In His Keeping (Slow Burn 2)

Beau bit his lips, forcing himself to remain silent and wait for his brother to make his point. Whatever the hell point he was getting around to making.

“They came back with Ari, which means she would have to have been four months along, possibly three if she delivered prematurely. And according to classified records, she miscarried at five months during the time she would have been pregnant with Ari.”

Beau frowned, mulling over the implications of his brother’s findings.

“Is it possible he falsified records to make it appear she miscarried so they could drop out of sight for her to carry to full term with absolutely no stress in a place where perhaps she felt more at ease?”

Caleb shrugged, blatant skepticism written all over his face. “Possible but highly improbable. This is just a guess, but I think they may have adopted Ari and the fact that they left the country and he completely pulled out of everything connected to their lives pre-Ari makes me suspicious of the way in which they acquired a child.”

Zack frowned, reacting for the first time to the report being given by Caleb. Beau was having his own bout of WTF as he grappled with why, how and . . . well, again why?

“She looks nothing like her mother or father. Eliza was able to pull photos of Gavin’s deceased parents as well as Ginger’s and there is no resemblance there either and both were only children. How do two people with dark hair and dark eyes and darker-toned skin produce offspring with at least ten different shades of blond, silver and gold, eyes that defy description and very fair complexion?”

A chill skittered up Beau’s spine and on its heels, worry for Ari. She’d said nothing about adoption. She’d even spoken of having traits of her mother. And the fact that her powers had been revealed as a baby.

If Gavin and Ginger Rochester weren’t her biological parents then who were? Had Ari’s entire life been a lie?

Once again he was jumping the gun, but his gut was starting to churn and the discrepancies and coincidences were starting to pile up. He rubbed absently at his temple, his gaze drifting away from his brother for a moment. When he once again met Caleb’s stare, he saw concern in his eyes.

“I’ll have Eliza email you the full report so you can read the detailed information and draw your own conclusions,” Caleb said quietly. “Ramie and I should go. We’ve been away from Tori too long as it is.”

“He needs to know about Tori’s dream,” Ramie softly interjected, speaking for the first time.

Her expression was solemn and her smoky gray eyes were troubled as she glanced between the two brothers.

Caleb ran a hand through his hair, a sign of agitation. “I got so caught up in everything else, I momentarily forgot. And yeah, you need to hear about it.”

Zack crossed his arms, his gaze piercing as he stared at Caleb with an air of expectancy. Beau too looked at Caleb, silently prompting him to get on with it.

“She dreamed about you,” Caleb said in a low voice. “You were covered in blood. It scared her to death because the last time she dreamed about one of her brothers drenched in blood I damn near killed my wife. So she’s understandably traumatized and scared as hell.”

Beau blew out his breath. “That’s easily explainable. I’ve already been covered in blood. Ari’s blood. At the accident scene, she had a bad bleed. There was blood everywhere. So Tori was right—she usually is—but you can tell her there’s nothing to worry about now. It’s done with and I’m fine.”

Ramie’s troubled gaze settled on Beau, her features drawn in concern. “She didn’t see Ari in her dream. Only you. And you were lying down. On your back, blood spreading over you. I think you need to take this more seriously, Beau. Please be careful.”

Beau’s tone softened, not wanting to take out his frustration and impatience on a woman who deserved neither.

“You weren’t in the dream she had where Caleb was covered in blood. Your blood,” he pointed out.

Caleb visibly flinched and Ramie paled, the color fleeing her cheeks.

“So it’s probable that her dream was about the sequence of events that transpired after Ari and I left the DSS offices,” Beau pressed, guilt nipping his heels for reminding his brother and sister-in-law of the darkest day of their life.

Ramie’s eyes were cloudy with doubt, but she didn’t argue further. She slid her hand into Caleb’s almost as if she were trying to judge his innermost emotions. When she didn’t withdraw her touch, Beau assumed that Caleb mustn’t be too fierce with his thoughts.

Movement on the video monitor drew his attention and he honed in, watching as Ari stirred restlessly. He started to surge to his feet and leave the room to go to where she lay, but as quickly as she’d exhibited signs of stress, she quieted and went still once more.

Beau let his muscles relax and then turned his attention back to Caleb and Zack, who were both studying him intently. He shifted uncomfortably under their scrutiny and suddenly wanted to be away from all of it.

“Zack, get the report from Eliza,” Beau directed crisply, ignoring their intent expressions. “See what pops up and what you can piece together between what you’ve found and what Eliza’s found. Caleb, you and Ramie go back to Tori. I’ve got things under control here. I’ll let you know if I need you.”

He’d effectively dismissed them both. Zack had no issue and turned to walk out of the room, no doubt already focusing on his objective. Caleb, however, looked poised to argue. Beau held up a hand.