Hidden Secrets (Garrett Investigation Book 1) (9 page)

“Fun it bloody well wasn’t.  I’m going to strangle Fletcher when we finally nab him.  If anyone died this time, Fletcher will be dead himself.  Who the fuck does he thinks he is it’s beyond me,” scowled Mal angrily.

“Just don’t take it out on anyone else Mal.”

“Sir, we’ve taken care of everything,” Quin grinned.  “Don’t worry, we have a small surprise for Fletcher. He won’t be smiling by Sunday night,” smiled Quinton evilly.

“I won’t ask, don’t tell.  I’m sure I’ll hear about it soon enough.”

“Yes Sir.”

“Quin, call me boss, will you.”

“Yes boss.”

Pulling into the driveway, they were glad to be back, hoping they’d get some peace, and quiet, or both of them would be going to Trengrove.  Shaking his head, Mal entered the house wincing at the noise of builders repairing his study window, so much for peace and quiet.  Eyes closed for a moment, his head throbbing hard.  Opening his eyes again he turned, walking out again, grabbing Ana’s hand as she walked up the front steps; they decided to stroll in the gardens.

“I have to change Mal.”

“Forgot you got wet and muddy, sorry, just walk for a few, all that noise is irritating,” letting go of her hand he shoved his deep into coat pockets jingling his keys.

“Mal,” she asked quietly, “would you mind if I did some research on my birth mother?”

“I don’t see why not since you’re going down to Trengrove in the morning.”

“You come to Mal; it may be safer; those last shots were just too close for comfort.”

“I’ll think about it tonight Ana.  I may come with you over the weekend.  I need to be in the office on Monday.”

“Let’s get back, I’m getting cold, noise or no noise I need a bath.”

Malachy wrapped his arms around her, escorting her back to the house.  Yuri grinned at them as they passed him in the foyer.

“Tell Quinton that Ana’s going to Trengrove in the morning.  Make sure he’s ready at ten.  I want Ana out of harm’s way.”

Ana rolled her eyes saying nothing in her weariness just accepting Mal’s support up the stairs to her room.  Opening her door, he gently nudged her inside, turning her to his chest where she snuggled into him, inhaling his fragrance.  Quietly they walked over to her bed where he sat her down.

“I’ll run you a bath Ana, get what accessories you need.  It looks like your about to fall asleep.”

“Hmm,” she murmured falling back on her bed sleep overcoming her.

“Well Damn,” muttered Mal, looking down at her.  Gently he took off her shoes next pulling off her skirt and stockings.  He unbuttoned her blouse smoothly removing it from her arms slipping it from under her.  Gently he pulled down the bed covers tucking them around her a tender smile escaping him as he drew her hair away from her face watching her sleep peacefully.

CHAPTER EIGHT

At last, the house was quiet.  Bunching his hands in his pockets Malachy decided to look over the study where progress was slow but good.  Opening the door, he inhaled the smell of wood and paint.  A steel frame window was now secure with bulletproof glass.  The plasterboard surround was still bare.

The floor was a mess of cables and sawdust.  Walking around Mal tripped over a floorboard unbalancing himself into his new desk bruising his thigh.  Crouching down, he touched the floorboard poking up, with a puzzled frown he tried - without success - to pry it up further.  He was muttering and cursing when Quin entered.

“You okay boss?”

“Something not right here,” he muttered quietly.

Quin walked over looking over Malachy’s shoulder.  “What’re you doing?”

“Get me a crowbar Quin, should be one in the garage.”

Frowning at the request, he walked off asking Tallon to keep an eye on Malachy.  Returning with a crowbar, he grinned, noticing Tallon’s eyes widened.

“Everything ok Quin?”

“We’ll soon find out Tallon; the boss has a floorboard loose and wants to tear it up instead of nailing it down.”

Back in the study, Quin found his boss with a puzzled frown on his face, his eyes curiously alert.  Looking up, he took the crowbar from Quin.

“Won’t take much I hope.”

“Want me to do this? Your shoulder’s still weak.”

“Thanks for the reminder Quin,” he grimaced. “I’m trying to forget about it.”

Angling the crowbar he pried up the floorboard and with Quin’s help pulled it free.  Malachy raised his eyebrows in surprise.  Underneath was black metal, though he couldn’t see much else.  Crouching down again he knocked on it; it sounded hollow; puzzled, he wondered what secret it held.

“Well, I don’t know what it is Quin. However, I’d appreciate it if you got some of your men to help pull more floorboards up. As you said, my shoulder is still a bit sore.”

“Yes boss.  Are you sure about this?”

“Well, since the place is still a mess I may as well find out what this is.” He said with a wry smile.

It was the noise thumping which woke Ana.  Yawning, she realised she was in her bed with not a lot on, blushing she sat up wondering what the noise was when she heard it again.  Getting out of bed, grabbing a robe strode out her door.  Nobody was about.  The loud sound came again.  Slipping downstairs, she followed the sound until she came to the study Tallon was standing outside.

“What on earth’s going on?”

“Extra maintenance Miss,” he smiled.

“At this time of night,” she exclaimed.  “For god’s sake!” opening the door she entered a room swirling with sawdust.  Looking over, she saw three men looking down into a gaping hole in the floor. “What the hell are you doing now Malachy isn’t the idea to get the place mended, not destroyed?”

“Have a good sleep Ana?” He enquired looking up smiling, “I found something when I was walking around earlier.  Wanted to see what it was.”

Walking over she looked down raising an eyebrow, “And just what did you find?”

“As you can see, it seems we have a trapdoor to something I never knew existed.”

“So open it, get your mind settled.  It’s getting late if you’re coming to Trengrove with me in the morning you need some sleep.”

“Yes mam,” the others smirked at his reply. “Depending on what I find depends on if I join you in the morning, Ana.”

“Fine, I’m going back to bed; please be quiet with it,” she said yawning.  Traipsing back to her room, she left the men to their work too exhausted to wonder what it was all about.

Cutting the lock with bolt cutters the men heaved back the trapdoor looking down into the black depth starting with two steps.

“Right, where’s the torch. I’m going down.”

“You sure it’s safe boss.”

“Closed up for this long, should be okay,” he laughed, “maybe spiders and rats if anything,” he grinned.

The torch on he walked down into the dark, he felt a handrail and at the bottom his head struck a light bulb.  Flashing the light on the wall, he found the light switch, flicking it on.  Once his eyes adjusted to the light, he looked up and around his eyes wide in surprise at what was before him.  Filing cabinets filled all but one wall. On the end wall, there was a portrait of his mother.  Her blonde hair and blue eyes staring back at him with a lush smile.  She held a baby on her knee that could surely only be him.

“You ok down their boss?” called Quin.

“I - yes, good.  You can retire for the night.  I’ll be down here for a while longer.”

“Yes boss,” he replied, over his shoulder, he said to Tallon, “Keep an eye on him.”

“Yes will do Quin.  Wonder what he found?”

“None of our concern right now, though I am sure we’ll find out eventually.”

Malachy approached the portrait realising as he got closer the baby had black hair and was, in fact, a little girl.  More puzzled than ever he looked harder wondering who she was, he’d never heard about a sister.  The baby had green eyes similar to Ana’s; he smiled wondering what a child of theirs would look like!

Turning away, he walked to the desk where he found a pouch covered with dust.  Wiping the dust off, he found his name etched with gold letters.  Sitting down, he opened the pouch removing the documentation he began to read.

Three hours later, angry, bewildered at what he’d read, he retired to bed.  How the hell was he going to tell Ana?  With a disgusted sigh, he slept tossing and turning for the rest of the night wondering what to do, cursing his father for the first time in his life.

Ana awoke early to find she’d slept alone, disappointed she went to find Malachy.  Creeping silently along the hallway, she quietly opened his bedroom door.  He was tossing and turning, his sheets twisted around his delectable body.  Quietly walking forward, she could hear him murmur her name, smiling she slipped into his bed and began to stroke his body.

Slowly Malachy’s body became aware of feather light touches; he groaned as a kiss landed behind his ear.  Turning, he opened his eyes seeing Ana, quickly sitting up; he put his head in his hands.

“God, what time is it Ana? What are you doing here?”

“It’s seven, still early I know.  I missed you last night Mal.”

He looked up a small smile on his face, “Does that mean you’re ready to move in then Anastasia?”

“Hell no,” she said, sitting back. “Whatever gave you that idea?”  Leaning forward, she looked at his face.  For the first time, he looked old and tired.  “Are you ok Mal? You look terrible.”

“I-a just need some more sleep Ana.  I have a lot to think about.”

Sweeping her hair out of the way; she touched his shoulder feeling him flinch as if she’d hit him.  Frowning,  she took his face in her hands looking deeply into his eyes.  For once she felt shut out; she knew something had upset him.  Leaning closer, she brushed a kiss over his lips making him shudder.

“Don’t Ana,” he said quietly, “I can’t do this, not now.  I’m sorry I need some space to work something out.  I promise I’ll tell you in a few days.”

“Mal please,” she whispered.

“Not now Ana, let me be,” looking up at the hurt in her eyes he continued, “I’ll tell you everything when I get down to Trengrove.”

She backed away, getting to her feet she walked to the door sadness in her posture. “Ana, please believe me.”

“Whatever Mal,” she replied with flashing eyes as she quietly shut the door behind her.  Shaking his head, he thumped his bed wondering why he’d looked, too nosey for his own bloody good.

“That’s it I’m over men,” she spat out in anger as she stormed back to her room nearly crashing into Tallon.  “What, can’t you see where you’re going,” she yelped.

“Whoa, little lady, you walked into me,” looking at her face. “You ok Miss you look a bit distraught.”

“Fine, I’m just bloody over the sodding moon.”

“Err, ok,” he said, backing off. “I’ll just continue with my round then.”

“Typical fucking male,” she muttered as she walked away, slamming into her room. A long hot shower would do the trick, dressed and packing a bag to take with her.  She’d kept clothing at Trengrove since she was part-owner of the place.  With a sigh, she wondered what had happened to Mal. Taking herself downstairs for breakfast she decided on scrambled eggs with bacon.

With the smell of frying bacon; the security men entered the kitchen, huge smiles on their faces, breathing deeply they asked rather sheepishly if she’d cook more.  Rolling her eyes, her humour nearly restored, she made copious amounts of food for the hungry men, smiling at them as they demolished it all. 

Malachy found them all sitting laughing and eating around the table when he walked in, grumpily he looked to see if there was any left.

“Any left for me?”

“Nope boss, Ana such a good cook we ate it all, you’ll have to ask.”

He looked across to Ana, who met his glance with a ferocious glare.  “Never mind toast will do.  Quin, I need you ready to take Ana down to Trengrove at ten.”

“Yes boss,” the men took their leave of the kitchen.  Ana and Mal looked at each other the atmosphere strained.

“I’m ready to go now Mal, so why wait?”

“I need to show you something, Ana.  It’s to do with what I found last night.”

Ana followed Mal to the study. Mal stood at the opening showing Ana the relocked trapdoor.

“Ok, so you found a trapdoor.  What of it?”

“There is a room below full of files. One had my name on it.  I’m still trying to get my head around its contents.”

“What of the contents Mal?”

“That’s what I am trying to sort through.  Give me a few days, and I’ll tell you what you need to know and maybe some stuff you never wanted to know,” he said sadly.  “I can’t take this information lightly Ana; it’s rather explosive.”

“So you’re going to leave me in limbo rather than take me into your confidence, fine, whatever. I’m sure I’ll get over it.”

“It’s not that I won’t.  It’s that I don’t know how,” he shrugged his shoulder. “Not this time.  My father left information that I’ve no knowledge about.  I wish I’d never found the damn stuff,” he sighed.

“All right, you’ve three days.  I’ll see you on Monday evening at Trengrove.”

“Ana.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “You’re the only person I’ve said anything to.  I wish I could deal with this now.  With Fletcher on the loose and god knows who else, I still need to work.”

“I’ll deal with it.” She turned to walk out just as he caught her hand hauling her into his embrace kissing her ferociously before letting her go.