“There you are.”
She turned at Blake’s familiar deep voice that always accelerated her pulse. What you saw was what you got with him. No subterfuge, no masks. He was all kindness and encouragement.
Unity rose. “I’d better be getting back. Gray will be wondering where I am and what secrets I’m spilling.” She paused by Blake before walking through the wall opening. “I’d suggest you hold the whole family at arm’s length. Things aren’t always as they seem.”
Blake frowned. “What do you mean?”
“They’re good at covering up the darkness inside.”
Paradise rose and went to stand beside her. “Do you know who killed my parents?”
Unity held her gaze. “I have my suspicions, but I know better than to talk about them. I’ve said too much already.” She brushed past Blake and walked up the oyster-shell path to the echoes of voices and laughter.
Blake took her hand. “That was weird. You think she was just blowing smoke?”
“I believe her. There’s a deep strain of hurt and pain she didn’t even try to hide. She warned us not to trust the welcoming smiles of the Collins family. I was already uneasy around them, but I told myself I was jealous and didn’t dig into why I distrusted them.”
Paradise wanted to get her brother and get out of here before the Collinses’ tentacles wrapped them all up tight.
Blake parked behind the white convertible he’d followed from the Collinses’ home. “Nice digs.”
He’d seen more and more white homes with black window trim in the area, and the modern, clean lines appealed to him. This one was massive with beautiful landscaping. He got out of the truck and the four of them approached the door Octavia held open for them.
They filed into the soaring foyer behind her and followed her to the living room. The walls inside were white, too, and pale wood floors added to the clean feel. The furniture was white and shades of beige with a few teal throw pillows. The ceilings soared to twelve feet and the whole place felt open and expansive. It had to be new.
“Let me get those backups.” Octavia disappeared into a hallway and a door opened somewhere.
“You like this place?” Blake asked Paradise. “I thought I didn’t like modern, but it’s nice.”
She nodded. “It could use a little more color, but I love the floors and high ceilings.”
Abby touched the top of a leather chair. “Once you start thinking about building a house, it becomes an obsession. This is beautiful.”
Blake hid a smile when he saw the way Drew watched Abby. And she couldn’t keep her gaze off him either. Drew’s decision to move here and get a job could change a lot of things.
Octavia stepped back into the room. “I found one file folder in the cabinet as well as the backups. It’s from Ben’s final campaign.” She held them out to Drew, who took them.
“Thanks for your help with this,” Drew said.
Octavia’s green eyes softened. “You’re very welcome. Your father was a special man, Drew.”
Paradise shifted beside Blake. “You’ve been around the Collins family a long time. Do you have any idea who might have wanted Ben dead?”
“Ben was one of those charismatic figures who drew everyone. Even women who should have been focused on their own husbands.”
“Did Ben make a move on someone Bear loved?”
Octavia regarded her quietly a moment. “Did Unity say something? I saw you talking to her.”
Paradise squared her shoulders and glanced at her brother. “She warned us the Collins family wasn’t all it seemed. I met her on the beach.” Paradise touched Drew’s hand. “I should have told you on the way here, but it was such a short drive and I didn’t want our conversation to be interrupted. She wanted you to keep your guard up—that the family isn’t always what they seem.”
A shutter came down over Drew’s eyes. “I see. I’ll keep that in mind.”
Octavia settled on a chair and kicked off her shoes. “You might as well know that Ben was engaged to another woman when Bear started dating Pamela. Ben took one look at her and everything changed.”
Paradise gasped. “Bear dated Pamela first?”
Octavia nodded. “Ben broke his engagement and married Pamela six months after he met her. Bear never got over it and has stayed single. Though the two brothers got along well, I think Bear moved because he couldn’t stand to watch Ben live the life that Bear had wanted.”
