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“But why would she do that?” Taylor asked in shock. “It’s her home. She’s done everything to stay here.”
“I don’t know,” Liam only answered sadly. “I just don’t know.”
She took his hand as they waited for the fire unit to arrive. The first responders began their battle, but with the diesel as an additive, they made little progress. Even with the heavy rain falling.
When Linc’s Range Rover rolled up, Bets was jumping out before it came to a stop. “Is she in there? Please, Liam, tell me she isn’t in there!”
He caught her to him. “No, Mum, she’s gone. Her car too.”
“Oh, thank God!” Bets covered her mouth. “After what happened earlier… I wouldn’t wish her well, but I don’t wish her dead.”
“Mum, what are you talking about?” Liam asked, taking her shoulders.
“She came by the house earlier,” Bets said as Linc joined them at a brisk jog. “The Irish government canceled her benefits. She wanted us to give her money. When that didn’t happen, she cursed us, Liam. Our whole family.”
He went rigid at that. Taylor sucked in her breath while Eoghan made the sign of the cross over himself. She had half a mind to mime his actions.
“Can you stop a curse like this?” Taylor asked, grabbing Liam’s hand. “It doesn’t seem fair—”
“Don’t worry.” Bets turned to face Liam. “Your dad appeared, and he said some things. You’ll understand better than I do, but he undid the curse. Mary set the curse with one of her dead roses, but your dad brought it back to life. He finally gave me roses, Liam. I’ve been a total wreck since, or I would have called you. But Linc fainted—”
“Well, shit, Bets,” the man drawled with a wince.
“And now this!” Bets flung her hand out toward the burning house. “How could this happen?”
“Sugar, don’t you smell it?” Linc pointed to his nose. “That’s diesel in the air. No fire catches like this in a downpour. She meant to do it. Maybe to get insurance money on the house.”
Taylor’s mouth parted. “That’s arson for sure.”
“Yes,” Eoghan said, “although who knows if they’ll find her. There’s an old Irish saying from the great migration to America during the Famine—abandon your roses and you abandon your life.”
Another chill rolled over her skin. God, these Irish sayings! “Well, that’s cheery. Does that mean she’s finally left our quaint little town? Because I’m new here, and I really need a vacation.”
“Maybe we can manage that,” Liam said, putting his arm around her waist. “Or a honeymoon.”
She put her hand on his chest and met his open gaze. “You had better not be thinking about proposing to me right now, Liam O’Hanlon.”
Bets socked him gently. “Hey! I raised you better than that.”
He held up his hands, grinning. “I was just commenting on possibilities. Give me some credit.”
Eoghan gave a hearty laugh and nudged Taylor in the ribs. “He is Yoda, after all, remember?”
Maybe the stress of everything had gotten to her, but she started to laugh along with Eoghan. They were a pair when it came to the giggles, it seemed.
“By the way…” she managed. “Linc. Bets. You should know. We think we have the evidence we need to take Malcolm down. We were on our way to the arts center when we made this pit stop.”
“That’s incredible news!” Bets wrapped her in a fierce hug, rocking her back a step. “Oh, God, I’m so glad you’re going to be my daughter-in-law.”
“Mum.”
“No, this is nice,” she said, realizing what a crucial moment this was. Before, Bets had been jealous. Now she was embracing her like family. Taylor hugged her hard, feeling emotion clog her throat as Liam looked on, his green eyes shiny. She’d never had a mother who cared about her really, so maybe this would be nice. The womanhadbaked them bread before and cookies were around the corner, after all.
When Bets let her go, she touched her cheek softly and Taylor nodded. “We’re going to have to work together to keep Yoda in line.”
She gave a strangled laugh. “He’s such trouble, our Yoda.”
“All right, I’m butting in, because this news deserves a little more than a hug.” Linc pulled Taylor into his arms and lifted her off the ground with ayeehawbefore planting her back down and doing the same to Bets.
