Reading Online Novel

Hearts on Fire 9: Her Shadows of Light(20)



“What if those questions lead you to thinking she is involved? Will you be able to handle it professionally?” Trent asked.

Tobin thought about that for a moment, along with the fact that his brothers could have lost their lives the other day.

“If she is involved, I’m the last person she’d want in a room alone with her. My brothers could have died.”



* * * *



Brighid ignored their phone calls and text messages, and now she was headed to work, hoping to get through the day. She couldn’t believe that the fire had been at the gift shop that it belonged to Bricker Daily. She had a terrible feeling in the pit of her stomach, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that her bosses were up to no good and doing illegal shit. She thought about telling Tobin, but if her bosses were involved with insurance fraud, she wouldn’t want her boyfriend dragged into it and used by some judge as a reason to dismiss the case. She needed someone who didn’t know her or have a connection to her.

When she thought about going to the local authorities, she felt sick. What if her bosses were legit? What if the circumstances were misconstrued by her imagination and love of mystery? Then, of course, she worried about her job and having no security. What would she do? Where would she work and get money? Where would she live? She hadn’t known the men long enough to crash into their lives, especially after the way they’d treated her and acted at the hospital. They wanted space. They wouldn’t ask her to live with them.

Her heart felt heavy as walked out of her condo and over to her car. The last person she expected to see was Tobin.

She unlocked her car door, opened the back door, and placed her bags inside. She closed the door.

He stood there with his arms crossed, his badge, gun giving an instant air of authority and power. She swallowed hard as she absorbed his attire, dress pants, dress shirt, sporting his sexy good looks and sensational body. Her pussy throbbed. She missed him and his brothers.

“We’ve been worried,” he said in that deep, hard tone that was all Tobin.

“Why?”

He raised one of his eyebrows up at her. “It’s been three days. We’ve called, and we’ve texted. No response. What’s wrong?”

She didn’t know why, but the tears filled her eyes. Her idea of being strong and ignoring the pull in her heart and in her professional life was taking its toll.

“If you’re in some kind of trouble and you need help, I’m here for you.”

Why would he say such a thing to her?

“What?”

He uncrossed his arms and reached out to take her hand.

“You look about ready to burst into tears. It has to be bad, so tell me, and I’ll help you.”

She shook her head. “It’s hard to just say it.”

“Just do it,” he pushed.

“I don’t want to come across clingy or needy because I get that you guys don’t want me to be so deep into your lives and that you want space. It’s just hard for me to not want to be with you and to care about you, and it hurts to know that you can so easily push me away and keep your distance. I was only trying to show how much I care and not be sappy. But I’ve never been involved in a serious relationship, never mind with four men at once, and to tell you the truth, the four of you intimidate me. I don’t think I can handle a relationship like that.”

“Whoa, slow down, baby. Jesus, what in God’s name are you rambling on about? Clingy? Not wanting you close, deep in our lives? That’s not true at all. Damn, my brothers weren’t kidding when they said they fucked things up with you.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean they said they were trying not to make you feel uncomfortable with the reporters and the crowds of people at the hospital that day. They didn’t know if you wanted the relationship between us to be public, that maybe you had family and they might not be too keen on a ménage relationship. Plus, Pat was feeling vulnerable, and he doesn’t do vulnerable well, none of us do, and he didn’t want you to see him weak.” He cupped her cheeks and pressed her against her car. She held on to his waist as the tears rolled down her cheeks.

“Damn, they were being buffoons. We want you in our lives. We’re so pissed you haven’t called or texted back. We want you in our lives as much as possible. Hell, we want you in our beds and in our house with us, but we know it’s too soon to ask that kind of commitment from you.”

“Really?” she asked, lip quivering.

He smiled softly and then covered her mouth and kissed her deeply. That went on for minutes until they finally had to stop and breathe and remember they were in a parking lot.

He pressed his forehead to hers while he kept his arms around her waist.

“Is there anything else going on that has you concerned and not wanting to return our calls and text messages?” he asked, and she felt her heart racing. He pulled back.

“Brighid?”

She swallowed hard.

He clutched her chin and held her gaze with a firm expression.

“It’s fine, Tobin. I’m just being silly, and I tend to see a mystery in things when there isn’t. Look what I did with you guys, thinking that you don’t want me so deeply involved with your lives.”

“It sounds like more than that, and it’s not silly if it’s something that’s worrying you.”

“I don’t want to get you involved if it is something.”

“Hey, if there is reason for you to be worried or concerned, I want you to know that my brothers and I are here for you. We can help and work it out. What is it?”

“I don’t want to make accusations that could get people into trouble. I’d hate to think that certain things are going on and shouldn’t be.”

“Are you talking about work?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, are you having a hard time telling me because I’m your boyfriend or because I’m a detective?” he asked.

“Boyfriend,” she told him.

He released her and stepped back and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

“Okay, Miss Murphy, what seems to have you feeling concerned over work?” he asked, and she tilted her head sideways at him and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

“Really, Tobin?”

“That’s Detective McQuinn, ma’am. What are your concerns?”

She stared at him and debated about telling him everything she feared and suspected.

“I don’t want you involved, Tobin. If there is something bad, illegal, going on then a judge could find out that you and I are involved and get charges dropped if charges are necessary.”

“Okay, listen, it sounds serious, and I get your worry for me, but this is my job. I have friends, other detectives that work with me. If you tell them what’s going on, and I agree that me being lead in this could be a negative, then we change things around and I introduce you to the right people. How does that sound?”

“You can do that?”

“Of course. Now explain.”



* * * *



With every detail of Brighid’s suspicions, he felt his gut clench and his heart pound. She didn’t know it yet, but she’d just provided a bunch of information that, if documented and copied, could prove that insurance fraud was indeed involved with the local fire and the others out of town in Connecticut. But how could he keep her from being pulled in as a co-conspirator in this, especially as she mentioned her password being used and items being changed.

“I took some screen shots of everything and even the times that someone logged into my computer. Then I changed the password.”

“Have your bosses asked you what the new password is yet?”

“No.”

He ran his hand along his mouth.

“Okay, I don’t want you to do anything but your job there. Don’t ask questions. Don’t look for more evidence. Just leave that to us and the investigators. I’m going to talk to my people and see about setting up a meeting with you and them. But I would like for the investigators to run this like you’re a suspect. That way your bosses won’t be onto what’s really going on here.”

“Will that work? I mean the last couple of days they’ve been out and about like they don’t have a worry in the world. I could be wrong and imagining all this stuff.”

“You had a gut feeling that something wasn’t right when Bricker Daily showed up with a check at the office. You knew he was never a client yet connected the night someone logged into your computer and altered payments and added Bricker as a client for the past three years. You’re not imagining things. You’re giving the detectives the proof they need to ask for warrants, to come in and confiscate documents and computers to prove insurance fraud.”

“Oh God, Tobin. I don’t know if I can handle this.” She covered her mouth with her hand.

He pulled her close and gave her shoulders a squeeze as he held her gaze, her green eyes misty with tears. “You can do this because those men, and this arsonist, whoever he is, could have killed three of your boyfriends. We could have lost Pat, Rusty, and Reece. If that isn’t motivation to put these men responsible behind bars, baby, then I don’t know what is.”

She looked so serious, and he watched the tears fall from her eyes.

“I love them, and I love you. I’ll do it. I’ll help however I can.”