the tears off his face. “They let me meet her, but they also asked that I not tell her who I was. They were afraid it would make her worse.”
“Iggy, tell the truth.” Major needed to know who was guilty. “Did you pay Audric to kill Kreegon?”
“No. Absolutely not. I only wanted to find my dad.”
“And when he showed you the hand grenades at the helicopter?”
“I thought he was going to use them to get your attention, not kill anyone.”
“How did you find us?” Tabitha asked Audric.
“I used the tracker in Craig, but once you found and destroyed that one, I hired a private investigator slash hacker. Once he found the new flight plan, he searched the cameras in the area of the airport where you landed. They couldn’t pinpoint your exact location, so I contacted ESN figuring they’d love a juicy story. I told them the general vicinity where the PI thought you were, but their guy came back saying the only people in the area were an older couple and their grandchildren. When asked where the drone was, he said it had crashed, and the editor was pissed. Since he didn’t find Craig, I didn’t give him the money I’d bribed him with. Then I decided to have Donnel’s phone traced. Craig had tossed his regular phone, but Donnel never did.When it showed up here, I figured the kid from ESN just didn’t know how to do his job.”
Well, fuck. Mason was going to kick Major’s ass for that one. “How did you manipulate the doctor’s office into putting a tracker on Craig?”
Audric’s smile was sleezy. “Money, of course. I watched the employees coming and going, then found the one who drove the junkiest car. I offered her a shit-ton of cash. Money does buy anything.”
“Who’s flying the helo?” Gregor asked.
“Just some man named Will. Audric rented the helicopter, telling him we had permission to hunt black bears.” Iggy clutched his hands in front of him. “Donnel, please believe I didn’t want him to hurt you or Kreegon.”
“I believe you, but that doesn’t mean we’re safe. If Buchard finds out you were here, he will kill you.”
“If he does, the truth will come out. I gave a sealed letter to my friend and told him that if I’m ever killed to take the letter to the press. It reveals the truth about my parentage and Buchard’s role in covering it up. I included a copy of the agreement he made my mom sign. I don’t want to go back home.”
“Then what’s your plan?” Craig asked. “If you don’t, he will search for you. He will probably search for Zola too.”
“We can help,” Tabitha offered.
“How?” Craig sneered. “Like you helped in keeping my location safe? If Audric could find us, then our father can too.”
Major got in Craig’s face. “You’re alive, aren’t you? You’ve been protected and catered to. You weren’t in a shootout where you had to kill someone. The culprit hasbeen apprehended, and you are fucking safe.” Major’s chest heaved, and his Gryphon threatened to come forward until a familiar hand landed on his back. “Fuck you, Craig.” Major turned his back on the man and hugged his mate.
