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Garrett put down his hamburger. “Ransacked.”
“As if they were looking for something,” Iris said. “Which freaked us both out. So after I nearly clobbered Hudson for sneaking into my house, he convinced me to go to Greece with him and hide for a few days.”
“Without your phone?” Jonas said.
“The phone was a casualty of our sailboat being blown up.”
“Now I’m not hungry,” Ned said. “Blown up?”
“We weren’t on it at the time,” Iris said. “You sure you don’t want some of my sea bass? It’s delicious.”
“I’ll have a bite,” Shae said and reached over with her fork. Iris cut her off a piece.
“We hid in a cave for the night, and the next day were picked up by a fishing boat.” Hudson ignored the way Iris looked at him. Well, he didn’t need to freak them out more with the details, right? “We were watching the exhibition game on cable when Iris saw her friend Abe collapse on the field. She called Yannick and found out Abe died, which put us on a plane for Paris.” He had broken the egg and was now working it into his tartare. Took a bite.
Heaven. Tangy and fresh, with a hint of vinegar bite. He took a bite of his crostini to wash it down.
Iris finished her sea bass. Set her fork and knife on the plate. “Okay, so please, tell me why you put the whole team in, Dad. I mean, it’s nice to know you care, but this feels a little over-the-top.”
Hud raised an eyebrow. Was she not listening to the story?
Garrett gave her a look. “Okay, truth is I’d like to blame it on your mother, but the fact is, I was worried too. And what everyone left out of this story is that about a month ago, after we all saw each other at Creed’s international meet, Creed got mixed up with an incident involving a princess from Lauchtenland, and Fraser had to fly over and help him get untangled. And now said princess and her bodyguard live at our house, and ever since then my children, one by one, have been embroiled in some kind of danger, and frankly, I just needed to know my only daughter was safe.”
Okay, that was…well, even Hudson wanted to tear up.
Garrett took her hand. “I know you’re tough, Iris. As tough—maybe tougher—than your brothers. But you’re still my daughter, and if you think your mother worries about you, well, let’s just say she wasn’t the only one who realized you hadn’t checked in.”
“Aw, Dad.” Iris leaned over and hugged him.
He let her go. “I don’t suppose we can talk you into coming home for a couple weeks, now that the season is over?”
“I can’t. I have a game next week. And one a couple weeks after that.”
“You’re going back to work?” Ned said. “What about”—he lowered his voice—“the hit?”
Right. What he said. “Especially after Abe.”
“What about Abe?” asked Shae.
Iris’s mouth tightened. “They think he was poisoned.”
“Murdered?” Jonas had finished his meal too. “Seriously?”
“No one knows for sure.”
Garrett leaned back, folded his arms. “So, she’s still in danger.”
No one had an answer for him.
“Well, that settles it. I’m not going anywhere until we stop whoever wants to kill her.” This from Garrett. Ned nodded. Jonas folded his arms.
Shae reached out and squeezed Iris’s arm.
And maybe Hudson should have felt relief, a loosening of the knot in his chest. But he was doing the math.
If her father intended to stick around, then Hud was officially relieved of duty.
And then Garrett confirmed it by turning to Hudson. “Thank you for everything you did, Hud. I’m sure you’re ready to get back to your life.”
