“She’s with Shamus,” Colin said aloud as he went outside and got in his car. He drove over the winding gravel paths that ran through the Frazier land until he came to the big warehouse at the back in record time. The rain was coming down so hard that he couldn’t see but a few feet in front of him, but he knew the way. The long, low building was at the very back of his father’s property, and next to it were the acres of state-owned land of the wilderness preserve. The warehouse stored some of their family’s oldest artifacts, including the yellow carriage that Colin thought should be in a museum. But when any of his sons said that, Peregrine Frazier said that the family kept what was theirs.
When Colin pulled up to the front door, he saw a light seeping out from under it. There were no windows in the building, and there were several security devices. Shamus knew all the codes—none of which would hinder Jean’s uncle, Colin thought.
He parked up against the porch so he wouldn’t have to fight the rain. When he saw that it was unlocked and the alarm was turned off, just to be on the safe side, he withdrew his firearm from the holster, held it at arm’s length and went inside, quietly closing the door behind him.
26
SHAMUS,” GEMMA S
AID, her voice heavy with sleep. “Why don’t you do this tomorrow?”
He was sitting in the back of a big Conestoga wagon and sketching the little yellow carriage, which was a few feet away. “I couldn’t sleep,” he said, without looking up. “But you should go to bed.”
“I can’t leave you here alone. Your family is worried about you.” She was sitting behind him in the wagon bed on a big piece of canvas.
“They’re mad at Colin, not me.”
“I know,” Gemma said. “So am I. But the good news is that he’s absolutely miserable.” A noise made her look to the left to see Colin standing there and putting his gun back in the holster. “Speak of the devil . . . So, sheriff, what brings you out on this lovely morning?”
“My little brother. You’re causing a fury.”
Shamus glared at his brother. “Why have you been with Jean these last days?”
Colin glanced at Gemma. It looked like she hadn’t told anyone about Jean’s uncle. But then she wouldn’t after he’d bawled her out for telling Tris too much.
Colin hoisted himself up onto the end of the wagon, beside Shamus, but a few feet from Gemma. The rain outside made it loud in the warehouse, and in spite of all the many overhead lights, the forms of the old wagons and carriages, all made by past Fraziers, created a ghostly air in the big, hollow building. Shamus loved it; Colin never had. He took a breath as he prepared to tell his brother the truth. “All the years I knew Jean, she was lying to me. She said she had no aunts, uncles, or cousins.”
“That proves she’s not from Edilean,” Gemma said.
Shamus snorted.
“Her loss,” Colin said. “Jean’s late father has a brother who is an internationally notorious thief. He breaks into places like the U.S. Consulate in Romania and takes things.”
“Like what?” Gemma had heard all this before, but her curiosity was taking over.
“Whatever anyone pays him to get. The man has no conscience, no morals. I got Jean to tell me the truth about her life, and the bastard’s cleaned out her mother’s accounts twice. He’s either filthy rich or destitute.”
“Did Jean tell you where he is?” Gemma asked.
“She says she hasn’t seen him in years.”
“You haven’t found out that she lies all the time?” Shamus asked. He had his back to both of them and was still sketching.
“Yeah, I know that now,” Colin said. “She certainly didn’t tell me about her uncle.”
“What does she lie about?” Gemma asked Shamus.
“She’s not faithful to Colin,” the young man said. “Never has been.” There was anger in his voice.
“I know,” Colin said softly to his brother. “I’ve found out more than I ever wanted to.” When he looked at Gemma, there was longing in his eyes.
Turning, Shamus glanced at Gemma in question and she knew what he was asking. She shook her head. No, she hadn’t told Colin about the baby and didn’t want to do it now. “So you’re saying that Jean kept secrets from you?” she asked with as much innocence as she could muster.
“Yeah,” Colin said. “Just as I did to you.”
Shamus gave a little guffaw of laughter. “Gemma’s smarter than you are.”
Colin grinned. “That wouldn’t be too difficult.” Thunder rolled around outside. “I really hate to break up this party, but I think we should all go home to bed. And you, little brother, are going to call our parents and tell them you’re okay.”