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“Please.” Her gaze traveled around the room, stopping on Jacey. “All of you. Hide somewhere. Greenland. Point Nemo. Easter Island. Antarctica.”
Aiden Porter laughed. Hays thought that was a bit rude, seeing how stressed Elizabeth was, but from an outsider’s point of view, especially one as accomplished as Aiden, it probably appeared she was being extreme.
Elizabeth whirled on him, incredulous. “Please. This is life or death.”
The famed security specialist stood, easily matching Elizabeth’s impressive authority, and grinned. His accomplishments and charming confidence were unrivaled. “Miss Oliver. I’m not afraid of you or your father. I’m here because I love your brother and I love a challenge. None of us are going to run and hide under a rock.”
“Please.” Elizabeth looked near tears. The poised, regal Elizabeth Oliver might crumble if they didn’t listen.
It was obvious to Hays how deeply she cared for him and her siblings. Did no one else feel that? He didn’t want to undermine her by springing across the room and hugging her tight, but he found himself wanting to hold her close and infuse her with his strength and tranquility.
Clint Coleville stood, probably because everybody else was. “Quaid? What’s your take?”
“I don’t trust you, Elizabeth, and I believe Father was spineless but not evil.” He said it easily, without venom, which made it more hurtful. Elizabeth took it, unflinching. “Why did you toe the line for everything Mother said to do from the time we were young?”
“Because Father’s guards would torture you if I didn’t,” she cried out.
Quaid’s brows rose. “They tortured me anyway.”
“I know! I hear your cries in my nightmares.”
Quaid backed up a step. “Look. We’re not hashing out our childhood. The fact is, I don’t trust you and I don’t know how I ever would.”
“Quaid,” she begged him. “Mother was not in charge. Please. If you believe anything I say, just please believe that Father will capture, torture, and kill each of you. If he can’t find you, he’ll find someone you love and manipulate you with them. You know how they operate, Quaid.”
“Yes. At Mother’s direction.”
“Mother was always his tool. He played his role fabulously and groomed us to believe she was the bad guy. From the time we were young, he’d hold me while they hurt you. He’d quietly explain that your agony was because I’d done something wrong. He’d teach me how to do better next time. I thought he was sincerely trying to help me, and I tried.” Tears rushed down her face. “I tried so hard, but it was never enough. I could never protect you and Jacey.”
Hays’s stomach turned over. What had she been through? They hurt Quaid and Jacey to ‘teach’ her? That was disgusting and twisted. His own humiliating and painful beating at her instruction was now in question as well.
“It started adding up when I was a preteen. I’d catch a look in his eyes, or he’d work with me on playing chess and he’d always beat me. As we played, he’d explain that he was the master and even the queen was under his command.” Every word was intense, pleading. She was panicked and desperate for them to believe her and to protect themselves.
“If you had proof and you really cared, you’d go to the authorities,” Quaid said.
“I’ve tried.” She shook her head. “Any agent I confided in was either quietly killed or a double agent working for or manipulated by Father.”
Quaid’s eyebrows lifted at that.
“He told me to come here and make you allies,” she continued, “or you and Jacey would become martyrs as he and I rose together.” She looked to her sister, sheer horror in her eyes. “Please. I don’t know how to prove to you the danger you are all in sitting here.”
She was beguiling, exquisite, unselfish, regal, irresistible to Hays. Was the love of his youth dark and deceitful like Quaid seemed to believe, or was his Liz the most tragically brave victim anybody had ever met?
“Just like you said,” Quaid said. “You and him rising together. If our father is really the devil behind Catherine, you’re now his right-hand woman. You’re the one running for Senate, angling to be president someday.” Quaid said all of this in a level tone. He wasn’t out of control or emotional, but he was obviously never going to believe his sister.
“At his command. He always tells me the man behind the scenes has the true power.” She paused, her blue eyes pleading. “You should never worry about me becoming senator or president.”
“Why not?”
Elizabeth tilted her chin. “Once I know you are all safe and he can’t hurt you, I’ll either find a way to expose him, or I will end my life.”
Hays sucked in a breath and so did Jacey. The serious words jabbed at him sharper than any knife.
Jacey ran to her sister and grabbed her in a hug. “You will not! I won’t let you.”
“Jacey.” Elizabeth let out a heavy breath and leaned back. “You have to believe me. I know Father had a soft spot for you and was kind to you, but everything is part of a master plan with him.”
The room was quiet. All eyes were on Elizabeth, weighing every word she spoke.
