Champagne Brunch: The Stiletto Sisters Series Ainsley Claire (primary phonics books .TXT) 📖

know he was going to be hit with a restraining order, so he starts off telling her he needs her to come get him with your checkbook. With each call he gets progressively more agitated. Your mother also called. She’s pretty upset and told Alana she feels like you’re keeping her away from her grandchildren.”

I snort. “She made her bed, and Alana is on board with this decision.”

“Right now, we have two guys on the house, plus Nina,” Bash reminds me. “Do you feel comfortable if we step back? I hate to have you pay for a team you don’t need while this guy’s in jail.”

I nod. “As long as we’ll know the second he makes bail. Thanks.”

Fiona looks over at Tavish, who’s wandered in with his pudgy thighs, white-blond hair, and a sagging diaper. “Without a doubt, and the police will serve him when he’s released and remind him to stay away. Does he have your address?”

“I’m not sure. My parents may have given it to him.”

Bash’s eyebrows arch. “And given that they flew him in, it wouldn’t surprise you that they did.”

I’m so angry with my parents right now. I shake my head. “It wouldn’t even surprise me if they were to break the restraining order.”

Bash turns to watch Tavish and Laird playing in my living room. “I agree. Marco’s getting more and more upset, and when he’s released from jail, it won’t be pretty.”

Alana appears. I tell her where Marco is, and I can see the relief wash over her. “Thank goodness,” she sighs.

“Most likely Mom and Dad gave Marco my address. The house next door to Kelly is for rent. We can look at that, if you’re interested. Mom and Dad won’t have that address. You can walk the boys to school, and there’s a bedroom for Nina. But I won’t know where you are.”

“What are you going to do? Is it safe for you to be here alone?” Alana picks at her thumbnail.

I shrug. “I’ll be fine. I have plenty of work and can meet up with you guys regularly to keep me busy.”

“Aren’t you worried Marco’s going to be pissed when he gets here?”

“Nope. I can take him.” I pause to see if that gets her to smile. Not really. “Plus, I’m not sure he’ll make bail,” I continue. “I can’t see his mom and stepdad leveraging their house, and now that Mom and Dad aren’t allowed to contact you, I would hope they’ve realized their mistake and won’t bail him out of jail this time.”

Alana huffs. “You would think. I haven’t heard from them, but of course they don’t have my new number.”

Fiona reaches for Alana. “I’m really sorry for everything you’ve had to face. I know what I’m going to say is a big ask, but I’d like you to sit down with a family lawyer. With Marco in jail, you hold all the cards. This is the time to pounce and use his predicament to your advantage.”

Tears spring to Alana’s eyes, and she nods.

“I can go with you,” Fiona says softly, and Alana gives her a grateful smile.

“We’re here for you,” I say.

A little while later, after Alana pulls herself together, Fiona takes her to see the lawyer. I send along a check for five thousand dollars to pay the first retainer. I’ve agreed to hang out with the boys and Nina, and I’m forcing myself to get back on the internet. No more hiding from this Mia mess. I’m determined to get to the bottom of what’s happening with her and make sure I have my head on straight.

I look back through the articles I read about Mia the other night. Now that I slow down and use a more critical eye, I realize these aren’t websites or publications I’ve ever heard of. When I look into them further, many are flagged as Russian trolls.

I sit back hard in my chair. Confirming it once again: I fucked up. I needed to be here for my sister—there’s no doubt about that—but I let this crap go to my head. It was a while ago, but I went to law school, for God’s sake. I know grand jury deliberations are secret. You’re not allowed to talk about them. How could an article report what had been alleged while Mia and Nate were under grand jury investigation? Also, now that I look back at the reporting around Cecelia Lancaster’s murder, I can see that multiple outlets—ones I’ve heard of and have a reputation for real journalism—reported that Viviana Prentis confessed to killing Cecelia Lancaster because she’d witnessed Viviana meeting with a US senator.

I’ve seen Nate with his fiancée, Lilly, and I’ve seen him with Mia. There’s no way he’s romantically involved with Mia.

I search Mia’s name again and scroll past the clickbait to articles from more reputable sources. For one thing, I’m stunned by her personal net worth. I figured she’d done well, but I didn’t understand how well. She’s mentioned on the Lancaster Foundation website as a significant donor. And in an Economist article on women in tech, she mentions that she caps her personal wealth at ten billion dollars. Each year she donates anything she’s earned over that amount. And upon her death, she’ll give almost everything to the foundation.

Articles in the financial newspapers indicate she’s taken a leave of absence from Diamond Analytics because of the Viviana Prentis investigation, though it’s not clear whether that was her choice or forced.

There’s even a high school newspaper article on Mia’s participation with the Prospectors and their draft. The byline says Emily Jordan, and I wonder if she’s any relation to George Jordan, the Prospectors’ GM.

A cold sweat envelops me as I realize the magnitude of what I’ve done. I think about how wonderfully Mia treated my young players. She was always kind and generous with