Intractable Souls : Book 1 of the Bound for Ireland Series (11 page)

“So, what now?” He asks, trying to wrap his
head around everything that’s happening.

Shannon flips through the documents in front
of her. “My recommendation is that we hire an investigator to find
out as much information as we can about that night. Hopefully, we
can get to the bottom of it quickly.“

One of the associates interrupts. “The Garda
may request that you return to Ireland. They will be conducting
their own investigation eventually, and Ethan you should know that
you could be charged with assault.“

“Do you really think it will get to that? I
didn’t do it! This is ridiculous!” His hand lands heavily in anger
on the desk in front of him.

“Ethan, we believe that you didn’t do it.”
Shannon assures him. “We just need to prove it. Ideally we need to
find the person who did. Otherwise it does come down to her word
against yours. If you think of anything or anyone that might help
us then please contact us right away.”

Ethan rubs his hands over his face in
disbelief. “Unbelievable.” He shakes his head. “I can’t believe she
would do this. Why go public weeks after it supposedly happened and
then file the police report a month after that?”

Miss Quinn adjusts the camera so she’s back
in view. “We had the same thought. We think she’s after money. When
you didn’t return her calls she made her public accusation hoping
you would contact her and offer her money to be quiet. When you
didn’t do that either, she escalated it to the police.”

Ethan puffs out a breath that he had been
holding and then, finally starting to feel more like himself, he
takes control. “I want this resolved as quickly as possible.”

“It’s not our intention to drag this out. As
long as you’re cooperative and available to the investigation team,
we should have some answers soon. Until then, I feel it necessary
to remind you, as your lawyer, that you need to stay out of trouble
and not discuss this matter with anyone. Don’t post anything about
it on any social media, Facebook, Twitter or otherwise.”

“Fine. You know how to get a hold of
me.”

She closes her file folder and stuffs it
into her briefcase. “I’ll hire an investigator first thing Monday
morning. We’ll be in touch.” She stands and leaves the room with an
entourage of assistants following behind.

When he hears the door close he calls out.
“John? You still there?”

“Yes, I’m here.”

“Is everyone gone?”

“Yes, it’s just me here now.”

“How the hell did everything get so screwed
up, John?” His voice strains in defeat.

“I believe Shannon is on the right track.
Miss Keane’s agenda is money.”

“Well I’m very inclined to pay whatever she
wants to put an end to this.”

“That would be a bad idea at this point.” He
advises.

“As always you’re right. I wish I had
listened to you, John.” Regret is visible on his face.

“Me too, my friend. I had a bad feeling
about that woman right from the beginning.” John struggled with
telling him how he felt at the time. He warned him a few times but
he wishes that he made him listen. A decision he has regretted a
thousand times in the past three months. “Ethan.”

“Yes?”

“It’s good to hear your voice, you’re missed
here.”

Ethan smiles. “Don’t get all mushy on me,
McCabe.”

John raises his eyebrows and smirks as he
leans in closer to the video screen. “I meant by all the young
ladies… I don’t miss you. You’re a pain in the ass.”

Ethan laughs. “I can always count on you for
the truth my friend.”

“Yes sir, that’s why you pay me the big
bucks.”

“Go home enjoy the rest of your weekend.“
Ethan packs up the stuff on his desk. “I might need you to come
here for a week or two and help me out with a few personal deals
I’m working on.”

“Can’t your Canadian assistant handle things
for you?” There is apprehension in his voice.

“Not as well as you. I’d just feel more
comfortable if you were here.“

“Very well.” He concedes. “Let me know when
you want me to arrive and I’ll make the necessary arrangements.” He
looks into the camera with a serious expression. “Ethan, stay
focused, keep a level head and stay out of trouble. Would you at
least try to stay away from women until after this is
resolved.”

Ethan thinks about Olivia and grins. “That
might be easier said than done.”

John closes his eyes and shakes his head.
“Dear God! Already? Don’t tell me anymore, I don’t want to
know.”

Olivia reaches her car and unlocks the door,
cringing at the creaking sound it makes as she opens it. Climbing
in carefully, she slides the key into the ignition and says a
little prayer as she turns it. “Please start… Please start.” The
engine shows its age by making a loud wheezing noise, like an
elderly man trying to walk up hill. “Come on girl… you can do it!”
She turns the key again and it responds with an optimistic cough
and a sputter. Taking a deep breath she releases the key and closes
her eyes. On the third try the old girl muscles up the gumption and
the engine rumbles to life. “Yes!” Olivia throws her hands in the
air in celebration.

She hits the highway and feeling a little
warm from the fever she rolls down all the windows and cranks the
radio. The sun is bright and the fresh air feels good. Bravely she
presses harder on the accelerator and hits an exhilarating speed.
Singing at the top of her voice, her hair blows in the wind through
the open window. Suddenly she hears a thud as something bounces off
the car visor and then drops onto her chest and slides downwards
into her bra. That was odd. She puts her hand to her chest but
doesn’t feel anything right away so she turns her attention back to
her song.

Suddenly she feels movement in there.
Whatever it is, its HUGE and it’s now wandering around in her bra,
violating her with its scratchy little feet and antennae as it
goes. She screams and sticks her hand into her top and searches in
her bra for the intruder. She can tell, as it takes a casual stroll
through her cleavage, that it has a hard type of shell, like a June
bug and she doesn’t understand how it’s possible that she just
can’t seem to get her hand on it. Swerving back and forth all over
the road she decides, that for safety reasons, she needs to pull
over onto the shoulder and stop. She gets out of the car and rounds
the hood onto the shoulder in a hurry, with her hand in her shirt
still searching in distress. Finally she gets a hold of a leg and
in one quick motion yanks the largest beetle she has ever seen out
of her bra and launches it into the air. She jumps up and down.
“Ew! Ew! Ew!”

A loud pop comes from the engine of her car
and it sputters, then dies. “Noooooooooo!” She gets back in and
turns the key but no such luck. Lifting the hood, she stands there
looking at its inner workings as if she’s expecting to receive
divine intervention at any moment. But nothing happens.
Perspiration forms on her brow and her eyes start to feel heavy.
Her stomach flips and twists and she’s thankful that she hasn’t
eaten because it certainly would come back up right now.

Slamming the hood down in sheer frustration,
she watches as a silver car pulls up and stops behind her. The
Cavalry has arrived! The door opens and out gets an extremely sexy
Ethan O’Connell. Divine intervention indeed! Her stomach bottoms
out, her breath hitching at the sight of him as she recalls his
last reply. Good girl, I suspected you were a woman who does what
she’s told.

“Having troubles?” He grins as he walks
towards her.

That charming smile is not going to work
today. She just wants to get home and she’s not interested in
anything else he is offering. “What are you doing here?“

“I had to go into the office this morning
for a conference call. Looks like it’s a good thing I did or you’d
be stuck here.”

“I would have got her started eventually.”
She says, offended by his comment and the fact that he thinks she
needs to be rescued. Maybe she did but she thinks it’s rude that he
makes assumptions about her.

He’s wearing a pair of black jeans and a
tight fitting plain white t-shirt that clings to his chest showing
off its impressive definition. “A little under dressed for the
office aren’t you?” She hopes that he doesn’t notice her staring as
she feels a rush of hormones and heat washes over her body. The
look in his eyes and the slight smirk on his face tells her that he
is well aware of her perusal. He’s amused at her continual attempt
to deny her attraction.

“It’s Saturday, Olivia. There was nobody
there but me. Get your stuff and I’ll take you home.” It’s an
order, not a request, but she’s feeling far too sick to argue with
him.

He’s about to pull back into traffic when
she reaches out and grabs his arm. “Wait! We can’t just leave her
here on the side of the road.”

“Maybe if you’re lucky somebody will steal
it.” Ethan is in a foul mood after his video conference and he
doesn’t mean to take it out on Olivia but his tone upsets her.

“My dad left me that car. It was his pride
and joy and the only thing I have left of his.”

Ethan feels horrible. She’s genuinely upset,
and the look of disappointment on her face is something he would
never like to see again. There should never be anything other than
complete joy and happiness on her beautiful face and he wants
desperately to be the source of her rapture. “Forgive me, Olivia.
I’ll look after it.” He takes his cell phone out of his pocket and
hits a number on the speed dial. “Hey it’s me. Do you have a
mechanic in town?” He isn’t using the speaker so she can’t hear the
conversation on the other end. “Do you trust him? Can you arrange
for someone to come and tow Olivia’s car there? It’s off on the
shoulder on the 410 North Highway just past the Sandalwood exit.
Then call John, or that other guy, you know the one that looks like
a sloth. Have him arrange for her to get one of the cars from the
sales fleet. I want it dropped off at her house today if possible,
no later than tomorrow morning. Yes, that’s fine… thanks.” He ends
his call and Olivia is staring at him completely offended by his
call and he picks up on her hostility. “What’s wrong?”

“So you think it’s ok to just take over and
make decisions for other people?” She crosses her arms in front of
her.

Ethan pulls out into traffic and looks at
her confused. “What are you talking about?”

“Did it ever occur to you that maybe I can’t
afford to pay someone to fix my car?

He didn’t consider that actually, he just
took control like he always does. “Olivia if you’re short of money
then I’ll pay to get it fixed. I can’t stand the thought of you
driving around in an unsafe vehicle. I won’t allow it. That car is
a death trap.”

He won’t allow it? WTF? That only
antagonizes her more. Not to mention that she knows from experience
that financial dependence is just another way to control someone
and she refuses to go through that again. “Well it’s not your job
to look after me.” She snaps.

“Soon enough you’ll figure out that there is
no point in arguing with me.” He says dismissing her anger.

She’s just about to lose it and on the verge
of giving him the piece of her mind that she’s intended to several
times since the first time she met him. “You know, just because you
are the Senior Vice President of a successful company doesn’t mean
you can snap your fingers and make your employees or anyone else
jump anytime you want.”

Ethan is working hard at controlling his
temper. His jaw clenches and his voice takes on a defensive tone.
“I’m not sure why you’re so upset with me. I’m trying to do
something nice for you.” His Irish accent becomes more defined as
his anger escalates. No woman has ever raised her voice at Ethan
O’Connell. He’s not quite sure how to handle it.

“You just called one of your employees on a
Saturday and asked them to look after something that is personal
business. MINE, I might add.” She yells at him.

“You are way too quick to judge me, Miss
James.” He shakes his head annoyed.

“I could hear the conversation. I heard you
order someone to look after getting my car fixed.” Furious, she
turns her body and faces out the window.

Ethan scratches at his head, frustrated at
her reaction. “What the…? Olivia, that was Scott. I didn’t call a
staff member and give them orders on a Saturday. I called a friend
and asked for help.” He glances over at her. “And just for the
record… John, my ‘personal assistant’ is a 24/7 gig that “I” pay
for, not the company. If he’s unhappy with the terms of his
contract he’s free at any time to find another job.” Extremely
annoyed at her accusations, his jaw stiffens as he glances at her.
Bloody woman!

She looks at him over her shoulder. “Oh. I’m
sorry.” Starting to feel a little motion sickness, she reaches into
her purse for a something to settle her stomach and pulls out the
handful of prescriptions that she’s supposed to get filled. Feeling
embarrassed that she needs to ask for his help after what she just
said, she holds them up to show him. “I need to get these
filled.”

“No problem, I’ll take you.” He hesitates,
not able to hide the agitation in his tone. “Or do I need to ask
you if it’s ok first?”

She decides not to reply. It’s much safer
for her to keep her mouth shut and rest her eyes for the rest of
the drive.

When he pulls up in front of the drug store,
Olivia gets out and heads for the door. Still tense from their
conversation Ethan decides to stay in the car. As she passes around
the front hood, he watches her, mumbling about difficult women in
general, until he notices blood starting to soak through her track
pants while she walks. He gets out of the car and jogs to catch up
with her as she begins to feel dizzy and puts her hand against the
side of the building to steady herself. Ethan reaches her just in
time and braces her against his body.