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Her dragon said, Maybe they were trying to keep a secret, one that could harm the clan as a whole. It doesn't mean they were trying to lie to us.
Perhaps, Layla muttered.
Her dragon added, Or, for all we know, our parents were ordered to be silent.
You're too bloody optimistic, dragon.
Regardless of all that, even a wee chance of Yasmin being nearby is better than zero.
Before Layla's mind could go down the road of how Yasmin could possibly be back in Scotland, Grant spoke. "Rather than speculate on who Logan is helping, let's just talk to him, aye? Is he on duty tonight, Layla?"
She nodded. "His shift won't end for another two hours."
Faye jumped in. "Then I think it's time for me to complain of contractions and make a visit."
Grant searched his mate's gaze. "You're only acting, aye?"
Faye smiled. "Of course. Once the contractions hit, you'll know, Grant McFarland. Believe me, you'll know."
Grant focused back on Layla. "You and Chase stay here at the cottage. We'll bring Logan back for questioning, and then we may need your help."
She didn't blink at the dominance in the male's voice. "Make sure they have enough staff, Grant. I can't have the surgery unmanned, especially if I'm confined here for the time being."
Grant nodded and quickly escorted Faye out the door and on their way.
While half-aware that Chase led her downstairs to the kitchen, Layla's mind whirred with possibilities. Even if it ended up not being her sister, once the whole situation with Logan was settled, Layla was going to ask Faye and Grant to help her find out what had happened to Yasmin.
For too long, she'd merely accepted that her sister was gone, which had become all the easier once she'd been made head doctor with barely enough time to eat and sleep.
But no more. One way or the other, Layla would find Yasmin. Or, a small voice said inside her head, what had become of her.
Chase placed a cup of tea in front of her and then sat in a chair to her right. "What are you thinking?"
"Just that I've let my job absorb far too much of myself."
He nudged his knee against her thigh. "I'm going to need more than that cryptic statement, lass."
Without thought or hesitation, she answered. "I should've looked deeper into my sister's silence before this."
His leg moved and stayed next to hers. "We all have things we wish we would've done. Hell, if I'd been clever enough to figure out sooner how little my dad wa
s doing to help the family outside of work, I would've contributed and taken care of my mother long before he abandoned us. However, if we always dwell on what-if, then we can't make the most of the present."
She sipped her tea before glancing at him, needing a distraction until Faye and Grant arrived. Maybe it was pushing Chase too far too quickly, but her gut said he wanted to finally tell the truth to someone outside his family. So Layla asked, "Were there any signs he would leave you before that night?"
Chase ran a hand through his short, blond hair. "I don't know. Once I moved out of my parents' house to start my apprenticeship at sixteen, I didn't visit or talk with my mum as much as I should have. If I had, then maybe I would've sensed my mother's worry earlier."
She lightly touched his bicep. "You can't blame yourself for that. I'm not saying you're young to dismiss you, but you are. We all become a wee bit self-absorbed at the first taste of freedom. Even I acted that way, right before I went to medical school."
He looked at her and smiled. "Now, I wondered what pre-doctor Layla was up to during those times."
Snorting, she waved a hand in dismissal. "Nothing compared to most, I'm sure. But missing dinners with my family, or not calling back every time my parents rung me, was fairly common." She moved her hand from his bicep to his thigh under the table. "But the point is, we all do something, at some time, that we wish we would could go back and change. And even if you had called or visited, you still may have never noticed. Your mother is rather good at keeping to herself."
Chase covered her hand on his thigh with his own. "Aye, maybe. And in the end, I think my father abandoning the clan was the best for my mum, no matter how painful it was in the beginning. She deserves so much better than a one-sided love." He searched her gaze. "But I do what I can to make up for it now with her, just like you should try the same with your sister. Once this business with Logan is settled, and if it turns out it's not Yasmin, then I'll help you find a way to contact her."
For so many years, Layla had relied on herself. Sure, she sometimes needed her staff or the approval of the clan leader. However, she had shouldered every extra burden given to her without complaint. She was head doctor, and it was her responsibility to ensure the clan remained whole and healthy.
But did she really need to micromanage everything? No. Accepting Chase's help with her sister would be the first step toward the new her. "Thank you."
