Page 24 of High Water

“The relics would have been found or stolen, perhaps even won in a previous card game. There are strict laws now against soldiers bringing objects like relics back from war zones, but in this era, the lines were blurred. With many of the major cultural institutions, cathedrals, and palaces of Europe clearing their collections out in advance of invasion and occupation, many items were stored off-site, sometimes in less secure locations that were eventually discovered, and others were lost in transportation. That’s before we get to all of the things the Nazis stole,” Charlotte explains. “So many are still missing. Klimt, Degas, Raphael. Lots of churches and cultural centers were reduced to rubble, and even for those that still stood, it wasn’t uncommon for anything of value to be ransacked.”

“Apparently including by my paternal grandfather,” Zephyrine laments.

“If they won them in the card game, our theory is that they eventually all ended up with one. Maybe a final attempt for Schaefer to settle a debt after so many losses. As we know, the Kelly, Schaefer, and O’Leary relics were returned for safekeeping after they were recovered from Governor Schaefer’s extralegal collection. But Zephyrine recalled her father referencing a potential fourth relic, one that could have belonged to the Stocktons or been in their possession alongside the stolen one we put up on the market to draw the buyer out.”

“But we didn’t know what it looked like, so we asked the client if they could locate pictures or drawings for us, and they were able to send those over this week. I wanted to share them with you because I think it’s going to be helpful if we all know what we’re looking for,” Charlotte explains.

She flicks through the presentation to a photographic slide. It’s a sword, sheathed in a bejeweled scabbard, with a golden hilt that glimmers even in the black and white of the photograph. My chest goes tight as I stare at it, my heart threatening to drop even lower as I study the details. The craftsmanship was unforgettable. I’d recognize it anywhere.

The rest of the meeting goes by in a blur while I stare at the stretch of carpeting beyond the table, a pattern of grays and blues that blend to hide the dirt and stains. Not all that different from the one I’ve been carrying since that night so many years ago.

“Bishop?” Levi calls my name, and when I look up, I realize we’re the last two left in the room.

“Sorry. I was lost in thought.”

“I noticed. You all right?”

“I need to talk to you. Do you have time today?” The sooner the better. Before I lose my nerve.

Something flickers behind my friend’s eyes, his hand dropping from my shoulder as he pushes his glasses up his nose. He nods then, like he’s thought through something and decided it’s for the best.

“Sure. I have a lunch thing first though. After that?”

“Works for me.”

“Want to meet here?”

“Can you meet me over at the ranch?”

“Oh. Yeah, I can do that.” He eyes me carefully, but he doesn’t ask questions. I imagine he’ll have a lot of them later.

TEN

Aspen

“Thanks for making time for this lunch.” I greet my brothers as we sit down in one of the suite-level meeting rooms for a lunch Grant’s had catered by the steak house downstairs. It feels weird to be having what feels like a formal meeting about this, but then it was the easiest way to get us all together as soon as possible.

“Of course.” Grant nods as he distributes the meals that have been brought up before he takes his spot at the head of the table. It’s his ire I’m most worried about. Not for the truth, but for keeping it for so long.

“I just really wanted it to be the four of us for once, so we can talk about some things. Not that I don’t love all my future sisters-in-law. You know I do. But this is gonna be a hard one to have, and I’d rather have the smallest audience necessary.”

“Well, now you’re making me nervous.” Ramsey looks up from his plate, his brows knitting together.

“It’s not like that. It’s just something I’ve been meaning to tell you for a long time. I’ve wanted to tell you, but again… There was never a good time or a good place to have the conversation. And we’re all so rarely in the same place at the same time unless it’s a holiday. Which wasn’t the right time either.” I take a breath when I realize I’m rambling.

I’m not usually like this, and my brothers know it. I’m focused and to the point. I can feel their eyes on me, questioning what could have me this out of sorts. Ramsey with concern, Grant with pointed interest, but Levi’s relaxed. Like he already knows what I’m about to say.

“We understand.” Grant gives me a look of reassurance, but he doesn’t touch anything on his plate.

“I’m just going to get to the point. There’s no other way to do it, really. Fallon is not Ethan’s daughter. Or rather, she is as far as we’re all concerned, but biologically speaking, she has a different father.”

I pause to read the room, and there’s silence so stark you can hear a pin drop. I reach out and take a sip of my flavored water, twirling the cap of the glass bottle in my hand as I continue.

“I never said anything—well, for a lot of reasons, but she’s… she’s Bishop’s daughter.”

“Bishop’s?” Grant can’t hide the surprise in his voice.

I nod.