One of Six (Den Hollows #1)

29. Beatrice

29

BEATRICE

Maggie and Ed act like they don't know I’ve just had sex with Essex upstairs. That doesn’t stop me from blushing.

Ed catches my eye. "I really want to punch your dad in the face. I probably wouldn't be able to stop myself." He slaps the papers Essex handed him on the kitchen table.

"There's probably a long list of people willing to do that." I pull out a chair and join them. "I take it you've made sense of the papers?"

"Yes."

Essex comes into the room and leans against the cabinet behind me, but not before giving me a kiss on the top of my head. "What did you find out, Ed?"

"Richard wants control of everything Beatrice has until she's twenty-one, which I'm sure you caught."

I nod. "Yeah. What else?"

"Buried in the fine print, it gives him the right to use your money and sell assets as he sees fit... Meaning by the time she turns twenty-one, there will be nothing left. However," he pauses, "by signing this document, you would also be giving up your thirty percent ownership of the construction company along with your mother's thirty percent."

Essex moves and sits beside me, one hand clasped with mine. "He wants to take my freedom," I say quietly. "I don't know anything about the business. How can I have shares without my knowledge? He always told Mom and me that it was a man's work. My lawyer never mentioned it either. I don't trust anything Richard says or does anymore."

Ed smiles. "What this document tells us is that you are the majority owner of Lincoln Construction." He laughs. "The bastard's panicking... Keep these." Ed hands me the papers. "Show them to AJ." Ed is silent for a while, then gives me a look. "Elisabeth was my only sibling, Bea. After you were born, I had a big fight with Richard. I left town. A few times over the years I tried to get Elise to move in with me in the city. Miles away from here. She wouldn't."

"I know she stayed for me. Richard doesn't like to lose."

"The fact is, Bea; if you hadn't been born, it would have been Elise he'd have gone after. So don't blame yourself. Neither you nor Elise were to blame. It’s all Richard's fault. In the end, though, I stayed away because Elise begged me to.

"As an agent, I looked into Lincoln, but there is no evidence that he was ever involved in illegal activities. We need a forensic accountant to look at the company's financial accounts. I can't do that."

"Whatever you are doing," Maggie says to Essex, "I want you to stop. Right now." Maggie glares at me, and my heart squeezes painfully. "This is your fault! Your father killed Joshua, and there is no way I am letting him have Essex!"

"Mom!"

"I'm going." Tears hover and slowly fall as I get to my feet. Essex tries to grab hold of me, but I slip past him. "I'm sorry."

"Wait a damn minute!" Essex shouts and I freeze. "Mom, I understand why you're scared. You have to understand something. I love Bea. She's mine and I'm not going to let her do anything by herself."

Essex pulls me into his body and strokes my tears with his thumbs. "It's going to be okay, baby."

"I agree with Essex," Ridge says as he enters the kitchen. "All this shouting is too much for the morning." He sighs. "Mom, you always knew who Bea's father was. She's one of us. Can we calm down and think rationally?"

"Ridge...I'm scared."

Ridge hugs his mother. "Nothing will happen to us. Ed's got it covered."

Pushing Ridge away, Maggie takes a tentative step toward me. "I'm sorry, Bea. I know how bad your dad is. I'm afraid for my sons." She takes a deep breath. “We should all stick together. I'm sure Essex would want you to move in here. I would too."

We all burst out laughing and Ridge says, "I'm surprised Bea doesn't have whiplash—one minute you're kicking her out, the next you're inviting her to move in."

"Grow up!" Maggie snaps, offering me a hug. "I'm really sorry, Bea," she whispers.

I squeeze her back. "Thank you."

"Wait a minute," Ridge narrows his eyes, "if you're moving into Essex's room..."

"No!" Maggie.

"You have no idea what I was about to say."

She raises a brow.

Ridge grins between Essex and me. "You two can't have loud sex. I hate to take care of my boner myself."

I stare not knowing how to respond to that.

Essex punches his laughing brother in the shoulder. "Dickhead."

"This is what I have to put up with while my six grown sons live at home."

"We’re never leaving,” Ridge says.

I let them have their fun and look at Maggie. "I have a few things to do before I leave, but I really hope your offer isn't time sensitive."

"Whenever you're ready, honey." She looks at Ridge. "You need to watch your mouth."

"Yes, Mama." He grins. To me, "Where's Jailbait?"

"None of your business," I say, but offer a wry smile to take the sting out of my words. "Ed, can we talk to you?"

He pauses for a moment, then nods. "Let's take a walk."

I nod and join Essex outside where we move onto the boat. Ed stretches with a flinch as he looks at me. "What do you want to know, Bea?"

We sit looking out over the ocean. Ed on side of me and Essex on the other. Between us, Essex and I fill Ed in on the research we've done on the list of names I found on Mom's phone. "I haven't gotten to her email yet, nor have I watched the videos. I couldn't bring myself to do the latter."

"Do you still have the phone?" Ed asks.

Essex squeezes my hand as I tell Ed, "I do. It's safe for now. I have a copy of everything on my phone."

"Let me see the notes you copied."

I open my phone and show Ed the list of names along with the brief research we've done. He frowns. "Gibbs, Tate, Wilcox and Dale I know. Frederick, Foyle, Boyle, and your father, Essex, must have been added to the list after my last contact with Elise. Can I send this list to my phone and see what I can find out about these people?"

"Yeah, sure." I quickly forward it and say, "Mom had a shopping list in her notes too. Weird stuff too."

Ed laughs. “We have a clue to the email password."

"What?" I look at Essex and then at Ed. "Your shopping list is the password?"

"I'll show you. Bring up the list."

"That's easy," Ed comments with a glance at Essex and me. He shakes his head. "When we were kids, we wrote coded messages." He laughs. "Kid stuff, but it was fun."

He reads the list:

bread

Dishwashing liquid

Asparagus

Skittles

#

Bananas

Apples 3

Lemons 8

Lime$

"The password is Riskball38$ ."

"No way!" Essex hisses.

"Yes, way. Your mom, Bea, was smart!"

"So now that we have the password, we can find out what she was up to."

"Maybe," Ed mumbles. "We need a laptop."

The warmth of the day and the gentle rocking of the boat lulled me to sleep. I knew it had been a bad idea to lie down, but the makeshift bed had looked too tempting. So, I'd snuggled down and left the sleuthing to Essex and Ed. They have their heads together as I wake, reading something on the laptop in front of them. The wheelhouse gives them some shade to read without the glare of the sun.

As if he feels my eyes on him, Essex lifts his eyes and catches mine. I smile at him. Totally distracted, Ed glances at him and then at me before shaking his head.

I force myself into a sitting position, pulling my legs up and resting my chin on my knees. "I wonder what happened to the gun?"

Both eyes freeze on me. Ed steps out of the wheelhouse with his hands on his hips. "That's a good question."

"David showed up right after, didn't he?" Essex adds. "He should know where it is."

"He hasn't said anything to me about it." Ed frowns. "Then again, I didn't ask."

"Should I call him?" I take my phone out of the front pocket of my backpack and hold it in my hand while I wait for Ed to decide what to do.

He nods.

The moment the phone rings, it's answered.

"Hang on Wayne!" David says.

I frown at the phone and wait while I hear doors opening and closing and David talking to someone in the background.

"Bea! Sorry about that. Lionel and Judge are in the office. They want me to find you. Something to do with some papers you ran off with."

"I'll explain when I see you. Is there any chance you can come to me without telling anyone?"

"It might take an hour, but I'll be there." The phone goes dead.

"Ugh!" I fall back and look up at the blue sky. "Lionel and Judge want David to find me for the papers. He'll get away and come here."

I press a hand to my chest and continue, "I have a feeling this is all coming to a head, and it scares me."

Essex mumbles something to Ed before coming over and lying down on the deck next to me. He grabs me and pulls me into his arms. "How are you really feeling, baby? It's a lot to take in."

"I'm surprising myself. I'm sure it has everything to do with you." I smile. "You're a very hot diversion." I sigh. "I'm sad that Mom is gone. I miss her getting on my nerves over the slightest thing. It really irritated me. But now I'd give anything to have her here."

Essex plants a kiss on my ear and nuzzles the top of my head. "I wish I could meet your mother and tell her what a beautiful and smart daughter she has. Tell her I'll take care of her. Keep the likes of Jason and others away because she's mine."

We enjoy the gentle breeze and the rocking of the boat as I admit, "I meant what I said to your mom, Essex. When things are over with Richard, I will be here with you. I don't want the house because that's all it's ever been. I want a home with you."

"My mom means well, baby. She's just scared with what happened to Dad."

I reach up and cup his face. "I get it. Maggie's a mom and she's worried about her son because of the girl he's dating."

"The girl he's in love with." He winks and kisses me.

"I found a connection!" Ed shouts.

"To be continued," Essex whispers against my lips.

I giggle and let Essex pull me to my feet.