Page 56 of These White Lies

“We should get downstairs. But first…” He pulls the pill bottle from his pocket and roots in my bag for the tube of antibiotic cream the hospital gave us.

I shake my head. “Not yet.”

He opens his mouth to argue, so I cut him off. “It doesn’t hurt much right now, and they make me sleepy. I want to hear what Finn and your sister found. I’ll take them before I go to bed.” I wrinkle my nose. “And after a shower.”

I struggle to keep a smile on my face as I follow Brady out of the room. Whatever Finn and Sera have found, I have a sinking feeling my life is about to get worse.

15

BRADY

I fall into step beside Elizabeth as we head downstairs. She’s slow, with a hitch in her stride, and it kills me not to force the pills down her throat. Every instinct screams to scoop her up and carry her, but I hold back, fighting the urge to hover. Even though the temptation to piss her off a little is strong.

The lights from Finn’s multiple displays flood the cyber room, making it look like a spaceship. He doesn’t glance up from his keyboard when we walk in. Vincent stands behind him, legs planted wide, and dips his chin at us—his version of a polite greeting. I introduce him to Elizabeth, and when his gaze drags unhurriedly over her, my spine goes tight, before I remind myself he’s just taking her measure. Sizing up a client.

Still, I don’t like it, and shift to block his view. Vincent’s lips twitch, but he stays silent. In front of her own display, Sera perches on the edge of a chair, posture rigid.

“You weren’t answering your phone.” She stares stonily at us.

I keep my voice even. “I was asleep.”

“What if there was an emergency?” she challenges.

My patience is wearing thin. “You could have come and gotten me.”

“Maybe I was afraid of what I might find.”

Irritation flashes through me, and I can feel my temper climb. She’s my sister, but we are at work, and I’m her boss.

Before I can answer, Elizabeth beats me to it, her voice light. “I get that. His snoring is a little unsettling.”

I blink.

Finn covers his mouth to hide his laugh, wisely keeping his gaze on the monitor. Vincent, standing behind him, makes a sound that in another human might be construed as humor.

Sera’s glare cuts to Elizabeth, but my sister decides not to take the bait.

I clear my throat. “What did you find?”

Finn rolls his chair back and swivels toward me. “We did a full sweep of Keith Gowan’s digital records—banking, burner phones, emails. Cross-checked it against the list you gave Sera.”

“And?” I prompt.

“Not much. While he was still married, Keith’s firm represented Carrow’s former wife, but she stayed with Ms. Gowan after the split.”

“Elizabeth.” She corrects quietly.

“Have the police connected him to his former wife’s murder? I don’t like the coincidence.”

“He was questioned, but he has an alibi. There’s no other connection between him and Gowan.”

Elizabeth fidgets next to me, and the movement is so unlike her it draws my attention.

“Um.” She bites her lip and looks at the ground for a second. Then raising her head, she tips her chin up. “It might be nothing, but Keith had an affair with Natalya.”

Finn’s brows shoot up at the same rate mine dive.

“When?” I don’t mean it to come out as sharp as it does.