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“Did I say she wasn’t?”
“Well, you seem to be implying something.”
“Brendan, no. I think Ava’s great. I love her bread. Everyone in town does. She’s just…different.”
“Which is why like her,” I say. “She’s attractive and intelligent and so…insightful.”
“Okay.” Dad shuffles some papers. “This does put a little kink in my plans.”
“I had a feeling it would. I don’t want to go after the Steel family. They had nothing to do with my great-uncle, as you know. And if they’re holding secrets? They must have a good reason to be doing so.”
“Brendan, if their secrets didn’t have anything to do with us, why were documents regarding their family hidden on property we own?”
My dad makes a good point. One I’ve acknowledged but would prefer not to.
“Still,” I say, “those documents pertain to things that happened a long time ago.”
I consider the documents.
Specifically the one that transfers all Steel property to Ryan Steel—Ava’s father.
What does it all mean?
But Dad is right ultimately. Because Ava and I both got the same message, we’re connected somehow.
I just don’t know how.
“Ruby has apps,” I say to my father. “Apps that can help her decode the message. She’s going to get back to me as soon as she can.”
“All right. Still, I’d like to do our own research.”
“Ruby and Ava can be trusted,” I say. “I’d stake my life on it.”
“I have nothing against Ruby Steel or her daughter,” Dad says. “I’m sure they’re both very trustworthy individuals. But they are Steels at their core. And if there is something their family doesn’t want us to know, they will keep it from us.”
I say nothing.
I have no counter for my father’s statement, because in my heart?
I hear its truth.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
AVA
I decide to visit my uncle Joe in the evening.
Brendan and I didn’t make any plans, and Sunday is my one day and evening off, so I figured why not?
I didn’t call ahead of time, but we Steels drop in on each other all the time. No one minds.
I don’t know if Brock will be there. He lives in the guesthouse behind Jonah’s house. Rory is moving in with him soon, if she hasn’t already.
I pull into the long driveway, get out of my car, and walk to the door.
I draw in a breath.
Then I knock.
The door opens, and my aunt Melanie stands there. “Ava, what a nice surprise. We were just sitting down to dinner. Can you join us?”
“I… That’s not why I showed up.”
Aunt Melanie laughs. “I know that, silly. But Brock and Rory are here. I’m sure they’d love to see you.”
She holds the door open for me, and I enter.
After saying a quick hello to the dogs, I walk through to the kitchen, where the other three are seated.
Brock furrows his brow when he sees me.
He’s not angry. He’s just wondering why I’m here.
“Ava’s going to join us for dinner.” Aunt Melanie nods to her housekeeper, Patrice. “Could you set another place, please?”
“Right away.” Patrice smiles.
Soon I have a place set in front of me, and I’m seated at the table.
“What brings you out this way?” Uncle Joe asks.
“I have some questions, actually.” I turn my gaze to Brock.
“I haven’t had a chance to chat with my dad yet about that,” he says.
“Not yet? It’s been two days.”
“What’s this about, Brock?” Uncle Joe asks.
Brock clears his throat. “Ava was asking me about some of the things that are going on right now. I didn’t know if I was at liberty to discuss them.”
“You see,” I say, “I got this strange text message. Brendan Murphy got the same one. Only his came in an email.”
“What?” Brock says, kind of harshly.
“Oh, Brendan didn’t tell you?”
“Why would he tell me?”
“I don’t know. But he and his dad got an email with the same cryptic message.”
“Brock,” Uncle Joe says, “what is she talking about?”
I pull my phone up and show him my text message.
This time Uncle Joe furrows his brow. “I don’t have any idea what this means.”
“I thought it might be a Star Wars reference,” Brock says, “but Dave says it’s not.”
“Well,” Uncle Joe says, “Dave ought to know.”
I stop myself from giggling. “I had my mother look at it, and she’s pretty sure it’s not anything threatening. She thinks it’s a simple puzzle.”
“Why would anyone send you a puzzle?” Uncle Joe asks.
“That’s just it,” I say. “I don’t know. But it clearly has something to do with me and with the Murphys.”
“Our family has a bit of a troubled history with the Murphys,” Uncle Joe says.
“Yeah, I know all about that.” I take a sip of the glass of water that Patrice set in front of me.
“So Brendan told you about his great-uncle,” Uncle Joe says.
“Yeah. I mean, I already knew, but he went into a little more detail.”
“What kind of detail?” Brock asks.
“Not much. All he knows is that his dad tried to figure out exactly what happened to his uncle and ran into dead end after dead end.”
