Ripped, p.5
Ripped, page 5
“Best to get it over with,” Hammer responded.
“You okay with this, Pearl?” I asked.
Her eyes met mine. “It’s only fair she knows I’m here.” She looked at Hammer and raised her chin. “And it isn’t right to ask you to continue keeping it a secret.”
Hammer smiled. “Maeve is going to love you.”
“Pardon?” she asked.
“You heard me.” Hammer motioned for us to follow him out the front door. “See ya up there.”
“What did he mean?” Pearl asked once we were in my SUV.
“Exactly what he said.”
“How would he know if his wife will like me?”
“Maybe because you remind him of her.”
Pearl shook her head and looked out the side window. “That makes no sense,” I heard her mumble.
Hammer was already inside when we arrived, so we walked up to the front door and I knocked.
“Come on in,” he said with the wave of his arm.
His wife was waiting a few feet behind him and looked very different than the last time I saw her. “Maeve, it’s so good to see you,” I said, stepping forward to hug her. “Hammer didn’t mention you were pregnant. Congratulations! When is the baby due?”
She rubbed her belly. “Next month.”
“We’re having a girl.” Hammer’s smile stretched across his face.
“Yeah? I’m so happy for you both,” I said, looking between the two.
“Please introduce us,” Maeve said, taking another step forward.
“Maeve, Hammer, this is Pearl Fischer.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” Maeve said, shaking Pearl’s hand. “Fischer. Why does that name sound familiar?”
Pearl’s face flushed, and Maeve looked at her husband.
“What?” she asked.
I turned to Hammer, who was staring at me.
Pearl straightened her shoulders. “It’s okay. I’ll tell her. My father, John Fischer, was one of your kidnappers.”
Maeve raised a brow and glared at her husband. “I see.”
“If you’d like me to leave—”
“Leave? You just got here. Drip, offer them something to eat.” Maeve looked at us. “Are you hungry?” She rubbed her belly a second time. “I am twenty-four hours a day, if you want to know the truth of it.”
She put her arm through Pearl’s, something that clearly shocked her. “Come with me; we’ll have a chat.”
“You, come with me,” Hammer said, pointing at me as he headed off in the direction of the kitchen. “We’ll give ’em some time for Maeve to convince Pearl she’s welcome here.”
“Mighty forgiving of your wife.”
Hammer looked up from where he was pouring iced tea into glasses. “Nothing to forgive. Pearl had no part in Maeve’s abduction.”
“Still. Guilt by association.”
“Nah. You don’t see it that way, do you?”
“No, but—”
“Then, why the hell would Maeve?” He pulled a bottle of beer out of the fridge. “Want one?”
“I’m good. I’ll have some tea, please.”
“You got it. Now, let’s see what I can make my two girls to eat.”
It took me a minute to realize he was talking about his wife and baby. “A girl, huh?”
Hammer smiled the same way he had earlier. “Damn straight. Like her mama, our daughter will be named after all the Mary Maeves who came before her.”
Mary Maeve Donoghue was renowned in Ireland, going as far back as the sixteen hundreds. Each eldest female descendant was named after her.
“It’s nice to see you so happy.”
“Nicer to feel it.”
I envied him. Not only was he married, but Maeve and Hammer were meant to be together. I’d realized that the first time I saw her at his place. I gave him a lot of shit that day, but it was clear the two were soulmates. His wife’s fire matched his own, and that was good for the attorney.
“Does she want to move back to Ireland?” I asked.
Hammer shook his head. “She wants Mary and however many more kids we have to spend time there, but she doesn’t want to live there permanently. Uncle Money is here; don’t forget that.”
It was hard to remember, sometimes, that the man I answered to for my current mission was Maeve’s brother. Up until I saw him interact with her, the guy seemed more robot than human. Harsh thinking, I knew, but it was true. No one I’d ever known was as matter-of-fact as Kellen “Money” McTiernan.
“How’d he get that code name?” I realized I’d never heard the story.
“He’s some kind of mathematical genius. When he was up-and-coming, the NSA wanted him more than the CIA did, since he was also a forensic accounting specialist. Can’t imagine him sitting in a back office somewhere, running numbers instead of what he’s doing now.”
Five years ago, I doubted anyone would’ve predicted Money’s meteoric rise in the agency. On the other hand, the man had the backing of the Invincibles and another private intelligence firm, K19 Security Solutions. Both organizations counted several former CIA agents among their partners, myself included. Although I wasn’t a partner. Wasn’t even sure I wanted to be, not that anyone had asked.
I could afford the buy-in it would take. I certainly made more than enough money between my gig here at the ranch and as an Invincibles contractor, especially since I paid nothing for the house I lived in.
A couple of years ago, I invested in a piece of land with frontage on Lady Bird Lake, not too far from Austin. I wasn’t sure I’d ever build on it since I never had time to even go there to fish.
“You just gonna stand there, or are you planning to help me?”
“Sorry, what?”
“Help. You know, cut up some vegetables, slice some cheese.”
I looked down at the cutting board and knife he’d set in front of me. “Yeah, sorry. Got lost in thought for a minute.”
“Pearl?”
“Nah. I’m thinking about selling my property on the lake.”
“Never sell property if you don’t have to. My granddad always said the more dirt you own, the wealthier you are. Even if you don’t have a penny in your pocket.”
“I’m not sure I’ll ever do anything with it.”
“My guess is it’s already appreciated since you bought it. Hang on to it, and the value will keep goin’ up. You don’t need the money, Rip. Even I know that.”
He was right. Maybe tomorrow, I’d take Pearl to see it. There weren’t a lot of places I’d feel comfortable taking her off the ranch, but there, I would. First, it was a gated and exclusive community. Second, I hadn’t bought just one lot; I’d bought three. That way, if I ever did build, I wouldn’t have neighbors too close.
Hammer buying the three ranches he’d combined into one was what had given me the idea. However, he owned about ten times more acres of dirt than I did.
“Shall we go see how the ladies are faring?” he asked.
“Sure.” While I tried to come off as nonchalant, the truth was I liked being around Pearl. She hadn’t been staying with me much longer than a week, and I still knew I’d miss her when the time came for her to leave.
8
PEARL
“Your home is beautiful,” I said when Maeve led me into a sitting room. Off to one side was a piano that I eyed longingly. There was one in the main hall on the compound, an upright, that I always wished I’d learned to play.
“Thank you, and come sit.”
“Hammer said you’re from Dublin.” I took a seat across from her on one of the two small couches.
“Yes.” She leaned back and rubbed her belly like I’d seen her do before.
“Do you miss it?”
She looked up at me almost as though she didn’t understand the question. “I suppose if I do, I’ll go and visit. Right now, I’m happy to be here in Texas. Hard to believe that a year ago I was so lost and now I have everything I never knew I wanted.”
“You have a very grand home.”
Maeve nodded. “That doesn’t matter much to me. As they say, money doesn’t buy love or happiness. Health, either.”
“I wouldn’t know. I’ve never had any. And by any, I mean none.”
Maeve scrunched her eyes. “As I said, there are far more important things.”
“I really didn’t need it on the compound. It wasn’t like there was anything I needed to buy. Now, though, Rip had Misty get me some new clothes, and I feel bad not contributing to that or to the food he provides. I’ve offered to earn my keep, but he hasn’t come up with anything much yet, other than cooking and some cleaning.”
“You said ‘on the compound.’ Tell me more.”
I didn’t want to be rude, but I also didn’t want to talk about it. I doubted she really cared about the compound anyway. She probably wanted to know more about my father. “I lived there all my life.”
“I know your father passed. I’m very sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you, but you don’t have to say that.”
“Why ever not? It’s how I feel. When my da passed, a few years ago, I missed him so much. Still do.”
“My father kidnapped you.”
“That doesn’t change the fact that he raised you.”
“I suppose.”
“What about your mum? Is she still alive?”
I shook my head. “I never knew her.”
“Aye. My own passed when I was just five. It’s only recently I’ve begun having memories of her. I’m not certain if they’re really memories or just things I’ve conjured in my brain. Pregnancy does funny things to you that way. And I can no longer see my feet.”
Maeve laughed, and I did too.
“We’ve a lot in common, Pearl.”
“We do?” The words came out sounding as shocked as I felt.
“Both lost our mums. Our dads too, but more recently. I want you to know I understand how disconcerting that feels. I’ve a half brother, but there were still times I felt a bit of an orphan. Now Hammer and this little one I can’t wait to meet are my family. Someday, you’ll know exactly how I feel.”
I didn’t say it out loud, but I doubted it. What man would ever want me? I wasn’t pretty—I’d heard that often enough, whispered by the other women on the compound. I had no particular skills, and given I knew so little about the world outside the confines I’d grown up in, I wasn’t very interesting either. Coupled with the fact that my father was a member of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas and a criminal, I wasn’t exactly a “catch.”
“I know what you’re thinking,” Maeve said when I realized she was studying me. “And you’re wrong.”
Before I could ask what she meant, Rip and Hammer came in, carrying two large platters filled with food.
“I could’ve helped with that,” I said, jumping up from the couch. It was really the only useful thing I knew how to do.
“Sit down and relax, Pearl,” Rip said, winking at me. “It’s okay to let others do things for you sometimes.”
“He’s right,” said Maeve. “As my husband continues to remind me, once this bairn is born, I’ll not have a minute to myself, nor one to relax. I’ve decided, after months of being stubborn, to listen to him.”
I sat down and folded my hands in my lap. “If you need any help, I’ve taken care of lots and lots of babies on the compound.” I bit my lip, realizing how uncomfortable I must be making the woman who had been so gracious to me. “I understand if you wouldn’t want my help, though.”
Maeve got up from the other couch, walked around the table, and sat beside me. “That is a wonderful idea, and I’d love to have your help. In fact, I could use help now if you have the time.” She looked up at Rip and Hammer, who still stood, holding the platters of food.
“What are you waiting for, then? Set those down and go get the rest.”
I laughed out loud when both men did as she said and hurried off in the direction they came from.
“They mind so well, don’t they?” Maeve laughed too, then took my hand. “Tell me, what kinds of things do you like to do?”
I almost cried at her kindness. It felt so genuine. “I can cook and bake. I sew, but not as well as some of the other women on the compound.”
“I can’t sew at all, so you have me beat.”
“I can clean, too, or help in the barns and fields.”
“Let’s focus on what’s to be done here at the house first. We have someone who takes care of the cleaning, but I’m sure she’d welcome the extra hands. I am so hopeless in the kitchen my husband handles most of the cooking. We can start there if you’d like.”
“I’ll have to see what Rip needs me for first, if that’s okay. I made him the same offer.”
“We’ll ask him together.”
The men returned with plates, napkins, and drinks, which they set on the table in front of us, where they’d already left the food.
“Anything else missing?” Hammer asked his wife.
“I could go for a sweet, but I’m afraid I polished all of those off last night.”
“I can make some cookies later if you’d like. Or now, if you have the ingredients.”
“I’ll be thrilled if you would, but later. Now, I want to continue our chat.”
Maeve told Rip and Hammer about the offer she’d made me and that she hoped to be able to work out a schedule that wouldn’t interfere with my other responsibilities. She stood and returned to the couch across from me, and Hammer sat beside her. Rip took her place next to me.
“You don’t need to worry about stuff at my house. I did most of it before, and I can do it again. I wouldn’t mind more blueberry pancakes for breakfast every once in a while, though.” He turned to me, winked, and smiled.
“Blueberry pancakes? Do you really know how to make them?” Maeve gasped.
“The best I’ve ever had,” said Rip.
I was close to crying again. While Mr. Robinson and Ms. Shay had been kind to me, it was a rarity in my life, especially since my father died. These people hardly knew me, yet they treated me better than others who’d known me since I was a child.
“I won’t let any of you down,” I said, blinking away my tears.
“What’s this now?” said Maeve. “No tears! I’ve the market on those. Pregnancy does that. The other thing is, I have to use the loo a hundred times a day.”
When she stood, Hammer did too. “I’ll get more tea.”
After they’d both left, Rip stretched his arm behind me and rested it on the back of the couch. “Feeling any better?”
“She’s so nice.”
“I agree.”
I turned to face him. “You are too. Thank you for all you’re doing for me. Know that I will repay you, and even though you said I don’t have responsibilities, I intend to cook and bake and clean, just like I said I would.”
“That isn’t why I’m helping you, Pearl.”
“I know. Mr. Robinson asked you to, and I appreciate it so much.”
“That isn’t why, either.”
“Why, then?”
Before he could respond, Maeve and Hammer were back.
9
RIP
After we’d finished “snacking” so much I considered it a meal, Hammer suggested Maeve and Pearl sit out on the patio and enjoy the sun while he and I cleaned up.
“I like her. She’s not at all what I expected.”
I agreed, but I was curious. “What did you expect?”
“That she’d be more timid. There are signs of it, but not as much as I’d anticipated. I can’t imagine the life she must’ve led.”
“She was whipped at a hitching post,” I blurted.
Hammer studied me.
“I don’t know that for certain, but the way she reacted…”
“We need to shut those fuckers down permanently,” he said under his breath as he handed me a dish towel. “How’s that going, by the way?”
I looked out the window to make sure Pearl and Maeve were still out on the patio.
“Vex didn’t have any luck in Idaho. He didn’t want to push too hard and draw suspicion, but no one knew a thing about John Fischer or his daughter.”
“He briefed me that first night about what Scottie overheard. There’s gotta be a reason the assholes think she’s of value. Or of interest, anyway.”
“She has no idea Fischer wasn’t her dad.”
“That much was obvious.” Hammer dried his hands after he’d finished with the dishes and leaned up against the counter. “You know, there might be a way to figure out who is.”
“DNA?”
“Bingo. Most of these scumbags are probably in the system by now. If not them, someone who’s a close enough relative.”
Law enforcement had made significant progress with cold case files in the last ten years since DNA testing became something anyone with twenty-five bucks could do. The main inroads had been made in rape and murder investigations.
“Before you go down that road, my opinion is you should be honest with her about Fischer.”
I agreed, and I intended to. I almost had earlier today when we rode out. Something told me it was too soon, though.
“As far as her working for Maeve and me, we’ll pay her a fair wage. For now, of course, it will need to be in cash.”
Finding out who she really was would become more important the more assimilated she became to life outside the compound. For now, things like getting identification and having a bank account would be impossible. Hell, I bet she didn’t even know how to drive.
I didn’t understand women who chose to join cults, or even stay there, but everything I’d read said, like with women in abusive relationships, nothing was as simple as leaving. Someone like Pearl had never known anything else.
“You good with this, Rip?”
I’d been watching the animated way she and Maeve were talking, but turned to look at him. “What do you mean?”
“Havin’ somebody livin’ in your house?”
Better than I’d admit. If I told Hammer how much I liked having her there, he’d think I was nuts. I hardly knew her. “If I wasn’t okay, I wouldn’t have done it.”
He nodded.
“You okay with this, Pearl?” I asked.
Her eyes met mine. “It’s only fair she knows I’m here.” She looked at Hammer and raised her chin. “And it isn’t right to ask you to continue keeping it a secret.”
Hammer smiled. “Maeve is going to love you.”
“Pardon?” she asked.
“You heard me.” Hammer motioned for us to follow him out the front door. “See ya up there.”
“What did he mean?” Pearl asked once we were in my SUV.
“Exactly what he said.”
“How would he know if his wife will like me?”
“Maybe because you remind him of her.”
Pearl shook her head and looked out the side window. “That makes no sense,” I heard her mumble.
Hammer was already inside when we arrived, so we walked up to the front door and I knocked.
“Come on in,” he said with the wave of his arm.
His wife was waiting a few feet behind him and looked very different than the last time I saw her. “Maeve, it’s so good to see you,” I said, stepping forward to hug her. “Hammer didn’t mention you were pregnant. Congratulations! When is the baby due?”
She rubbed her belly. “Next month.”
“We’re having a girl.” Hammer’s smile stretched across his face.
“Yeah? I’m so happy for you both,” I said, looking between the two.
“Please introduce us,” Maeve said, taking another step forward.
“Maeve, Hammer, this is Pearl Fischer.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” Maeve said, shaking Pearl’s hand. “Fischer. Why does that name sound familiar?”
Pearl’s face flushed, and Maeve looked at her husband.
“What?” she asked.
I turned to Hammer, who was staring at me.
Pearl straightened her shoulders. “It’s okay. I’ll tell her. My father, John Fischer, was one of your kidnappers.”
Maeve raised a brow and glared at her husband. “I see.”
“If you’d like me to leave—”
“Leave? You just got here. Drip, offer them something to eat.” Maeve looked at us. “Are you hungry?” She rubbed her belly a second time. “I am twenty-four hours a day, if you want to know the truth of it.”
She put her arm through Pearl’s, something that clearly shocked her. “Come with me; we’ll have a chat.”
“You, come with me,” Hammer said, pointing at me as he headed off in the direction of the kitchen. “We’ll give ’em some time for Maeve to convince Pearl she’s welcome here.”
“Mighty forgiving of your wife.”
Hammer looked up from where he was pouring iced tea into glasses. “Nothing to forgive. Pearl had no part in Maeve’s abduction.”
“Still. Guilt by association.”
“Nah. You don’t see it that way, do you?”
“No, but—”
“Then, why the hell would Maeve?” He pulled a bottle of beer out of the fridge. “Want one?”
“I’m good. I’ll have some tea, please.”
“You got it. Now, let’s see what I can make my two girls to eat.”
It took me a minute to realize he was talking about his wife and baby. “A girl, huh?”
Hammer smiled the same way he had earlier. “Damn straight. Like her mama, our daughter will be named after all the Mary Maeves who came before her.”
Mary Maeve Donoghue was renowned in Ireland, going as far back as the sixteen hundreds. Each eldest female descendant was named after her.
“It’s nice to see you so happy.”
“Nicer to feel it.”
I envied him. Not only was he married, but Maeve and Hammer were meant to be together. I’d realized that the first time I saw her at his place. I gave him a lot of shit that day, but it was clear the two were soulmates. His wife’s fire matched his own, and that was good for the attorney.
“Does she want to move back to Ireland?” I asked.
Hammer shook his head. “She wants Mary and however many more kids we have to spend time there, but she doesn’t want to live there permanently. Uncle Money is here; don’t forget that.”
It was hard to remember, sometimes, that the man I answered to for my current mission was Maeve’s brother. Up until I saw him interact with her, the guy seemed more robot than human. Harsh thinking, I knew, but it was true. No one I’d ever known was as matter-of-fact as Kellen “Money” McTiernan.
“How’d he get that code name?” I realized I’d never heard the story.
“He’s some kind of mathematical genius. When he was up-and-coming, the NSA wanted him more than the CIA did, since he was also a forensic accounting specialist. Can’t imagine him sitting in a back office somewhere, running numbers instead of what he’s doing now.”
Five years ago, I doubted anyone would’ve predicted Money’s meteoric rise in the agency. On the other hand, the man had the backing of the Invincibles and another private intelligence firm, K19 Security Solutions. Both organizations counted several former CIA agents among their partners, myself included. Although I wasn’t a partner. Wasn’t even sure I wanted to be, not that anyone had asked.
I could afford the buy-in it would take. I certainly made more than enough money between my gig here at the ranch and as an Invincibles contractor, especially since I paid nothing for the house I lived in.
A couple of years ago, I invested in a piece of land with frontage on Lady Bird Lake, not too far from Austin. I wasn’t sure I’d ever build on it since I never had time to even go there to fish.
“You just gonna stand there, or are you planning to help me?”
“Sorry, what?”
“Help. You know, cut up some vegetables, slice some cheese.”
I looked down at the cutting board and knife he’d set in front of me. “Yeah, sorry. Got lost in thought for a minute.”
“Pearl?”
“Nah. I’m thinking about selling my property on the lake.”
“Never sell property if you don’t have to. My granddad always said the more dirt you own, the wealthier you are. Even if you don’t have a penny in your pocket.”
“I’m not sure I’ll ever do anything with it.”
“My guess is it’s already appreciated since you bought it. Hang on to it, and the value will keep goin’ up. You don’t need the money, Rip. Even I know that.”
He was right. Maybe tomorrow, I’d take Pearl to see it. There weren’t a lot of places I’d feel comfortable taking her off the ranch, but there, I would. First, it was a gated and exclusive community. Second, I hadn’t bought just one lot; I’d bought three. That way, if I ever did build, I wouldn’t have neighbors too close.
Hammer buying the three ranches he’d combined into one was what had given me the idea. However, he owned about ten times more acres of dirt than I did.
“Shall we go see how the ladies are faring?” he asked.
“Sure.” While I tried to come off as nonchalant, the truth was I liked being around Pearl. She hadn’t been staying with me much longer than a week, and I still knew I’d miss her when the time came for her to leave.
8
PEARL
“Your home is beautiful,” I said when Maeve led me into a sitting room. Off to one side was a piano that I eyed longingly. There was one in the main hall on the compound, an upright, that I always wished I’d learned to play.
“Thank you, and come sit.”
“Hammer said you’re from Dublin.” I took a seat across from her on one of the two small couches.
“Yes.” She leaned back and rubbed her belly like I’d seen her do before.
“Do you miss it?”
She looked up at me almost as though she didn’t understand the question. “I suppose if I do, I’ll go and visit. Right now, I’m happy to be here in Texas. Hard to believe that a year ago I was so lost and now I have everything I never knew I wanted.”
“You have a very grand home.”
Maeve nodded. “That doesn’t matter much to me. As they say, money doesn’t buy love or happiness. Health, either.”
“I wouldn’t know. I’ve never had any. And by any, I mean none.”
Maeve scrunched her eyes. “As I said, there are far more important things.”
“I really didn’t need it on the compound. It wasn’t like there was anything I needed to buy. Now, though, Rip had Misty get me some new clothes, and I feel bad not contributing to that or to the food he provides. I’ve offered to earn my keep, but he hasn’t come up with anything much yet, other than cooking and some cleaning.”
“You said ‘on the compound.’ Tell me more.”
I didn’t want to be rude, but I also didn’t want to talk about it. I doubted she really cared about the compound anyway. She probably wanted to know more about my father. “I lived there all my life.”
“I know your father passed. I’m very sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you, but you don’t have to say that.”
“Why ever not? It’s how I feel. When my da passed, a few years ago, I missed him so much. Still do.”
“My father kidnapped you.”
“That doesn’t change the fact that he raised you.”
“I suppose.”
“What about your mum? Is she still alive?”
I shook my head. “I never knew her.”
“Aye. My own passed when I was just five. It’s only recently I’ve begun having memories of her. I’m not certain if they’re really memories or just things I’ve conjured in my brain. Pregnancy does funny things to you that way. And I can no longer see my feet.”
Maeve laughed, and I did too.
“We’ve a lot in common, Pearl.”
“We do?” The words came out sounding as shocked as I felt.
“Both lost our mums. Our dads too, but more recently. I want you to know I understand how disconcerting that feels. I’ve a half brother, but there were still times I felt a bit of an orphan. Now Hammer and this little one I can’t wait to meet are my family. Someday, you’ll know exactly how I feel.”
I didn’t say it out loud, but I doubted it. What man would ever want me? I wasn’t pretty—I’d heard that often enough, whispered by the other women on the compound. I had no particular skills, and given I knew so little about the world outside the confines I’d grown up in, I wasn’t very interesting either. Coupled with the fact that my father was a member of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas and a criminal, I wasn’t exactly a “catch.”
“I know what you’re thinking,” Maeve said when I realized she was studying me. “And you’re wrong.”
Before I could ask what she meant, Rip and Hammer came in, carrying two large platters filled with food.
“I could’ve helped with that,” I said, jumping up from the couch. It was really the only useful thing I knew how to do.
“Sit down and relax, Pearl,” Rip said, winking at me. “It’s okay to let others do things for you sometimes.”
“He’s right,” said Maeve. “As my husband continues to remind me, once this bairn is born, I’ll not have a minute to myself, nor one to relax. I’ve decided, after months of being stubborn, to listen to him.”
I sat down and folded my hands in my lap. “If you need any help, I’ve taken care of lots and lots of babies on the compound.” I bit my lip, realizing how uncomfortable I must be making the woman who had been so gracious to me. “I understand if you wouldn’t want my help, though.”
Maeve got up from the other couch, walked around the table, and sat beside me. “That is a wonderful idea, and I’d love to have your help. In fact, I could use help now if you have the time.” She looked up at Rip and Hammer, who still stood, holding the platters of food.
“What are you waiting for, then? Set those down and go get the rest.”
I laughed out loud when both men did as she said and hurried off in the direction they came from.
“They mind so well, don’t they?” Maeve laughed too, then took my hand. “Tell me, what kinds of things do you like to do?”
I almost cried at her kindness. It felt so genuine. “I can cook and bake. I sew, but not as well as some of the other women on the compound.”
“I can’t sew at all, so you have me beat.”
“I can clean, too, or help in the barns and fields.”
“Let’s focus on what’s to be done here at the house first. We have someone who takes care of the cleaning, but I’m sure she’d welcome the extra hands. I am so hopeless in the kitchen my husband handles most of the cooking. We can start there if you’d like.”
“I’ll have to see what Rip needs me for first, if that’s okay. I made him the same offer.”
“We’ll ask him together.”
The men returned with plates, napkins, and drinks, which they set on the table in front of us, where they’d already left the food.
“Anything else missing?” Hammer asked his wife.
“I could go for a sweet, but I’m afraid I polished all of those off last night.”
“I can make some cookies later if you’d like. Or now, if you have the ingredients.”
“I’ll be thrilled if you would, but later. Now, I want to continue our chat.”
Maeve told Rip and Hammer about the offer she’d made me and that she hoped to be able to work out a schedule that wouldn’t interfere with my other responsibilities. She stood and returned to the couch across from me, and Hammer sat beside her. Rip took her place next to me.
“You don’t need to worry about stuff at my house. I did most of it before, and I can do it again. I wouldn’t mind more blueberry pancakes for breakfast every once in a while, though.” He turned to me, winked, and smiled.
“Blueberry pancakes? Do you really know how to make them?” Maeve gasped.
“The best I’ve ever had,” said Rip.
I was close to crying again. While Mr. Robinson and Ms. Shay had been kind to me, it was a rarity in my life, especially since my father died. These people hardly knew me, yet they treated me better than others who’d known me since I was a child.
“I won’t let any of you down,” I said, blinking away my tears.
“What’s this now?” said Maeve. “No tears! I’ve the market on those. Pregnancy does that. The other thing is, I have to use the loo a hundred times a day.”
When she stood, Hammer did too. “I’ll get more tea.”
After they’d both left, Rip stretched his arm behind me and rested it on the back of the couch. “Feeling any better?”
“She’s so nice.”
“I agree.”
I turned to face him. “You are too. Thank you for all you’re doing for me. Know that I will repay you, and even though you said I don’t have responsibilities, I intend to cook and bake and clean, just like I said I would.”
“That isn’t why I’m helping you, Pearl.”
“I know. Mr. Robinson asked you to, and I appreciate it so much.”
“That isn’t why, either.”
“Why, then?”
Before he could respond, Maeve and Hammer were back.
9
RIP
After we’d finished “snacking” so much I considered it a meal, Hammer suggested Maeve and Pearl sit out on the patio and enjoy the sun while he and I cleaned up.
“I like her. She’s not at all what I expected.”
I agreed, but I was curious. “What did you expect?”
“That she’d be more timid. There are signs of it, but not as much as I’d anticipated. I can’t imagine the life she must’ve led.”
“She was whipped at a hitching post,” I blurted.
Hammer studied me.
“I don’t know that for certain, but the way she reacted…”
“We need to shut those fuckers down permanently,” he said under his breath as he handed me a dish towel. “How’s that going, by the way?”
I looked out the window to make sure Pearl and Maeve were still out on the patio.
“Vex didn’t have any luck in Idaho. He didn’t want to push too hard and draw suspicion, but no one knew a thing about John Fischer or his daughter.”
“He briefed me that first night about what Scottie overheard. There’s gotta be a reason the assholes think she’s of value. Or of interest, anyway.”
“She has no idea Fischer wasn’t her dad.”
“That much was obvious.” Hammer dried his hands after he’d finished with the dishes and leaned up against the counter. “You know, there might be a way to figure out who is.”
“DNA?”
“Bingo. Most of these scumbags are probably in the system by now. If not them, someone who’s a close enough relative.”
Law enforcement had made significant progress with cold case files in the last ten years since DNA testing became something anyone with twenty-five bucks could do. The main inroads had been made in rape and murder investigations.
“Before you go down that road, my opinion is you should be honest with her about Fischer.”
I agreed, and I intended to. I almost had earlier today when we rode out. Something told me it was too soon, though.
“As far as her working for Maeve and me, we’ll pay her a fair wage. For now, of course, it will need to be in cash.”
Finding out who she really was would become more important the more assimilated she became to life outside the compound. For now, things like getting identification and having a bank account would be impossible. Hell, I bet she didn’t even know how to drive.
I didn’t understand women who chose to join cults, or even stay there, but everything I’d read said, like with women in abusive relationships, nothing was as simple as leaving. Someone like Pearl had never known anything else.
“You good with this, Rip?”
I’d been watching the animated way she and Maeve were talking, but turned to look at him. “What do you mean?”
“Havin’ somebody livin’ in your house?”
Better than I’d admit. If I told Hammer how much I liked having her there, he’d think I was nuts. I hardly knew her. “If I wasn’t okay, I wouldn’t have done it.”
He nodded.
