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Alexa held up her glass. “Please.”
“Me too,” Elisesaid.
Nick was next to chime in. “Methree.”
“Kate?” Juliaasked.
Kate smiled. “I’mgood.”
She looked tired, her face paler than usual, shadows darkening the skin under her eyes. Her plate was still full, the food moved around but mostlyuneaten.
Declan reached for her hand under the table. She would be the first to admit that being trapped at the Marblehead estate wasn’t exactly a hardship, but Kate Walsh wasn’t meant to be a caged animal, and he knew that’s how she felt. Even her walks on the grounds or in the cove were overseen by one of the two armed guards Declan had posted at the house, although Declan had instructed them to give Kate as much space as possible while also keeping hersafe.
He wished she’d allowed him to post the six men he’d originally planned, but Kate had held the line at two, arguing that having too many strangers roaming the property with guns would scareGriffin.
He’d relented. There were still two men at the gate. Anyone looking to breach the house would have to get through them first, and that would provide plenty of warning for the two guardsinside.
Ronan returned to the courtyard holding a beer. “I set them down with a plate of cookies and Octonauts. Anybody else want abeer?”
“I just poured more wine,” Juliasaid.
He grinned and bent to kiss the top of her head. “More forme.”
He moved around to his chair as a voice sounded out from the other side of the gate that separated the courtyard from thestreet.
“Hey! It’s me,Clay.”
Declan scowled and looked from Ronan to Nick. “What’s he doinghere?”
“I tried texting but no one answered,” Clay said from behind thegate.
Ronan walked over and let Clay in. "We were eating. Youhungry?”
“I’m good.” Clay’s eyes dropped to the beer in Ronan’s hand. “I’d take one of thosethough.”
“I’ll get it.” Alexa stood and went into thekitchen.
“I take it you have news,” Ronan said, leading Clay to thetable.
Declan got one of the extra chairs stacked on the side of the courtyard and everyone shuffled to make room for Clay at thetable.
“I do. Figured you wouldn’t want to wait,” Claysaid.
Alexa returned and handed him abeer.
“You figured right,” Declan said, hoping they were done with the social niceties. “What have yougot?”
Clay took a drink of the beer. “Ferguson is at his brownstone in Beacon Hill. Turns out he just got back into town from… guesswhere?”
“Iceland,” Declansaid.
Clay tipped the beer at him. “Bingo. All above board, strictly business, but pretty coincidental if you askme.”
“Two birds, one stone,” Alexa said. Clay looked at her and she continued. “If he went to get rid of Neil, it would also provide an alibi for Jimmy’s murder if it ever came back tohim.”
Nick nodded. “We beat him to it, saved him thetrouble.”
“You mean I beat him to it,” Beth saiddarkly.
