“Everett, the tech, is calling it a kill order.”
A kill order? Isabel looked up at Michael. He wasn’t kidding.
He reached inside his jacket and produced the folded papers, handing them to her. Isabel put her teacup down and started reading. Michael waited silently, watching her eyes widen as the reality of what he had just told her began to sink in.
“The flash drive belonged to Detective Walsh?”
Before he could tell her what he and his brothers had learned, she said, “I won’t believe it. I learned a great deal about Detective Walsh. He’s a good and honorable man. He has received at least five commendations over the years, and his coworkers rely on him. He didn’t come to Boston to kill me. I don’t know where he got the flash drive, but I’m sure he was trying to protect me, and that’s why he got shot.”
“Isabel, no one—”
It was as far as he could get before she continued with her passionate defense of the detective.
“He was happily married for twenty-six years, and he was devastated when his wife died, but he had to keep it together for their daughter, Kathleen. He flies back to Boston as often as possible. He grew up there and comes from a large family.” She added, “He’s going to move back there next year.”
“How do you know all this?”
“Kathleen told me. It took the police a while to find her. She was visiting friends in San Francisco. She flew back to Boston and has been at her father’s side almost every minute.”
“No one thinks the flash drive belonged to Walsh.”
“Then why did you let me go on and on—”
“I couldn’t get you to stop,” he said.
She decided to read the succinctly written kill order once again. Then she carefully folded the papers and handed them back to Michael.
“I don’t want you to be afraid,” Michael said.
Her back stiffened. “Afraid? I’m not afraid. I’m furious.” She jumped up and began to pace. “Is James Reid behind this? Of course he is,” she decided. “He’s probably getting a whopping bonus if I sell to the Patterson Group, and he represents them, remember? Every time he called he sounded more determined. Right?”
Michael didn’t answer fast enough. She stopped in front of him and asked, “Am I right?”
“No.”
“Why not?” Now she sounded disgruntled.
“If you’re dead you can’t sign the land over to them.”
“I realize that, but . . .”
“You get Glen MacKenna on your next birthday,” he began.
“Day after tomorrow.”
“What?”
“My birthday is Wednesday, day after tomorrow,” she repeated.
He nodded. “We’ll celebrate early on the plane.”
“I’m not going to be on a plane tomorrow.”
“You need to get back to Nathan’s Bay,” he insisted. “You’ll be safe there until the investigators find out who’s behind this kill order.”
She shook her head. “No, that’s not what I’m going to do.”
And thus began a blistering argument that lasted a good twenty minutes. Unfortunately for Michael, Isabel made sense. There was also the fact that she was far more stubborn than he was, yet another trait he couldn’t help but admire.
“I’m going to drive north toward Dunross, stay off the highways, and talk to people along the way.
Once I get up into the Highlands, someone will know something about Glen MacKenna. There’s a reason someone besides the Patterson Group wants the land, and I want to know what it is. I didn’t come to Scotland just to turn around and run back home because of a threat, especially if I don’t know who is making it or why. Besides, I know I told you I have to be present in the solicitor’s office to sign papers to receive the inheritance. You just forgot.”
“No, I did not forget. I know you have to wait until your birthday to sign papers and get the land.
But does it have to happen on your birthday? I know it can’t happen before, but what about after?
Could you schedule to meet the solicitor a month later?”
She skirted the question. “I’m going to sign the papers on Wednesday.”
Michael made one more attempt to reason with her but in the end reluctantly conceded. “Then I’m not letting you go alone.” He waited for her to object and when she remained silent, he said, “No argument? Okay, then.”
Isabel tried not to let her reaction show. Why was she so relieved he was going with her? She should be trying to get rid of him, shouldn’t she?