Sarah nodded, wide-eyed, and sat. The housekeeping uniforms at Ardnoch were pretty modern, in contradiction to the other more traditional staff uniforms I’d seen. Lachlan’s housekeepers wore jet-black tunics and black work pants. The tunic collar was red tartan, and the short sleeves had tartan cuffs. Sarah’s dark blond hair was pulled back in a no-nonsense ponytail, and she wore very little makeup on her pretty face. Taking the seat across from her, I noted the way she twisted her hands nervously in her lap.
She did not give off murderous-stalker vibes, but I’d learned a long time ago not to be surprised by anything.
“How long have you worked at Ardnoch Castle, Sarah?”
“Um … about three years now.”
“And you enjoy it?”
She nodded.
“What age are you?”
“Twenty-seven.”
Jesus, she looked a lot younger than that. “You’re aware of the incidents that have occurred, including Mac’s attack?”
She blanched. “Yes. I’m glad he’s okay. Mr. Galbraith is a lovely man.”
If she was lying, she was good. “Do you know anything about the incidents?”
“No. I already told the police that,” she whispered.
“And there’s no reason you know of that anyone would want to harm Lachlan or those close to him?”
Sarah shook her head frantically.
I pressed. “It’s common knowledge there’s bad blood between the McCullochs and the Adairs. Yet you took a job here?”
I noted the edge of defiance creep into her expression, and it gave me pause.
“That has nothing to do with me. I needed a well-paid job, and Mr. Adair offered me one. I wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize that.”
Deciding to use a different tactic, I relaxed back in my chair. “Yeah, it seems like a cushy position. Hanging out around famous people.”
“Cleaning up after them, you mean.”
There was that edge again.
Yeah, Sarah McCulloch had some hidden fire. Not surprising, considering who her grandfather was.
“Still, working for an attractive ex-Hollywood actor must be exciting.” I stared at her pointedly, letting her know her crush was obvious without saying so.
She flushed a horrific orange-red that made me feel all kinds of guilty, but I was there to do a job. “I would never hurt anyone,” she snapped, tears glistening in her eyes. “I wouldn’t work here if I hated Mr. Adair. I don’t care that the Adairs stole our land. It was centuries ago.”
Catching the fact that she’d condemned the Adairs without proof, much like her grandfather, I leaned into her. “Don’t you mean if the Adairs stole your land? There’s no evidence they did.”
Sarah’s nostrils flared. “I wasn’t supposed to say anything. Forget it.”
“Say anything about what?”
“Nothing.” She lowered her gaze.
“Sarah, if you have something to say that’s going to take you off my suspect list—”
“What?” Her eyes were round with shock. “You think I could do this?”
“I don’t know you. I do know you just stated with absolute surety that the Adairs stole land from your family when there’s no evidence they did. That to me is motive to screw around with Adair and this club’s reputation.”
She shook her head. “No, no. Mr. Galbraith already knows this, so I’m sure it’s okay to tell you … The Adairs did take our land. Mr. Adair admitted it to my grandfather. Just ask your father.”
I slumped in my chair at this news.
Well …
Shit.
I stormed into my dad’s room, and part of me was almost glad I had something to distract me from the letters and our family issues.
“Down here!” he called, having heard me barge into the suite.
I found him lying on the sofa in front of the TV, watching a soccer game.
He looked up at me, his expression hard to read.
“You didn’t think I should know the Adairs did steal land from the McCullochs? You didn’t think that was pertinent evidence against Collum McCulloch?”
Surprise flickered across Mac’s face. I knew it wasn’t exactly the first thing he thought would come out of my mouth. Switching off the TV, he gestured for me to sit. I dragged a decorative chair from the corner and placed it in front of the sofa.
“Well? Adair lied to me. He told me there was no proof his ancestors stole McCulloch land.”
“Don’t be too hard on him, Robyn. He’s protecting his family and his business.”
“By stealing something that isn’t his?” I was disappointed in a way that physically ached. For some stupid reason, I did not want Lachlan to be that guy.
“No, no, look”—Mac pushed himself into a sitting position—“Lachlan didn’t know until about a year ago. He found letters in his father’s belongings. Letters that dated back to his fourth-great-grandfather. And, yes, those letters suggested the land was acquired illegally from the McCulloch farm. But it doesn’t outright state it, and it wouldn’t hold up in a court of law. Lachlan felt bad enough about it to speak to McCulloch. I warned him not to, that the old bastard would not take kindly to it, but Lachlan wanted to offer him money. Reparation. McCulloch turned it down, but the relationship between them worsened.”
I hated to admit how relieved I was to hear that Lachlan tried to do what was right for both families, but I was pissed that I hadn’t known. “You didn’t think I should know about this? I’ve met that man twice, and he could not make his hatred for Adair clearer. It isn’t healthy, Mac. And that puts him right at the top of our suspect list. He has an in here, with Sarah. She can deny it till her cheeks turn purple, but this is motive, and you know it.”
My dad gave me an appeasing look. “I thought it was enough for you to know there was cause for grievance between them. And as for McCulloch’s vitriol … it’s got less to do with the land and more to do with his sister’s death. Believe me, that caused more bitterness between him and Lachlan’s father than anything else.”
Brain starting to hurt with frustration and lack of sleep, I leaned my elbows on my knees and cradled my head in my hands. It was on the tip of my tongue to confess about the trailer. About Sarah seeing Lachlan kiss me.
McCulloch was mad about land and grief-stricken over his sister’s death. It didn’t seem that far-fetched that he’d involve Sarah in his revenge and that Sarah, with her obvious crush on Lachlan, was happy to carry out the threats in light of his silent rejection of her. I believed the result they were looking for was Lachlan losing members and eventually having to close the club and sell the estate. None of that accounted for the man who attacked Mac, but the third player could still be connected to the McCullochs.
I found myself opening my mouth to tell Mac about the kiss and the trailer when my dad asked, “Did you read the letters?”
This brought my head up. I sank back into my chair, holding Mac’s anxious gaze. “I did.”
I interpreted his silent, “Well?”
Drawing in a breath and then exhaling slowly, I replied, “My mom was definitely to blame for some of it. But you still chose your career over me.”