Chapter 14

Emily hadn’t spoken the whole way home, and Keith hadn’t pushed her. He understood why she was so upset. He wondered since his uncle and aunt knew her parents if they had any idea about this big secret, but from what he could get from the whole conversation, nobody knew. That’s what worried him.

The rest of the day was relatively quiet, Keith brought Emily to the salon because she wanted to work. He couldn’t blame her. He knew from experience that secrets always had a way of coming out, and most of the time it caused more harm than good.

Emily seemed to relax a little more when she walked into her salon, but when Keith saw who was waiting, he suddenly wasn’t so relaxed.

“There’s me handsome grandson.” His grandmother motioned for him to kiss her on the cheek.

“Good to see you, Nan.” Keith smiled as she took his hand and stood up.

“Emily, I’m so glad dat yer mudder’s back and gonna be alright." Nanny Betty quickly shuffled to Emily and hugged her. “I’ve been prayin’ fer her.”

“Thank you, Mrs. O’Connor.” Emily didn’t seem to mind his grandmother’s affection.

“Ya call me Nan. Mrs. O’Connor was me mudder-in-law and let me tell ya she wasn’t a very nice woman.” Keith shook his head. He’d heard that statement from his grandmother anytime someone called her Mrs. O’Connor. He really didn’t know why Nanny Betty disliked her mother in law, and nobody wanted to ask.

“I’d love to call you Nan.” Emily smiled as Nanny Betty released her.

“Kim tells me Keithy’s been spendin’ a lotta time here lately.”

Keith glanced at Kim, and she shrugged. There was no way anyone knew what happened between him and Emily, and he’d warned Pam not to say a word.

“Keith’s just here as my security until they figure out what happened with mom.” Emily’s eyes flicked to him and then back to his grandmother.

“I see, but I’m sure dere’s more.” Nanny Betty patted Emily’s cheek. “My Cora’s never wrong.”

Keith heard the honk of a horn and was relieved to see Tom parked outside the salon. He hopped out of the car and walked around.

“Nan, Tom’s outside,” Keith informed his grandmother before she started to go on about Cora the Cupid.

“He can wait. Emily, my lass, Keithy’s a wonderful man, and you’ll find dat out next week at Sean’s birthday party. We’re gonna have baby Alexander’s christening dat same day.”

Keith pulled out his phone and opened his calendar. Shit. How the hell did he completely forget about his father’s birthday party? He also didn’t realize they’d planned the baby’s christening so soon. Sandy wasn’t even out of the hospital yet.

“I think that’s just for family, Nan.” Emily smiled.

“My dear lass, ya are family.” She kissed Emily on the cheek. “We’ll see ya soon.”

With that, the whirlwind that was his grandmother waved and scurried out the door to where Tom was holding open the car door for her.

“Those two are so stinking cute.” Penny chuckled.

“Yes, they are.” Keith had to agree. It was a little weird in the beginning when Nanny Betty started to see Tom, but he quickly became part of the family.

“You forgot about the party, didn’t you?” Ada snickered while she combed out an older woman’s hair.

“I hate to admit it but yes.” Keith flopped down on one of the chairs.

“Do you have anything for him?” Emily asked.

“Yes, I bought it a while ago online. It’s all wrapped in the closet.” Keith’s eyes locked with hers.

“Then you’ve got nothing to worry about.” Ada laughed.

Keith had lots to worry about. The party was nowhere on the list. His biggest concern was the woman who’d just disappeared into the back of the salon. Emily appeared to be chipper and happy, but Keith didn’t miss the tears welling in her eyes.

She shouldn’t be on the verge of tears. Her mother was safe and going to make a full recovery, but her parents were hiding something from her and from what Keith could see, it was killing Emily. Mainly since it concerned her.

“Is Emily okay?” Keith smiled at the young girl behind the receptionist desk. He’d known the kid all her life. Then again she wasn’t really a kid anymore. Aurora had turned into a sweet young lady with the same sassy attitude that Emily had. No wonder the salon was called Snippy Gals.

“She’s just overwhelmed right now.” Keith headed towards Emily's office. He'd learned it was where she went to get herself together.

“I bet.” Aurora smiled.

Keith stepped into the office and glanced around. Emily stood in front of the small window with her arms wrapped around herself. He closed the door to the room and moved behind her. Screw keeping things professional outside his house. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against his body.

“Isn’t this breaking the rules?” Emily teased, but her voice was soft and tense.

“I made the rules so I can bend them when I see you need a hug.” Keith kissed the top of her head, and she turned into his chest.

“What are they hiding from me?” Emily hiccuped and sighed.

“I wish I knew, Princess.” Keith wrapped her tighter in his arms.

“It can’t be so bad that I’d ever hate him. I mean yes my dad pisses me off sometimes. A lot actually but I could never hate him.” She sobbed softly.

“We just have to try and make them understand it’s best that you know.” Keith pressed his lips against her forehead.

“We?” Emily lifted her head away from his chest and gazed into his eyes.

“Sweetheart, I’ll do my best to convince your parents to tell you. I don’t know if it will make a difference, but I’d do anything to take those tears away.” He swiped his thumb against her cheek to wipe away a tear.

“That has to be the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me.” Emily smiled.

“There it is.” Keith brushed his lips against hers. “That smile should never leave that beautiful face. Let’s get you back to the compound and figure out what our next step is.”

“I need to get a couple of things done here before I go. I hate leaving all the paperwork for Kim. She doesn’t mind, but I like to do my share.” Emily stepped back from his embrace. “It shouldn’t take too long, but can we just go back and not think about anything else tonight but me and you?”

“If that’s what you want, it’s done like dinner.” Keith kissed her cheek.

“Dinner would be great as long as you cook.” Emily giggled when he pulled her back against him and nuzzled her neck.

“I’ll cook dinner as long as you’re dessert.” He whispered in her ear and then chuckled when she moaned.

“Get out of here, or I’m not getting nothing done.” Emily pushed him away.

“Anything I can do to help?” Keith knew what it was like to run a business and how paperwork piled up if a person didn’t keep up on it.

“No, I have a system.” Emily sat down behind her desk and turned on her laptop.

Keith saluted as he sauntered through the office door and left Emily to her work. It was probably a good time to catch up on his own business. The phone in his pocket had been buzzing with incoming emails for the last twenty minutes or more. He plopped down behind the reception desk and pulled out his iPhone to deal with the emails.

It was so hard to concentrate on his emails while a very heated discussion between Aurora and her mother got louder by the minute. It was hard not to burst into laughter.

“Aurora, if you come home with a tattoo I’ll bust your arse,” Ada warned while she was pounding her fist on the desk.

“For the love of God, Mom. It’s just a little tattoo.” Aurora didn’t move from where she sat on top of the counter behind the desk.

“You know they hurt like hell?” Ada seemed to think the fear of pain was going to stop her daughter. Keith rolled his lips in to keep from smiling.

“I’m sure it does, but that’s not going to change my mind.” Aurora folded her arms over her chest.

“You’re too young to be defacing your body.” Ada slammed her hand on the desk.

“Mom, I’m almost twenty.” Aurora sighed.

“Do you hear her?” Ada grumbled.

At first, Keith didn’t realize she was talking to him, but she called out, and his head snapped up.

“You’re going to get someone who has several tattoos to talk to me about how bad they are?” Aurora scoffed.

“Keith, tell her she’s too young.” Ada looked about ready to explode.

“Sorry Ada, I was eighteen. It’s a right of passage in our family. We all get the family crest.” Keith tried not to smile when Ada glared at him.

“But she’s a girl.” Ada pushed.

“So is Jess, Isabelle, Kristy, Stephanie, Marina, Sandy, and Pam. They all have them.” Keith almost lost his composure when Ada tossed her arms up in the air.

“You’re no help at all.” Ada walked away from the desk and left Aurora giggling.

“That was so awesome,” Aurora whispered.

“No, it wasn’t. She’s your mother, and you shouldn’t be talking to her like that. As for the tattoo, she wasn’t wrong. They hurt like hell.” He was exaggerating about the pain, but he was pretty sure Aurora was only doing it to rebel against her mother.

“I don’t mind pain.” She jumped down off the counter and stopped. “How painful exactly?”

Gotcha!

“Very.” Keith was doing his best to keep his expression serious.

“Fuck off. I’ll ask Jess. You’re just siding with mom.” Aurora kicked the toe of his boot with her shoe.

It still amazed him how this was the same kid that lived down the road from his parents, and they had to search the woods for her when she was five.

“I’m ready to go.” Emily’s voice brought him out of his head. “Unless you want to try and scare Aurora some more.”

“I don’t think anything scares that girl.” Keith stood up and walked around the desk. “Let’s go.”

He’d barely said the words when there was a loud explosion, and the large picture window shattered sending glass flying into the salon. Keith wrapped his body around Emily and took her to the ground.

“Stay behind this desk,” Keith warned as he crouched on the floor. Emily nodded.

“Is anyone hurt?” Keith shouted so he could be heard over the screams of panic.

He scanned the salon to make sure nobody was injured. Kim was crouched behind her chair. Luckily, she didn’t have a client. Penny had been in the back room getting something and came running out. Keith looked towards Ada’s area but didn’t see her. Her workstation was closest to the window.

An ear-splitting scream had him jumping to his feet and running in the direction. Next, to the waiting chairs, Ada lay on the floor with Aurora kneeling next to her.

“Aurora, get over behind the desk with Emily.” Keith cupped the girl’s face in his hands forcing her to look away from her mother’s bloody body.

“Sh….sh…. she’s …d…dead.” Aurora sobbed hysterically.

“Aurora, go to Emily. Now.” Keith shouted.

“Come over here, honey.” Penny’s head poked out behind the desk where she hid with Emily.

Once she’d moved away from Ada. Keith pulled out his phone and called 911. Ada wasn’t dead because she was still breathing, but the bleeding was bad. He pulled off his leather jacket and tossed it on one of the chairs. He glanced around for something to put on a large wound near her neck. It seemed to be where most of the blood was coming from.

“I need a towel or something.” He shouted behind him, and within seconds several were tossed in his direction.

“911 What’s your emergency?” The operator answered

“There was just an explosion at Snippy Gals Salon on the corner of Harbour Street and Middle Road in Hopedale.” Keith tried to stay calm as he watched the towel he held against Ada’s next turn from white to red.

“How many injured?” The operator asked.

“I have a woman with several cuts and the worst is a large one on her neck.” Keith continued to explain the best he could. He could hear Aurora sobbing and Emily’s voice trying to calm the young girl.

“Is she conscious?” The operator asked.

“No, but she’s breathing.” Keith took a chance and raised his head so he could take a look out through the broken window. He couldn’t see anything from his vantage point that could have caused the explosion.

“We’ve got help on the way, sir. Can I get your name?” The woman on the phone asked.

“My name is Keith O’Connor. My uncle is Kurt O’Connor. He’s the superintendent of the Hopedale division of the NPD.” Keith told her. Hoping someone would contact his uncle. “The woman’s name is Ada Hanlon.”

“Keith, help is on the way.”

He could hear the sirens before the woman said the words and he dropped the phone on the floor.

“Hang in there, Ada. Help’s coming.” Keith whispered.

Aurora was sobbing from behind the desk, and he wished he could check on Emily. He didn’t know if she was hurt or in shock. He glanced behind him to see Kim crawling next to him.

“Is she ….” Kim’s voice squeaked.

“No, and she’s gonna be fine. Kim, I need you to go over behind the desk.” The way Kim was staring at Ada he couldn’t help but wonder if it brought back memories of when she’d been stabbed.

When Kim didn’t answer him, he had to raise his voice to get her attention. Her head snapped up, and he saw her wide eyes fill with tears.

“Kim, go behind the desk with everyone else. I’m not sure what happened, but you’ll be safe over there.”  She didn’t move, and he hated to yell at her, but she seemed to be going into shock. “Kim, now.”

It worked because Kim jumped up and ran to join the others. Seconds later the loud scream of the fire trucks became deafening as they pulled up in front of the building.

“Keith?” The voice was familiar, and he glanced over his shoulder to see Brad King. Not only was he a firefighter, but he was also Sandy, Kim, and Lane’s brother. Keith saw the frantic look on his face as he searched the front of the salon.

“Kim’s behind the desk, but I need help here. Ada’s hurt bad.” Keith shouted over the sirens.

Brad didn’t hesitate, he ran back through the now windowless door yelling for medical assistance. Within seconds Keith was pushed aside as paramedics took over Ada’s care. Keith managed to grab his phone and jacket and still stay out of the way.

When he turned, he came face to face with his uncle and his brother James. Before they said anything, he saw several firefighters wrapping blankets around the girls and escorting them from the salon. He didn’t see Emily.

“What the hell happened here?” James asked.

“I don’t know, but where the fuck is Emily?” Keith quickly moved behind the desk. He sighed with relief when he saw her huddled under the desk with a firefighter trying to coax her out.

“Miss, I promise you it’s safe.” The man spoke softly. “I just want to get you out of here.”

“No….no…. I need Keith.” When Keith heard her shaky voice, his chest swelled. Not because she was okay, but she wanted only him.

“It’s okay, Em. I’m right here.” Keith crouched next to the firefighter that he knew as Dustin Fisher. He’d met him at a bar with Brad a few times. “I’ve got her Fisher.”

Fisher handed Keith the blanket and stepped away. Emily looked up and grabbed his hand as if her life depended on it.

“Ada?” Emily whispered as she threw herself into his arms.

“She’s alive, they’re taking her to the hospital.” Keith wrapped the blanket around her shoulders, but she plastered herself against his body and her arms wrapped around him. “It’s okay, Princess. I got you.”

“Keith?” He looked up at his uncle and shook his head.

“Not now Uncle Kurt.” Keith walked Emily out towards the exit. She stopped when she saw the shattered glass of the doors.

“Come on, Em.” He managed to get her to move and guided her outside.

He joined the other women huddled next to the ambulance that was now being loaded with Ada. Emily trembled as she clung to him. He wanted to put a severe beating on whoever did this.

“Can I go with my mom?” Aurora asked one of the paramedics.

“You can sit up front. We need room to care for your mom.” The woman helped Aurora into the seat of the ambulance.

As the emergency vehicle pulled away and headed towards the highway. He glanced back at the building they’d just exited. Every window in the front of the salon was gone on the first floor. The second-floor windows seemed to be fine. The pharmacy next door hadn’t seemed to receive any damage either. Whatever caused the explosion, it wasn’t meant to cause significant harm. It was a warning. He just didn’t know what the message was, or who sent it.