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“Did it bother you to be sent so far from home?”
“Not really. My parents never knew what to do with a child.” The words were an understatement. Her father’s only interest was in acquiring as much money as possible, and her mother was too self-absorbed to care for a baby. “And once Mother married Mark I was an unwelcome intruder in the house. St. Cecilia’s was more of a home than anywhere else.”
“And now you live in a van.”
“Something like that.”
There was a pause, as if he was considering her vagabond lifestyle. “Do you ever intend to settle down in one place?”
A small shiver raced through her. “Doubtful.”
“What about a family?”
“I prefer my freedom.”
“Don’t you ever get lonely?” he pressed, his voice hard.
Was he bothered by her preference for the road? Probably. He’d been raised in a tight-knit family who would be deeply hurt if one of them chose to maintain a constant distance. He would never understand parents who rarely recalled they had a child.
Or the ghosts that refused to give her peace.
“I don’t get lonely as long as I keep moving.” She took her foot off the gas as she caught sight of the massive wooden sign that was carved with the words “Orwell Horse Farm and Stud,” along with an image of a horse. “This is the turn.”
Niko was thankfully distracted as they veered onto a graveled road that wound between endless white fences. Eventually they could see the stables and paddocks that were spread over several acres, along with a barn the size of a football field. Across the road there was a white, Palladian-style home with long wings on each side and a detached garage.
Niko released a low whistle. “Quite a spread.”
She pulled through the open gates and up the circular drive. She parked in front of the sweeping veranda, complete with fluted columns. She didn’t know if there was a separate office, but this was as good as anywhere to start the search for Brooke.
“I remember thinking we were in the middle of nowhere when I was little. I was so used to being in the city, I couldn’t believe how far I could see.” She glanced toward the rolling fields that seemed to go on forever. “Now I’ve actually been in the middle of nowhere.”
“And I have the paintings to prove it,” he teased, referring to her series from Death Valley.
They shared a quick smile before she switched off the engine and slid out of the van. Niko joined her as she reached the steps leading to the veranda, and together they moved to stand in front of the double doors. It was Niko who reached out to press the bell, which they could hear echo through the vast house. A few minutes later one of the doors was pulled open to reveal a tall, slender woman.
Brooke hadn’t changed much since they were together in Austria. Her hair was a dark red and pulled into a smooth braid. Her skin was flawless despite the hours she must spend in the sun, and her eyes were a light brown.
She was currently wearing a pair of khaki slacks and a tailored shirt, without any jewelry or makeup. The stark style suited her natural beauty.
“Hello, Brooke.”
“Rayne.” Brooke’s gaze traveled to the tall man standing at Rayne’s side, a hint of curiosity in her eyes. “And Niko. I had no idea you were coming. Are you two together?”
“For now,” Niko murmured.
Brooke stepped back, motioning for them to enter. Once they were standing in the foyer, with its heavy chandelier and the sweeping staircase that spilled onto the upper floor, she closed the door. Then she headed toward the nearest opening.
“We’ll go into the study,” she told them, leading them into a square room that had two walls lined with floor-to-ceiling bookcases. On the far side of the space was a heavy desk cluttered with piles of papers where a man was seated. At their entrance, he rose to his feet. “You remember my brother, Trent?” Brooke asked.
“Of course,” Rayne said. Trent had transformed from a boy into a man over the past years. His once-skinny body had filled out with a broad chest beneath his cable-knit sweater, and he’d cut his red hair until it lay smooth against his head. There were even a few lines fanning out from the brown eyes that looked closer to black in the muted light.
His charming smile, however, was the same as he rounded the desk to shake their hands. “Rayne. Niko.”
Rayne felt a small flare of relief. It would be much easier to question Brooke and Trent together.
“Coffee? Tea?” Brooke asked.
“Nothing for me,” Rayne said as Niko shook his head.
