“What?”
She clicked her fingers. “Back there. You spoke about the joys of modern technology. Social media. A fire. There’s like an entire group of apartments and houses not too far from where that fire was burning. Someone had to have called the damn fire department. They could never tell you who, right?”
“Right? I’m feeling rather slow right now. What’s your point?”
She moved toward his laptop. “Modern technology. Everyone is always on their damn phones, aren’t they? Always filming everything. Even something like a fire.” She fired up the internet, located one of the media sites, and began to type in random search queries.
She scrolled through the list of them and the moment she recognized the building, she cried out.
Liam moved to sit beside her as she pressed Play. “Holy shit balls, you guys. I hope no one is in there.”
“You think this is going to help?” Liam asked.
Jenny wasn’t looking, nor was she listening to the man who held the camera. There were times the picture moved as he walked forward or back, but she caught sight of the burning building and what was more, she hit Pause as soon as she saw the little light at the edge of the building and just across the street, another image of the car.
Liam moved in closer.
“See,” she said. “To many, this little light here is just a bad reflection or tricky recording. That’s the girl.”
Liam kept on staring at the screen.
She looked at him then at the screen. “What is it, Liam?” she asked.
“Jenny, look at the car,” he said.
She looked at the car.
“Now look at the men.”
She frowned as she took a closer glance at the car and tilted her head to the side. The car was the exact same one as her brother Danny’s, but the man holding back the screaming woman was none other than her brother Lewis. Even with the screen blurred, she saw it was him.
Coming out of the video, she found another, and sure enough, this one stayed focused on the fire, but they clearly didn’t know what kind of footage they had.
After putting the laptop down, Jenny got to her feet, pacing the front of the sofa. “No,” she said, shaking her head.
Liam sat back and stared up at her.
She reached for her cell phone and he captured her wrist. “What are you doing?” he asked.
“I’ve got to know what the hell is going on.”
“Jenny, that’s not a good idea.”
“A little girl died and a woman could be mourning her child. I’ve got no choice but to interfere. This isn’t my fault. They made me part of this by doing this. I don’t have a choice.”
“This isn’t a very good choice.”
“It doesn’t matter, does it?” she asked. “It’s something I’ve got to do.” She opened her cell phone and dialed her brother’s number. Lewis answered on the third ring.
Keeping her voice light, she arranged for her brother to come to the apartment. Once she finished talking to Lewis, she dialed Danny.
Her assumptions were correct as Danny told her that Lewis had borrowed his car and apparently damaged it beyond repair. It was crushed and gone. All evidence wiped clean.
Running her hands down her sides, she felt a little sick.
Liam moved toward her, putting his hands on her shoulders. “I’m here for you.”
“I … I didn’t have anything to do with this,” she said.
“I know.”
“I mean it. I didn’t do anything. I’m not allowed to be part of their business.”
“I know.”
Tears filled her eyes. “My brother could be responsible for killing that little girl.”
Liam cupped her face. “I’ve got you. Okay? I’ve got to call my dad and yours. You know this, right?”
She nodded her head.
“This isn’t your fault. We don’t know why Lewis was at that building, okay?”
“It doesn’t make it right.”
“Babe, you cannot blame yourself for everything your brothers do.” He took possession of her lips. “I don’t want to leave you, but I’ve got to make this call.”
She nodded. “Make the call. I’ll be fine. I promise.”
The lies just kept sliding off her tongue, without a care in the world. She tuned out her husband. All this time, she stared at the screen that had been paused.
What was Lewis doing in that damn building?
Why was he taking a woman away?
She put a hand to her stomach, feeling the sickness swirling in her gut. Lewis was the oldest son. The one due to take over the entire family.
Liam cupped her cheek. “They know that your brother is coming. Our dads want to hear the conversation. I’ve got the call on speaker.”
“Okay,” she said. “Hi, Daddy.”
“Are you okay, sweetheart? Liam told us what happened.”
“I’m fine. I am.”
The doorbell rang. Silence filled the air.
“Don’t give anything away.”
She nodded her head and moved toward the door, finding Lewis looking as impeccable as he did in those videos. He’d always been a loving big brother to her, but now as she looked at him, she wondered if there was a part of him she didn’t know.