Page 35 of Ransom for His Secret Son

Remi followed Brody out the door, the morning air cool against her skin as they headed straight for the cruiser. One of the other deputies was parked outside in a second cruiser, and he was obviously keeping watch, ready to respond if there was another threat.

Remi prayed there’d be no more threats to the baby. This investigation was hard enough without adding that into the mix. She only hoped that once they’d made this half hour drive to Eloise’s maybe she would be able to tell them something useful.

And if Eloise was the one who’d orchestrated this nightmare?

Then, maybe they could learn enough from the woman to find the twin and then arrest her. For now, though, they had to stay vigilant. Because while Eloise or someone else could be pulling the strings to force her and Brody to find Tarrant and kill him, Tarrant was ready and willing to take them out before they could get to him.

Not exactly a comforting thought.

But it was the reason that Remi kept watch as Brody drove.

She stole a glance at Brody. He was gripping the wheel tighter than necessary, his jaw set, eyes fixed on the road ahead. The silence between them wasn’t uncomfortable, but it was heavy with worry.

“Why didn’t Miranda tell me she had cancer?” he blurted, the question seemingly coming out of nowhere.

It surprised Remi, but she was certain it surprised him, too. Brody had probably been trying to keep that question in his head but hadn’t succeeded.

“Why keep it secret from me?” he added, frustration seeping into his words. “Didn’t she trust me?”

Remi blew out a long breath. She’d known this was eating at him, but she also knew finding out about the twins had ripped open an old wound.

“Miranda trusted you,” Remi said, choosing her words carefully. It was always like walking on eggshells when they were talking about Miranda. “That wasn’t the issue.”

Brody’s knuckles flexed against the steering wheel. He didn’t say anything, but she knew he was waiting for more.

“She didn’t tell you because she knew you wouldn’t approve of her not getting treatment,” Remi admitted, though this wasn’t a news flash to him. “She knew you’d fight her on it. That you’d push. She didn’t want that.”

Brody let out a harsh breath, shaking his head. “Damn right I would have pushed. She could have—” He swallowed hard.

Remi stared ahead, watching the road pass in a blur. “I didn’t approve of it either,” she admitted. “But it wasn’t my secret to tell.”

Brody’s hands tightened even more on the wheel. “If we’d done something, we could have saved her.”

Remi turned toward him then, meeting his gaze when he flicked a quick glance in her direction. “You don’t know that,” she said gently. “Even if she’d had treatment, there were no guarantees.”

Brody exhaled, his frustration palpable. “Still would’ve been worth trying.”

Remi didn’t disagree. But they both knew Miranda had made her choice. And there was nothing they could do to change it now.

They drove the rest of the way in silence, and Remi forced herself to eat the breakfast sandwich Sandra had made for them. She wasn’t hungry and figured Brody wasn’t either, but he ate his as well.

He kept his focus locked on the road, and Remi let him, knowing there was nothing she could say that would ease the weight pressing down on him. Some things had to be carried alone.

They reached Eloise Davenport’s gated community just before eight. The place was high-end, not quite as over-the-top as Christina’s estate, but still designed for people with more money than most. Manicured lawns, custom-built houses, and a sense of exclusivity that told outsiders they weren’t welcome unless invited.

Brody rolled down the window at the security gate, flashing his badge. The uniformed guard studied it briefly before nodding.

“Mrs. Davenport called earlier,” the guard said. “Told me you’d be coming.”

Remi felt a flicker of relief. If Eloise had gone through the trouble of alerting security, that hopefully meant she’d actually let them in.

Brody gave a curt nod. “Appreciate it.”

The guard pressed a button, and the gate swung open. As Brody pulled through, Remi took a breath, steadying herself as the house came into view. It was a Tudor-style home that sat at the end of a curved driveway, its dark wooden beams contrasting against the pale brickwork.

A row of neatly trimmed hedges lined the front; a security camera perched above the heavy wooden door. Not a small discreet one either. Eloise clearly wanted any visitors to know they were being watched.

The moment Brody pulled into the driveway, Remi’s attention slid to the vehicle that was parked there. She instantly recognized it. So did Brody.