Suspicions (The Battling McGuire Boys Book 3) (10 page)

Secrets she didn’t want shared.

“He’ll be okay, Mark,” she promised him. “He’s already getting more stabilized. It’s a good thing you found him when you did. If he’d run into the road when cars were coming out this way...”

Legacy could have died. The stallion had almost run
them
down.

When it came to the ranch, Mark wasn’t too sentimental about many things, but Legacy mattered. Mark and his mother had bought Legacy. Legacy was
theirs.

The horse was the only thing of his mother’s that he had left.

“I’ll check all the horses,” Jamie said. The faintest hint of a New England accent whispered in and out of her voice. “If any of the others are affected, I’ll let you know.”

He nodded. He stared across the stall at Legacy. There was no food in the stall. The place didn’t appear to have been disturbed at all.

The security feed.

If someone had come into the barn to poison Legacy, the feed would have caught it. “I’ll be in the house,” Mark said abruptly, “if you need me.”

Jamie nodded, but her attention was on Legacy, not Mark.

He hurried out of the stall and—

“Is he okay?”

Ava was there. She’d been standing with her back propped against the side of his stables. He looked around, but he didn’t see any sign of Davis.

“Mark?” Ava marched closer to him. “How’s your horse?”

“Poisoned.” He raked a hand through his hair. “At least, that’s what the doc thinks.” And he was about to figure out just who had been given access to his horse. He caught Ava’s hand and hurried toward the main house.

When he stepped onto the porch, Ty rounded the corner of the house. “Boss!” Ty called out. “Boss, I got something you’re gonna need to see!”

Mark glanced over at him.

Ty held up a syringe. “I just found this out back.” His face darkened. “With Legacy acting so wild, I’m betting this is the cause.”

Mark’s jaw was clenched so tightly it hurt as he stared at that syringe. There was a thin, white label wrapped around. The name of whatever drug had been inside it? Hell, that was exactly what they needed! “Take it to Dr. Myers. She’s with Legacy.”

Ty nodded curtly and headed for the stables.

“Wait! Did you hear anyone last night?” Mark demanded.

Ty looked back. “I patrolled out here, but I didn’t see a thing. Whoever this guy is...” Ty shook his head. His eyes hardened. “He’s good. And he knows your ranch. He knows how to slip in and out without being seen by anyone.”

But had he managed to avoid the video cameras?

Mark and Ava headed into the ranch house. Ava was quiet beside him as he keyed up the video feed. He fast-forwarded through the footage, watching, looking for any sign of the masked man who’d been on his property before.

You’re just making yourself at home here, aren’t you?

But...there was no one on the tape. No one but Ty, going in for what Mark thought must have been a quick check on the horses.

“No one’s there.” Ava leaned over his chair, and her hair slid over his arm. “He was too smart this time. He must’ve figured out where the cameras were positioned.”

Maybe.

The scent of strawberries hung in the air around him.

“I know how important Legacy is to you,” Ava told him as she rubbed his left shoulder. “I’m sorry this happened.”

Everyone in the area knew how much he valued Legacy. “He tried to hurt me by taking him out.” He looked up at her. “He could have drugged him last night after the accident.”

Ava sucked in a sharp breath. “When you called your men to the scene—”

“It was the same technique he used before. Distract and attack.” The guy must have seized the opportunity. Since he hadn’t been able to take out Mark, rage would have been riding the guy hard. And he’d let that rage out on Legacy.

Ava backed up when Mark stood. “He’s going to be okay,” she said. “Brodie has talked about Dr. Myers plenty of times. He said she knew her animals better than anyone he’d ever seen.”

Yes, she did. They returned to the stables, but before they could enter, the doors swung open and Dr. Myers hurried toward them. Ty was right behind her. She smiled when she saw Mark. “He’s going to be okay!” She had the syringe in a plastic bag. “I know what to give him to counteract the effects. Legacy will be fine.”

Some of the heavy tension left Mark’s shoulders.

“If Ty hadn’t found this syringe...” She glanced over at the foreman. “Well, let’s just say I’m very grateful. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to call my office so I can get the right medicine for him.” She took off jogging to her car.

Mark clapped his hand on Ty’s shoulder. “I owe you.”

But Ty shook his head. “No way, man. I’m the one who owes you. And we both know it’s more than I can ever repay.”

Mark’s jaw tightened. He and Ty had become friends in school. Ty’s mother had never seemed to care about her son at all. She’d seemed more interested in drinking her way to the bottom of a bottle and, most nights, Ty and Mark had hung out together. When Mark had come back to town, he’d sought out Ty. The guy had been one step away from living on the streets. He’d given Ty a place to stay and offered him a job.

Ty was one of his oldest friends—and, no, the man didn’t owe him a thing.

“I’m guessing you didn’t see anything on the video,” Ty said, his lips twisting.

Ava stepped forward. “No one was there.”

“I’ll step up the guards tonight,” Ty promised. “You’ll be safe here.”

“I’ll be staying with Ava tonight,” Mark said. That night, and every night until they caught the bastard.

Ty glanced over at Ava. “I sure am glad you’re all right.”

She gave him a weak smile. “Mark was the one who got hurt.”

He’d forgotten about his stitches. They didn’t matter.

Dr. Myers had returned from her car, and she was heading for the stables once more.

“Go on,” Ava told Mark, pushing him forward. “Check on Legacy. I’m going to meet up with Davis.”

Right. Because Davis was still searching the area near the crash.

Mark pulled her close to kiss her hard. “If you need me...”

“You’ll know,” she finished as she gave his arm a quick squeeze. “I’ll call. But don’t worry, I’ll be with Davis.” Then she waved a quick farewell to him and Ty.

As she walked away, Ty gave a soft whistle. “You must be feeling pretty brave to go up against all the McGuires, buddy.”

Ava was worth tangling with her brothers.

“She knows,” Ty began carefully, “about your past?”

His past. Those lost years when he’d slipped from Texas. “No.”

“Aw, man.” Ty gave him a pitying look. “What do you think will happen when she learns the truth?”

He didn’t intend to find out. Maybe there were some things that Ava would be better off not knowing.

* * *

A
VA
HAD
ALMOST
reached Davis when her phone rang. Frowning, she lifted it up, but she didn’t recognize the number that appeared on her screen. “Hello?”

“He’s dangerous.” The words were so low she could barely understand them.

“Who is this?” Ava demanded, but...she knew.

It was him. The stalker.

“I’m just trying to protect you from him. Can’t you see? I want to take care of you.”

Her fingers tightened around the phone. “You almost killed Mark last night.”

She heard laughter—low and bitter. “And you think Mark hasn’t killed? You don’t know him. Not really. He’s been lying to you for so long.”

“No.” Ava could see Davis striding toward her. She waved to him, hoping he’d hurry forward.

“Have you asked him about the night your parents died?”

Her heart slammed against her chest. “Were you there when they died? Did you kill them?”

“Ava, I only want to take care—”

“Did you kill them?”
Ava screamed.

Davis ran toward her.

“Mark is lying.” His voice was still so low. “He’s going to hurt you. Don’t trust him.”

Davis was just steps away from her.

“Ask Mark. Get him to tell you...what your father said before he died.”

What?

“My father was dead when Mark got to him.” She knew because Mark had told her...
I’m so sorry, Ava. There was nothing I could do. He was gone.

“Liar, liar,” that voice mocked. “You’ll see soon enough. You put your trust in the wrong man.”

The line went dead.

Ava stared at Davis, stricken. No, no, that creep on the phone was the one lying to her. Not Mark.

“Ava?” Davis touched her arm. “What did he say?”

“Dad was dead.”

His brow furrowed.

“By the time Mark got to him, Dad was dead, wasn’t he?”

Mark had said—and Davis—

Davis looked away from her.

She grabbed his shirtfront. “Dad was dead!”

“He only lived a few moments, Ava.” The words were soft, sad. “He didn’t have a chance of surviving.”

And it felt as if she’d just been shot in the chest. “No. Mark said...you—you
both
said that he was dead. That nothing could be done!”

His fingers curled around hers. “I read the medical reports. There
was
nothing that Mark could do. Dad had lost too much blood. His wounds were too bad. But, yes...” Now his voice turned hoarse. “He was alive, just for a few minutes. Mark told me—”

“But no one told
me
!” No one but that freak on the phone. The man who was tormenting her.

“We didn’t want to hurt you, Ava! That’s why we held back. We didn’t want you to know...” His voice trailed away into silence.

Too late. She knew exactly what he’d been about to say. “You didn’t want me to know that when I left him, Dad was still alive.”

Run.

Her whole body felt numb right then. “What did he say to Mark?”

Davis frowned at her.

“Before he died, what did Dad say to Mark?”

But Davis shook his head. “Nothing, Ava. Mark never told me about anything our father said to him.”

Was it another lie? Or the truth? She’d trusted her brothers—and Mark—blindly for all of these years. But they’d been holding back on her.

She turned away from Davis, but he caught her shoulder. “Ava, you were so close to breaking back then...”

Everyone always thought she was so fragile.

“We were just trying to protect you.”

Ava glanced at him. “I’ve never lied to you.”

Pain flashed on his face.

“How many lies have you told me?”

He didn’t answer, and that very silence terrified her.

“What else are you keeping from me? What else is Mark holding back?” Mark, the man she’d thought of as her white knight. Now he, too, seemed surrounded by secrets.

“Mark’s past is his own to share.” Davis swallowed. She saw the quick dip of his Adam’s apple. “And anything I’ve done, it’s all been for you.”

Was that supposed to make it right?

“Let me go, Davis.”

His hand lifted.

“I need some space.”

“Ava...” A warning edge entered his voice.

She stiffened her spine. “Despite what you think, I’m not close to breaking apart. And I don’t have a death wish. I just want to be by myself for a few hours. Is that so wrong?” She needed to get away, to stop feeling watched. “I’m going to the museum.” Because she actually did have a job waiting for her. Ava’s boss had called earlier and told her that they were setting up a new exhibit. More hands were needed. Kristin had said that if Ava was available to come in early, her help would be appreciated.

A couple of hours at the museum—yes, that would be just what she needed. Work, to take her mind off the insanity around her.

“If anything happens...if you need me...”

Ava looked back at him. “I need you to figure out who just called me.” She tossed her phone to him. He caught it easily. “And I want to find out how he knew our father lived until Mark arrived. He said...he said that Dad spoke to Mark.”

Davis stared down at her phone. “Mark never mentioned anything—”

“Yes, well, as you said, people lie.” Her breath heaved out. “And I think it’s long past time that we started sharing the truth.”

He pulled out his phone. “Take mine. Just in case—”

“In case a crazy stalker tries to ruin my life again?” She took the phone from him. “Got it.”

Then she turned and walked away. Davis didn’t seem to get just how much his words had hurt her. She was tired of being in the dark. Tired of her brothers thinking she couldn’t handle the danger that had haunted her family for years.

She wasn’t going to break. She wasn’t going to shatter into a million pieces.

No matter what happened, she’d survive.

One way or another...

Chapter Eight

“That looks amazing!” Kristin Lang said as she headed into the museum’s main gallery. Her red hair was in a long braid down her back, and the large hoop earrings she wore swayed with her movements. “You’ve grouped them perfectly! Those colors—the lighting—fantastic!”

Ava dusted off her hands on her jeans as she glanced over at the museum’s director. Kristin was only a few years older than Ava, and she seemed to be bursting with energy. A wide smile lit Kristin’s face as her gaze traveled around the display.

Ava had been working with the docents there for the past three hours. They’d arranged, then rearranged the artwork until everything was perfect.

“Hiring you was the smartest move I’ve made in months,” Kristin said, with a decisive nod.

“Uh, yes, about that...” Ava cleared her throat as she closed in on the other woman. “Why did you hire me?”

Kristin’s smile slipped a notch.

And Ava’s stomach knotted.

“Well, because of your credentials, of course!” Kristin told her, that smile appearing again, only it wasn’t quite so full this time. “You graduated at the top of your class. You have a keen eye—” she waved her hand around the gallery “—obviously! You know your work and—”

“How much influence did the museum board have on your decision?” Because as she’d worked, she’d had time—too much time—to think about things. About the perfect job that had opened up and brought her right back home. A job that had been arranged for her...courtesy of Mark?

“The board?” Guilt sparked in Kristin’s eyes. “They can make recommendations, certainly, but the final call is mine.”

And Ava knew her suspicions were dead-on. “A board member told you to hire me.”

“I simply went over the list of applicants, and you were personally recommended—”

“Who recommended me?” She kept her tone polite, curious, when she wanted to demand. But she couldn’t demand. This was her boss, after all, and she needed the job. With everything else in her life going to hell, this position was important.

Kristin appeared hesitant.

“I have to thank him...or her,” Ava said, forcing a smile of her own. One that felt incredibly stiff on her lips. “I’d hoped to get a job at a museum like this one, and that recommendation...it made my dream come true.” And that was the truth.

Kristin’s shoulders relaxed. “I knew you’d love this place! After our interview, I thought for certain you’d fit perfectly here! And they were both so adamant that you were the right choice—”

“Both?” Ava asked her carefully.

“Why, yes, two board members were very supportive of you. Alan Channing and Mark Montgomery. They both vouched for you, and with references like those, I wasn’t about to turn you away.”

Right. Ava’s gaze fell to the canvas near her.

“Is everything okay?” Kristin asked as she edged closer. “You
are
enjoying the job here, aren’t you?”

Ava nodded and smiled again. She hoped the smile didn’t look as fake as it felt. “Of course.” But...she wished Mark had told her that he’d pushed to get her the position. There were a lot of things that she wished Mark had told her.

“Wonderful.” Kristin clapped excitedly. The woman really had a lot of excess energy. “And I think we’re done for the day. I owe you a million thanks for coming in and helping today. You are a phenomenal addition to the museum, and I know we’re going to be doing great things together.”

Then Kristin was hurrying away, her high heels echoing in the museum. Ava glanced down at her watch. It was nearly five o’clock. Another night was closing in, and she still didn’t have any clue who that jerk out there was.

Grant had called her twice—checking in with his usual big brother style. She’d assured him that she was fine.

I can’t be afraid every moment.

Ava hurried back to her office and reached for her bag. As she’d told Grant, she couldn’t let this guy control her life. She couldn’t stay with a guard every moment—that was no way to live.
I won’t let him win.

Winning and losing—as if this were all some sort of sick game. Unfortunately, Ava had started to think of this whole mess as a cat-and-mouse game. She was the mouse, and the guy was just playing with her.

A few of the other workers called out to Ava as they left. She waved to them and quickly finished organizing her office. When she was satisfied, she reached for her keys. The parking garage was on the level right below the lobby, so she headed for the elevator.

“Wait for me!” Kristin called.

Ava held the elevator door for her. Kristin hurried in, carrying a big briefcase. “Late-night work,” Kristin told her with a light laugh. “I’ve really got to learn how to leave this stuff here. Working all night doesn’t give me much of a social life.”

The elevator dinged when it reached the parking garage.

“Got big plans for the night?” Kristin asked her. “I know you’ve got family here—”

The elevator opened.

“—so I’m sure they’re glad to have you back—
aah!
” Kristin’s words ended in a scream because she’d just stepped out of the elevator and run right into a man wearing a black ski mask. A man armed with a knife.

He struck out with the knife, but Kristin lifted her briefcase. The blade sank into the case, and Ava grabbed Kristin, hauling her back while the man in the mask tried to yank his knife out of the leather. When Kristin was safely out of the way, Ava leapt forward. She shoved into the case, into the attacker, and he fell to the floor.

“Ava!”

At Kristin’s cry, Ava jumped back into the elevator. Her hand slammed into the elevator’s control panel. “Shut, shut, shut,” she screamed. The doors started to slide closed.

The attacker was on his feet again. He had the knife in his hand.

He could have lunged forward—could have gotten in there with them.

He didn’t move.

The elevator doors slid closed, and the elevator rose up to the next floor.

Kristin had a death grip on Ava’s arm. “We have to call the cops!”

They had to get someplace safe first. The elevator doors were already opening. “We have to get out of this building.” Ava shot out of the elevator. “Because he could be coming up the stairs.” And the stairwell was just a few feet away. Was it her imagination? Or did she hear him in that stairwell right then?

They ran. They raced through the museum. Everyone else seemed to have gone, but Ava knew the security guard would still be at the front desk. They just had to get to Frank Minnow. He’d help them. He’d—

The lights flashed off.

And Ava knew that her stalker was hunting them.

* * *

“S
O
...
YOU
’
VE
BEEN
honest with me, haven’t you, Mark?”

At Davis’s slow words, Mark glanced up at the guy. They were in Mark’s barn, and Dr. Myers had finally gotten Legacy stable. She’d had to give the horse several injections, but he seemed calm now.

When he glanced over at Davis, Mark saw that the other man’s eyes were on the pretty doctor.

“I don’t like it when people lie to me,” Davis continued softly.

Right. So while the guy might appear to be staring at the doc, Mark knew Davis’s attention was wholly on him. “If you’re going to accuse me of something, then do it.” He wasn’t in the mood to play games.

“You told me that my dad was still alive when you got to the ranch that night.”

Mark locked his jaw. “He was.” But he hadn’t lived long. When he’d first seen him, Mark had thought he was already dead. There had been so much blood.

Then he’d caught the faintest sound—a whisper. He’d rushed forward and tried to stop that massive blood flow, but it had done no good.

“What did he say to you?”

Surprise pushed through Mark.

Davis turned away from the stall and focused his assessing stare fully on Mark. “Before he died, what did my father tell you?”

Mark shook his head.

“He
did
say something to you, didn’t he?”

“How do you know this?” Because he hadn’t thought anyone knew. Those last few moments had been so chaotic. He’d barely heard the man’s rasping words.

“That psycho who is stalking Ava called her today. He told her that Dad was still alive when you got to the ranch.”

Mark squeezed his eyes closed. Now he’d have to explain to Ava why he hadn’t revealed that to her before.
Because I didn’t want to hurt her. I didn’t want Ava to know her dad was in agony until the very end. Choking on his own blood and struggling for every single breath.

“I tried to trace the number, but it didn’t work. The jerk probably was using a burner phone that he ditched right after he made the call to her.”

Mark’s hands were clenched into fists.

“He knew my dad was alive, and he knew that my father spoke to you before he died.” Davis took a step toward Mark. His voice dropped even more as he said, “You never told me that, man. We’ve spent years trying to find out who killed him, and you’ve been holding out on me, haven’t you? You have! I can see it in your eyes.”

Mark didn’t speak.

Davis lunged forward. He grabbed Mark by the shirtfront. “What were you keeping from us?” Now his voice was a snarl.

Mark didn’t speak.

“Stop it!” Jamie Myers yelled as she hurried toward them. “What are you two doing?” She pushed between them. Put a hand on each of their chests. “What is happening here?”

So much that the lady didn’t understand.

“It didn’t matter,” Mark finally gritted out to Davis.

“It matters to me.” Davis’s breath heaved out. “What did he say to you?”

Mark looked away.

Jamie just stood there. “Please tell me that you two aren’t about to start fighting. Because if that happens, someone is going to the hospital. I patch up animals, not people.”

He wasn’t going to fight Davis. He wouldn’t do anything to hurt the guy, because then Ava would just get hurt. Wasn’t that why he’d kept silent for so long? Because he didn’t want to hurt her?
Everything
he did...it was all for Ava.

“Tell me,” Davis demanded.

Mark raked a hand over his face. “He said...‘I’m sorry.’ That’s all he was saying, all right? Over and over, he was trying to say he was sorry. Like it was his fault that he and his wife had been murdered.”

Davis blanched.

Mark lunged forward, pushing past Jamie. He grabbed his friend’s arm. “He didn’t know what was even happening then. He was out of his head. Your father wasn’t to blame. No matter what—”

“He said something else.” Davis’s face was stark.
“Tell me.”

Jaw locking, Mark told him, “He...he said, ‘My fault.’ That was the last thing, okay? He was saying, ‘My fault that she—’” Mark stopped because Ava’s father had stopped. “He never finished that sentence.”

Because he hadn’t taken another breath.

Davis turned away from him.

“You were all hurt enough!” Mark yelled. “That wasn’t going to help you!”

Davis kept walking.

* * *

T
HE
MUSEUM
’
S
ALARM
was sounding. A long, desperate shriek. Kristin and Ava were running for the front doors. They rounded a corner.

“Freeze!” It was Frank, holding up his gun and flashlight.

They froze.

“Ms. McGuire? Ms. Lang?” He started to lower his weapon. “I thought everyone had already left!”

Ava shook her head. That alarm was still shrieking. “There’s a man in the parking garage. He’s got a knife.”

Frank surged forward.

“He tried to stab me,” Kristin said, her words and her body shaking. “He nearly killed me!”

Frank’s light shone behind them. No one was there. But that guy in the ski mask could be
anywhere
right then.

“The police are already on the way. They were contacted the minute the alarm sounded,” Frank said. “Let’s get you two someplace safe.”

But at this point, Ava was starting to wonder if any safe place existed.

He’s always playing his games. And tonight, Kristin was almost caught in the crossfire.

They hurried down the hall. Frank stayed close, and he kept his weapon at the ready.

When they made it to the front of the museum, Ava saw the blue swirl of police lights. Frank opened the door for her and Kristin. As they rushed out, the cops rushed in. Ava glanced back—and saw all of the lights in the museum flash back on.

Cat and mouse.
How long would it be until the cat decided to eat that mouse and end the game?

Kristin was talking quickly beside her. The other woman’s words were tumbling out as she spoke with the uniformed cops. Ava stood there, and she just felt...cold.

I want this to end.

A car braked nearby, the squeal of its tires jarring Ava enough that she glanced to the right. She saw Alan jump out of a Jaguar. He hurried toward her. “Ava! Kristin! What’s happening?” Worry darkened his face. “Was there a break-in at the museum?”

Ava shook her head. The attacker hadn’t been trying to steal anything. He’d just been after her.
And he was willing to hurt Kristin because she was in his way.

“A man tried to attack me!” Kristin said. “He was waiting in the parking garage with a knife. He—”

“It’s my fault.” Ava knew her voice was too low. She cleared her throat and tried again. “I’m...I’m sorry, Kristin.”

Kristin’s lips parted in surprise.

A young uniformed cop stepped closer. “Ma’am? You want to explain that a little bit more to me?”

She shivered. Alan took off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders.

“I...a man has been stalking me.” Her temples were pounding.
Kristin could have died. Just like Mark could have died when the stalker went after him!
“I’ve already spoken with some detectives at the station. They know...he’s been following me. A man in a black ski mask. A guy about six-foot-two, maybe one hundred eighty pounds.”

“Ski mask,” Kristin repeated, and she wrapped her arms around her stomach.

“He shot at a...friend of mine last night.” Her gaze fell to the ground. “He’s not stopping,” she said, voice breaking a bit. “I don’t think he’s ever going to stop until he gets what he wants.”