Two weeks after the police station, Eleanor received an envelope.
I saw it on the counter.
She opened it.
Then went completely still.
“What is it?”
“Nothing.”
“Eleanor.”
She folded the paper.
“Private.”
I grabbed it before she could stop me.
The letter was from Vincent Marlowe, one of my father’s business associates.
It contained one sentence:
Leave the Cavanaugh house before you learn something that gets you buried with their secrets.
My blood went cold.
“Damian!”
Eleanor grabbed my arm.
“Landon, no.”
I shouted louder.
“DAMIAN!”
Thirty seconds later, the kitchen was full.
Damian read the letter.
His face became terrifyingly calm.
“Where did you get this?”
“Mailbox.”
“Who touched it?”
“Me.”
Damian called security.
Dad arrived twenty minutes later.
He read the letter.
Then looked at Eleanor.
“You’re leaving tonight.”
“No.”
“This isn’t negotiable.”
“I agree.”
Dad frowned.
“Good.”
“I meant the opposite.”
“Miss Hargrove—”
“Eleanor.”
“This is a threat.”
“I can read.”
“I won’t allow you to remain here.”
She stared at him.
“So you’re firing me?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
Dad blinked.
“You cannot reject being fired.”
“Watch me.”
Noah whispered, “I love this woman.”
Dad pointed toward the hallway.
“Pack your belongings.”
Eleanor folded her arms.
“Your sons spent years believing everyone eventually leaves. Now somebody threatens me, and your solution is to prove them right?”
“This is about keeping you alive.”
“Then increase security.”
“I already have.”
“Wonderful.”
“You don’t understand.”
Damian interrupted.
“She does.”
Father looked at him.
Damian continued.
“And she’s right.”
Cole stepped beside Eleanor.
“So am I.”
Noah joined him.
“Me too.”
Then everyone looked at me.
I walked over and stood beside her.
Dad stared at four sons lined up behind the housekeeper he had just fired.
“This is ridiculous.”
“Probably,” I said.
Eleanor looked at us.
“Guys—”
“No,” Noah said. “You started this.”
“Started what?”
“Making us act like a family.”
For once, Eleanor had no comeback.
Damian looked at Dad.
“She stays.”
Father’s eyes narrowed.
“You’re giving me an ultimatum?”
“No.”
Damian’s voice softened.
“I’m asking you not to repeat the same mistake.”
Dad stared at him.
Then at Eleanor.
Finally, he sighed.
“You stay inside the estate until I know where this came from.”
Eleanor smiled.
“That sounds more reasonable.”
“Security accompanies you.”
“Fine.”
“You follow their instructions.”
“Within reason.”
Dad rubbed his forehead.
“I understand why the previous housekeepers quit.”
We laughed.
Even him.
The threat was traced to Marlowe three days later.
He had been trying to frighten Eleanor because he believed she had overheard conversations concerning his own illegal financial dealings.
My father cut all business ties with him and turned the evidence his investigators found over to federal authorities.
Damian stood beside Eleanor when we heard Marlowe had been arrested.
“You could still leave,” he told her.
“I know.”
“You probably should.”
“Do you want me to?”
Damian looked at her.
“No.”
“Then stop saying stupid things.”
His mouth twitched.
“You enjoy insulting me.”
“More than I should.”
“Dangerous habit.”
She glanced at the black-and-gray tattoos covering his hand.
“You’re not as scary as you think.”
Damian leaned closer.
“That sounds like a challenge.”
“No.”
Eleanor smiled.
“It’s an observation.”
I watched from the hallway.
Then Noah whispered beside me.
“Ten bucks they eventually get married.”
I looked at him.
“Twenty.”
Cole appeared behind us.
“Fifty.”
Damian’s voice came from the kitchen.
“I can hear you.”
We ran.
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