Ian freely admitted he’d probably never see the full, complex picture of Gaines, but even the more substantial outline of the man’s motivations and life seemed to calm him.
She thought the bulk of Gaines’s poisonous legacy had been miraculously extracted that night when she’d arrived at Aurore, and Ian had risked death for her. Some things were bigger even than a sociopathic parent, and that night had taught Ian what was really at the core of him. Ian had agreed to further his healing, meeting with a support group occasionally made up of other children of rape, trying to understand his shame and come to terms with it.
A small smile flickered across Ian’s mouth as he studied Francesca presently, as if he had sensed her thankfulness as she looked up at him.
“I would never have thought anything good could come from the legacy of a man like Trevor Gaines, but it seems I learn about new things every day. Thanks to you,” he continued more quietly, speaking to Francesca. “I can see and appreciate that now.”
“If it weren’t for your searching, you would have never been able to find the treasures that you have,” she replied softly.
She became so lost in his eyes, it took her a moment to absorb Anne’s brisk voice.
“Well, it’s off to bed for me,” Anne said brightly, giving James a significant look. James immediately set down his brandy glass.
“Oh no. I . . . We didn’t mean to run you off,” Francesca said contritely, realizing she’d been staring at Ian, entranced, making the couple feel awkward, no doubt. She felt an almost magical connection with her husband in those moments, a bond forged by the trials they’d faced in order to be together and the rich promise of the future. She couldn’t wait to spend time with him alone, but there were still several important things they needed to talk to Anne and James about at the moment.
“Ian wants to speak with you both about what the police in London and Detective Markov told him about Gerard,” Francesca reminded them.
She regretted bringing up such a heavy topic when she saw Anne’s and James’s expressions grow solemn, but at the same time, it was important news. Ian had already told her everything on the phone before he’d arrived, and they’d processed it together. She was glad he was the one who was going to first break the news to Anne and James, not the police. It was the elderly couple who had been most devastated by learning of Gerard’s true nature and his subsequent death in the hospital the day after he’d been shot, after all.
In the hospital, Ian and she had agreed not to tell Anne and James about the fact that Gerard had hinted he’d had a hand in his mother and father’s death. They had no solid proof, and the suspicions would just pain James even more than the clear-cut knowledge of his nephew’s true nature. He’d adored his sister, and Gerard’s father had been a lifetime friend.
“What have you found out?” James asked Ian.
“The Metropolitan police recently had a huge shakedown amongst their ranks. There were dozens of detectives and policemen who were charged with colluding in drugs and arms trafficking.”
“I read about it in the paper,” James said.
“One of the detectives arrested was a man by the name of Jago Teague,” Ian explained. He scowled slightly. “Teague sounds like a real piece of work. He’s dealt in the underground drug trade and sold arms illegally for years now. In his other life, he was a decorated detective and upholder of the law.”
“What’s Teague got to do with Gerard?” Anne asked.
“Teague agreed to give names of various people he’s given illegal services to over the years in exchange for a lighter sentence. One of the names he gave as being a high-profile customer was Gerard’s. After they’d taken down his confession, someone at the Metropolitan Police called Detective Markov here in Stratham and filled him in.”
Francesca studied Anne’s and James’s faces anxiously in the heavy silence that followed. “Teague confessed to selling an unmarked gun to Gerard six months ago and buying the gun back from him two nights later. Upon Gerard’s specific instructions, he then sold the gun again to a man that fit the description of Anton Brodsik. Gerard sent Brodsik to Teague,” Ian said grimly. “It was a set up. He put the gun that killed Shell Stern into Brodsik’s hands. He set up Brodsik to look like Stern’s murderer, and then killed Brodsik with Grandfather’s gun.”
“I don’t understand,” said Anne, shaking her head. “Why did Gerard orchestrate all these things with Brodsik and Stern if he planned to kill you and Francesca himself and make it look like a murder-suicide?”
“I’m guessing he had no choice but to hire Brodsik and Stern in Chicago. Once he had, he needed to get rid of them. They knew too much, and could either blackmail him or implicate him if suspicion was ever cast on Gerard.”
“Then why hire them in the first place?” James asked.
“To bring Ian out of hiding,” Francesca said quietly. “Ian thinks Gerard tried to acquire Ian’s company in a hostile takeover with his original plan for the Tyake acquisition. Ian has discovered that Gerard is the anonymous primary owner of the acquisition loan company he proposed that we use. He would have become the primary holder of Noble Enterprise shares if Noble defaulted on payment in even the smallest way—something Gerard could have easily manipulated to happen if he was left in any position of power on the board.”
James’s expression went flat. “But . . . Anne and I have used that loan company before.”