the least. Not in Ashland.”
Bria nodded at Eva, who was still standing with Violet and Sophia. “You want to tell me what Owen’s sister is doing here? And Violet along with her?”
I shook my head. “I know why Eva says she’s here, but not the real reason why. But believe me when I tell you I’m going to find out.”
“Well, fill me in when you get your answers,” Bria said. “I’ll have enough problems dealing with Kincaid. You wouldn’t want to do me a favor and . . . motivate him to cooperate, would you?”
I grinned at her. “You’re getting rather violent in your old age, baby sister. Last year, you never would have even suggested something like that.”
She grinned back at me. “What is it that Finn says? Violence seems to run in our family? Might as well use what we seem to be so good at to get some results, especially when I’ve got two dead bodies to explain to my boss.”
“Well, then, beauty before age, sweetheart.” I held out my hand.
Bria shook her head, but she was still grinning as we walked over to where Kincaid was standing. Eva hovered nearby, Violet and Sophia a few feet behind her. By thispoint, Eva had wiped the last of the tears from her eyes and regained her composure, although she kept trying very hard not to stare at Antonio’s body. Her blue gaze kept going to it and then sliding away, as though it brought up too many bad memories for her to bear to look at it.
Bad memories were something else I was intimately familiar with. I just wondered how many more I’d make before this was all over.
Bria pulled her badge off her belt and flashed it at Kincaid. “Mr. Kincaid, I’m Detective Bria Coolidge with the Ashland Police Department. I’d like to ask you a few questions about what happened.”
Kincaid stared at her, then his gaze flicked to me. “I know exactly who you are, Detective. Why, I was discussing your tragic family history with your sister just minutes ago. Interesting, the wildly different paths the two of you have chosen in life. I bet it would make for a fascinating psychological case study.”
Bria and I both stiffened at his words, and I stepped forward, meeting Kincaid’s cool, smug gaze with an even colder, more murderous one of my own. “Apparently, you didn’t hear what I said about putting my friends and family in danger, Philly . Or perhaps you just didn’t realize the same rules apply to mocking them as well. So I suggest you cut the wiseass routine, or you’ll be too preoccupied with trying to stuff your innards back where they belong to answer Detective Coolidge’s questions.”
Kincaid smirked, but before he could open his mouth to respond to my threat, another voice jumped into the mix.
“Eva! Gin!” Owen’s voice floated up from the boardwalk.
I stepped away from Kincaid. “Up here!”
Footsteps pounded on the gangplank, and Owen surged into view. The giant guarding the entrance looked over his shoulder at Kincaid, but the casino boss waved his hand, telling his man to stand down.
Owen stood there, looking at Eva, then me, and back again. Once he realized we were both okay, his face hardened, and his jaw tightened with fury. Eva lifted her chin and glared right back at him, which only made Owen’s violet eyes blaze that much brighter. Then his gaze went to Kincaid, and he noticed how close the other man was standing to his sister.
“You!” Owen shouted, stabbing his finger at Kincaid. “Get away from her, you son of a bitch!”
Shocked, I watched as my lover stalked over, drew back his fist, and punched Phillip Kincaid in the face.
“You bastard!” Owen snarled, punching Kincaid again. “I told you to stay away from Eva!”
Owen started to hit him a third time, but Kincaid blocked the blow.
“I’ve been paying for your blind stupidity for years now,” Kincaid snarled. “And I’m sick of it!”
He snapped his elbow into Owen’s face, and the fight was on.
The two men went at each other, no holds barred,
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