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They looked up, and at first, I thought they were here for me, but a movement in my peripheral had me turning my head. Aidan had appeared at my side, and the two detectives were staring at him… no, more like right through him.
“I’ll get Da,” he said quietly, seeming to sense what they were here for.
Had they found something?
Despite the police taking over the investigation, Cullen and his men had still been searching. They’d tracked the men who’d taken Molly and Quinn to a marina, and surmised they’d been taken onto a boat, but they’d been trying to find it and had so far come up empty.
Minutes later we were all gathered in the living room. Someone had fetched Bree, and I was shocked by the state of her. Aidan had told me that Bree had insisted on going with Cullen on his searches, but she was so out of it from hunger and exhaustion, she barely even knew where she was half the time. Even now, she sat clutching one of Quinn’s teddies, staring into space as if she wasn’t actually here. She looked more like a bad Hollywood zombie than my best friend.
Her father clutched her hand on the couch as Pete, Carrick, Donny, Aidan and I stood around the perimeter of the room. Aidan could have sat with his family. He could have supported his father and his sister, but he stayed beside me, arms folded as he leaned on the wall. His constant warm presence was the only thing that kept me from screaming out whenever the loneliness set in.
The policemen greeted Cullen with a grim, flat tone, and Aidan’s arm dropped to his side. He reached out, lacing his pinky through mine… it was subtle enough that no one else would see what he was doing, but it tethered us together, letting us share whatever strength we had left. We were one being. One lifeforce.
“I’m sorry, Mr. O’Callaghan. We found a body this morning…” The one in the woolen coat murmured, but I could barely hear him over the blood rush in my ears. Aidan’s finger tightened around mine, almost to the point of pain, but when I glanced up at him, there was no sign he’d heard the policeman either.
“Who?” Cullen choked as Pete moved to stand at his side, squeezing his shoulders.
“We’ve yet to make a formal identification, the remains have been sent to the lab for confirmation, but our ME is confident that the general description fits that of your daughter.”
Quinn.
My heart shattered, which was funny because I hadn’t thought it was even possible to break into any more pieces.
She was just a kid. Innocent in all things. She had no idea who her family was or why she’d suddenly been snatched from her life. It wasn’t fair. It was sick. Who did that to a kid? The Italians were monsters.
“I’m so sorry for your loss, Mr. O’Callaghan,” he continued, but I knew it would be of little comfort to Cullen. Sorry wouldn’t bring back the people we loved, and I knew he would be blaming himself. He’d started this war with the Italians.
“What about my wife? What about Molly?” He sobbed, pulling a wailing Brianna into his arms.
I looked up at Aidan again. He was squeezing my finger so tightly I thought the blood flow had completely stopped, but his face betrayed no emotion. He stared solemnly at what was left of his family, his body frozen.
I wanted to hug him. I wanted to comfort him the way he had me, but I couldn’t until we were alone. So I just let him go on squeezing.
“We’re still searching, Mr. O’Callaghan. We’re doing everything we can.”
“Did she suffer?”
“No. It was quick. She didn’t suffer,” the one in the tan overcoat filled in quickly, and I knew he was just trying to offer some comfort. They couldn’t know what she’d been through.
“Mom,” Bree croaked out, still clutching Quinn’s bear.
“It’s okay, Princess. We’ll find your mom,” Cullen said tearfully, pressing a kiss to her head.
They asked Cullen a few more questions, but he didn’t have anything new to add from the last time they’d spoken to him.
“We will keep you updated, Mr. O’Callaghan.” Tan coat said, standing and putting away his note pad. He eyed the group warily… of course. These men knew what type of business Cullen was in. They knew he was running a criminal enterprise… none of that mattered when someone innocent had been taken though.
“Once again, we’re sorry for your loss.” Woolen jacket stood too. “CPS will need to swing by the house again tomorrow to try and come up with a solution for Miss Malley.” And with that, they both left.
“Aidan?” For the first time, Cullen acknowledged his son.
“Would you excuse me,” he muttered gruffly, dropping my hand and rushing from the room. I moved to follow him, but everyone’s eyes were on the spot he’d just vacated and I knew it would look odd if I left. So, I stood still as a statue until Cullen returned his attention to Bree, and Pete began dishing out instructions for increasing the search.
When I was certain no one was looking at me, I slipped from the room to find Aidan. It was my turn to breathe for him.
I searched the whole house, but when I eventually found him, he was in the basement garage, packing up a duffel bag with weapons from the safe on the wall.
“What are you doing?” I screeched as he loaded a pistol and stuffed it in the waistband of his pants.
