Here's to Us (Blood Money #2)

Chapter 45 - Illuminated

"Dawn."

"Hm."

"Wake up. They are bringing him back today."

My eyes fluttered open and for a while, I thought if it was all a bad dream. A small warm hand was in my hair. June sat on the edge of the bed.

"They said that autopsy isn't necessary," she muttered, her blue eyes kind. "You need to go with Wayne for funeral arrangements. Come on."

I obeyed her, without really thinking about it. I walked blindly into the bathroom, got dressed and went down to the kitchen.

The last time I had seen so many faces in my kitchen, was at my birthday, the night before Silas got arrested. Familiar faces swam, greeted me when I entered the room: Jared was with my father in the dining table, my mom and Eamon were behind the counter, Eamon constantly telling her that she didn't need help, Keira and June sat across from Jill, Silas's chief operating officer and his security officer Luke Piper. I wasn't surprised. Taking a seat, I looked around. 

June slid a glass of juice towards me which I gladly took. 

"Where's Adrian?" Almost all of them looked at me as if I had grown two heads. 

Keira was the first one to speak, "He went home."

"Here," Eamon set down a plate of food before me. My head shot up to see her holding a tray, her black flyway hairs hard to tame. 

"Eamon, I..." I tried to speak but June interjected, "Dawn?"

"Huh?"

She stared at me with clear blue eyes. "You probably forgot you're with a child now."

She was right. I did. Not putting up much of a fight, I dug into my breakfast.

Half an hour later, I faced Jill and Luke, in the study. From their face, I could tell that they clearly had no idea that Silas could paint. I leaned against the desk when they sat a few inches away from me.

"Are you alright, Dawn?" Jill started, her brown eyes wide with sympathy.

"I'm fine... thanks for dropping by."

Both of them didn't answer. Luke only gazed at his mug of coffee while Jill chewed the insides of her cheek.

"I assume you have something to tell me about the company," I broke the silence.

"No, not about the company. We..." Jill stole a hesitant glance at Luke. "I'm not sure if it's the right time."

"Jill, it's okay. What is it about?" I looked at them in turns, my lips feeling dry, my mouth bitter despite the sweet breakfast I consumed.

"Mr. Dale... Adrian," Luke added to get rid of the confusion. "He sort of suggested we keep track of everything since you and Silas arrived. We were looking for the mole."

"Do you know who it was?" I cut in, disappointed they didn't involve me, yet glad that they didn't.

"We got the sniper. He said Carl Hart hired him. Hart delayed Silas's arrival so that he could get you out of the scene."

"It doesn't make sense. Hart gave us the vests," I murmured faintly. "Desmond said I was about to arrive with Silas. Silas told me something else."

"Hart probably told him to," Jill said with an uncharacteristically harsh voice.

"Is Judge Torrance involved as well? Do you know anything about her?" I didn't stretch the matter of Agent Hart any further. There were other things to think about now.