Chapter Thirty
Adara stretched her tired and sore muscles as the light streamed in through the open balcony door. A grumbling stomach answered the call of rich coffee drifting to her nose. All the exercise would make her lose weight if she wasn’t careful. Every time they ate, Julien gave her extra servings, telling her she needed to gain a few pounds if she wanted to keep up with him.
Memory of their lovemaking the prior night brought a sheen to her eyes. Not just once, but three times, he showered her with soft caresses and brought her to the brink of oblivion.
The word insatiable came to mind, though she’d never complain. To be enfolded in such cherished passion was a luxury she once longed for as a teen. Yet, a small uncertain part of her didn’t rely on what she didn’t know or understand. Julien held part of himself in reserve, the treasured center where he kept the most sacred pieces of his soul.
“Morning, sleepyhead. I was just coming to wake you.” He placed one knee on the bed to lean over and kiss her.
“Morning. Sorry I slept so late. Must be all this activity.” Winding her fingers through the silky midnight of his hair while he devoured her mouth distilled her thoughts to one word. More. A sigh escaped when he pulled back, forcing her to let go.
His stranglehold on her senses eased as he sat on the side of the bed, his expression sliding into a mixture of sorrow and frustration. Alarmed, she sat up straighter, waiting as her fingers fisted in the bedspread. This was a side of Julien she hadn’t witnessed.
“Hon, I’m afraid I have horrific news. There’s just no good way to say this…”
“Julien, what’s wrong?”
“It’s about your friend, Graham. I’m sorry, but—he’s been found. Dead.”
“No! W-what happened? He looked so sad the other day. Oh God, did he commit suicide?” Her first teardrops splattered on the bedcovers before Julien lifted her onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her.
“No, hon, he didn’t. I’m afraid he was murdered. Surfers found his body this morning under a pier.”
“Oh God. No. This can’t be happening. He was so sweet and gentle. Who would hurt him?” The pained look on his face told her the bad news would keep coming.
“What aren’t you telling me?”
As he tucked her head under his chin and nuzzled her hair, she heard him murmur. “Beside him, in the sand, he wrote something.”
“What?”
“Julien s.”
“Julien s? What do you think he tried to say?”
“Don’t know yet, but I promise you. We will sort this out.”
“Do you think Uncle Tony did it? I don’t know how he’d learn about Graham unless someone from the office talked to him. Jackie?”
“Maybe, but I don’t want to jump to conclusions. We’ll ferret this out.”
“Have you talked with the police?”
“No, Conner called. He’s already spoken with the them. They’ve confirmed my whereabouts for the time frame. Looks like we’ll both be making statements this morning.” Julien stroked her hair, then pushed it over her shoulder. “Remember, we have an appointment down at the station this morning, and another to see the attorney right after lunch. We’ll get more information.”
“Attorney? Today’s Sunday.”
“Yeah, he’s a friend. Charles can see us today. But if you’d like, you can wait till tomorrow and see someone else.”
“Oh, no. Today is fine. Thank you.”
“Since your uncle and cousin have designs on your inheritance, we’ll put it out of reach to anyone except you. That will be financial protection. We’ll also file a report at the police station.”
“And filing a report? What good will that do? They’ll make up some kind of story, deny they were the ones who hurt me. Did the police pick them up last night?”
“Sweetheart, if nothing else comes of it, you’ll have filed the paperwork so they won’t come after you, legally anyhow. Best case scenario, we’ll put the bastards behind bars for a long time. And no, they apparently didn’t go home last night, according to Conner’s update.”
“Will you stay with me?”
“I’ll hold your hand every minute.”
“Thanks, Julien. I appreciate all you’ve done.”
“After talking with the attorney, we can come back here, relax, and have a good long talk.”
“About?”
“Your future.” Julien framed her face with his hands and kissed her.
Julien’s presence made her trip to the police station almost bearable. Though Lieutenant Collier asked questions in a gentle, nonjudgmental manner, humiliation swamped her as she described years of abuse in general terms. Having to write it down and sign it brought each brutal detail to life. The pictures taken of her scars and bruises brought her shame into living color.
Collier and Julien knew each other well, judging by the verbal shorthand used. Phrases like ongoing conspiracy, and within statute of limitations, led to the likelihood that her testimony would see Tony and Gary incarcerated for years. She didn’t expect questions about the cause of her parent’s death but took it in stride.
When the topic turned to Graham, tears for her best friend dampened one tissue after another as she detailed their friendship. In the back of her mind, she knew his death, in some way, would connect to and prove a weight on her soul.
Both Conner and Nate arrived to fill in information on Gary, Tony, and Simmie. To see the way adversity banded the brothers close reinforced her understanding of what family meant. Now, they included her in their circle of protection.
Officer Collier gave no indication that Julien’s involvement extended beyond Adara’s protection. The dour and grim atmosphere, so common to her past years, contrasted everything she wanted in her future.
A small smile kicked up the corners of Collier’s mouth when she explained she’d been with Julien every minute since Tuesday. Someone murdered Graham on Friday night using a drug not yet identified. A single needle mark on his left arm directed the coroner’s search for information.
With a somber regard, the officer relayed other details of Graham’s death. Julien pulled her onto his lap when the tears again flowed, the emotional roulette wheel keeping her off balance. Sooner or later, her own number would come up at her uncle Tony’s hands.
Warm air bolstered her lagging spirit as Julien held the station door for her to exit. Leaving it all behind seemed a betrayal to Graham. Until they solved his murder, she couldn’t move forward.
“Thank you for seeing us on a Sunday. I have no experience with handling money—”
“Don’t worry, Adara.” Mr. Rathgawin shuffled the stack of legal papers until pulling a batch to the top. “We’ll protect your financial future until you figure out what you want to do. As far as Sunday—it’s just another day when a friend is in need. I’ve known Julien and his brothers all their lives. Though I have to admit, I’ve never held the dubious honor of possibly representing them legally.” He gave Julien a sidelong glance. “It’ll be nice to finally pay him back for prior favors…and perhaps gain an upper hand for once. Maybe hold out for—“
“No. No way.” Julien’s grin, then chuckle took the seriousness out of their meeting. “Some secrets are meant to remain buried.”
Warm and friendly, Julien’s lawyer advised her of the different ways to protect her inheritance, which included a will. When he started spouting all manner of legal jargon, her mind threw up pictures of centaurs frolicking in open fields, her version of zoning out. Makes as much sense.
“I know this may sound very complicated, but we can accomplish this in a few simple steps. I’ll have the documents drawn up by tomorrow so you can take control of your inheritance immediately. I won’t know the sum total of your net worth until the forms are filed.”
“I don’t care about the money.” She’d gain something she’d dreamed of for years. Freedom. They made an appointment to return the next day yet left with a troubled heart.
Graham’s sand-scribbled message intruded into her thoughts to rocket her back to reality in a never-ending circle. Julien claimed not to know Graham, so how did Graham know Julien? She couldn’t find the off ramp from the bizarre and frightening path.
The small amount of lunch she tolerated added a bit of stability and strength to cope. Determination stiffened her spine as she turned her thoughts away from her problems and to the future. “Julien, I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.”
“No thanks necessary. I wanted to get these things cleared up so you can move forward. You know…you’re about to become a very wealthy young lady.”
“What? How do you know?”
“Uh, remember what I do for a living? Background checks on all my employees.”
Her face flushed with warmth. “How wealthy?”
“Let’s just say you’ll never have to work another day in your life unless you choose to do so. Which is why I wanted you to speak with a lawyer before we moved further in our relationship. I want no doubts in your mind about my motives for your body and soul. And I certainly don’t want to get into the pharmaceutical or any other business.”
“Oh, Julien, there are no doubts, believe me.”
“So…ready to go home and talk?”
“Absolutely.”