“How does Jasper feel about Ned leaving him in the lurch?”
“He’s totally okay with it. It’s a huge opportunity for Ned, way bigger than what he’s got now. Jas wants that for him—I do, too. We’re friends, all of us. We care about each other.”
“You, Jasper, and Ned.”
“Yeah.”
“It’s weird,” I said, “because Flynn made it sound like you were excited about the idea of working with Jasper.”
She glanced at the closed library door. “I love Jasper,” she repeated. “That doesn’t mean I love his family.”
“But you’ve only just met them. How do you know you won’t get along?”
I could see her withdrawing, questioning the wisdom of saying more. I’d hit on something with this line of questioning. The moment I mentioned Flynn’s name Abella started avoiding my gaze. Through her parted lips I spotted a small gap between her front teeth. It made her look like an anxious child.
“Camilla’s great,” Abella said. “I wish I could have met her sooner. Had more time with her, you know?”
I nodded. It was a testament to Camilla’s stamina that she was still spending the summers on a relatively isolated island. At her age, her days with the family were numbered. The question was whether Abella’s were, too.
“What about Bebe and Flynn?”
“I don’t really know them.”
Again I mentioned the age difference between Jasper and Flynn. “How are things with them, relationship-wise?”
“Not all brothers and sisters get along.”
“So you wouldn’t say they’re close? What makes you so sure? You and Jasper have been together for, what, a few months?”
“Two.”
“Two months. You think that’s enough time to get a handle on the subtleties of sibling relations?”
Again I sensed hesitation. “It’s the way they treat him—Flynn especially. He’s an asshole to Jas, and to Ned, too. Don’t make me go back out there,” she said. “I can’t just sit there while they sip their coffee and pretend everything’s fine!”
“Abella, if we’re going to find Jasper I need your help. You were with him last night, all night. You were here yesterday, too. If you know anything, saw anything that might explain what happened, now’s the time to talk.”
She brought her thumb to her lip and scraped her teeth along the nail. Abella’s fingernails were ballet pink and had the high-gloss shine of a professional manicure. She was in the spotlight this weekend, and she knew it. She’d wanted Jasper’s family to be impressed.
The moment she decided to spill it, Abella’s chin quivered and her eyes filled with tears. The story I was about to hear was going to be different from the one Flynn recounted, no question. I hoped it would be the truth.
“It’s my fault,” she said.
My body went rigid. “What’s your fault, hon?”
“It’s my fault he’s gone.”
“Did you do something to him? Hurt him, or . . .”
“No.” She met my gaze with big, watery eyes. “But I know who did.”
NINE
The island was a secret paradise Abella couldn’t reconcile with the world she knew onshore. Just that morning she’d been in Manhattan, and now she stood by the water’s edge in a heavy fall sweater while Jasper hugged her to his side and whispered dirty propositions in her ear. He was trying to distract her from what was coming, and she appreciated the effort, but they were out of time. Norton pulled the skiff up to the dock, and out crawled Flynn Sinclair.
“Your better half’s already here,” Jasper said.
“Better at what?” Flynn replied. “Making bad choices, or being an ungrateful prick?” Flynn didn’t hug his brother or even shake his hand, and Abella assumed Flynn was in a shitty mood after the five-hour drive from Manhattan. Jasper turned his back on Flynn and offered to help tie up the boat, but Norton waved him away.
“One last run to the market before the weather turns,” Norton said.
“Seriously?” said Jasper. “You were just there yesterday. Aren’t you supposed to be getting things ready inside?”
Her boyfriend’s comment struck Abella as rude, and that wasn’t like him at all. Something was grating on Jasper, though she couldn’t imagine what it was. Norton’s smile, when he managed one, was forced. Abella’s was, too.
“Lots to prepare,” said Norton amiably. “Won’t be long.” Pushing off, he revved the engine and headed back to shore.
Flynn stared at his luggage with distaste. The job of lugging it up the steps was on him. “Nice you two could get here so early. Some of us have to work.”
“Meet Abby,” Jasper said in a way that told Abella he’d taken a ribbing from Flynn before and had no interest in engaging with him again. Flynn didn’t leer at her exactly, but his eyes lingered on her longer than was polite. It made her uncomfortable.
Jasper did his best to keep the conversation going as they climbed the steps. By contrast, Flynn moped in silence the whole time. All Abella wanted was to get away from him and flop down on the couch with Jasper to savor their last few moments alone before she was put on parade. So she was thrilled when, as soon as they got to the house, Flynn went straight upstairs.
“There he goes, off to kiss Nana’s ass. Now do you see why I didn’t introduce you sooner? What a prick,” Jasper said. “He won’t let up.”
“On what?” Abella asked.
“On who. Flynn treats Ned like shit. I swear, he can’t control himself. If I’m not around he immediately goes searching for someone else to abuse. Actually, he does it whether I’m there or not.”
Ah, thought Abby. So that’s what caused Jasper to snap. He rarely talked about his siblings, and Abella had thought better of prodding. “Is he really like that?” she asked.
“An alpha male? A natural-born sadist? Yeah, he is.” Jasper blew out a breath and rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s fine, I’m used to it. It’s just fucking embarrassing, that’s all.”
On the mahogany coffee table in the parlor a little clock ticked steadily. Abella could hear the flagpole clinking in the mossy enclosure that stood in for a front yard, the erratic snap of the Scottish and American flags that flew when Camilla was on the island.
“Maybe it’s a competition thing?” Abella said it carefully. She didn’t want to talk about his family. This was dangerous territory, and they were still in their honeymoon phase, when serious conversations were better kept at bay. “That’s how it is with me and my sister. She can’t stand it when I win.”