Page 68 of Royal Desire

By the time we rush through the emergency room doors, everyone in Winslet knows who’s here and what the stakes are.

Alice Sinclair is that much of an icon.

With Ruby’s hand tight in mine and Blake on the other side of her, we don’t even make it to the desk when the receptionist rushes to us. “They took your grandma back already. They’re working on her. The doc called in a pulmonologist from the big city.”

Ruby clings to me as she demands. “Was she conscious? Can we see her?”

The receptionist hesitates before shaking her head. “No, honey. She wasn’t. And you can’t go back. Not yet. I’ll keep checking for you. Can I get you anything? Coffee? Water?”

I answer for everyone. “Water. They need water. And we’ll wait. Thank you.”

Blake drags his hands through his hair and starts to pace. “If we were home, we could’ve gotten her out sooner. I don’t understand how the smoke detectors didn’t wake her. She’s not that heavy of a sleeper. And I just changed the batteries last month. I do it twice a year.”

“It’s not your fault.” Ruby pulls away from me. I allow it only because it’s her brother. She wraps her arms around his middle and holds on tight. “You were at work because of me.”

Blake returns her embrace before pushing her away and holds her at arm’s length. “I didn’t mean that. Did you forget I worked at the manor every weekend before you came home? This isn’t anyone’s fault. I just don’t understand how it went up so fast that she couldn’t get out. She’s not that frail.”

Ruby swipes more tears from her face. “No, she’s not. I don’t understand either. I don’t understand any of it.”

The receptionist comes back with three bottles of water. “Let me know what else I can get you. I’ll check on her again. I’ll be right back.”

My cell vibrates in my pocket.

Shit. It’s Brand. I answer on the second ring. “What’s up?”

He has to speak over the chaos. “The fire is pretty much under control, but I’m looking at where it started. There are random burn marks where there shouldn’t be farther out from the house. I’ve got a bad feeling.”

I frown and try to be vague. “You’re sure?”

“I was a firefighter and EMT. I wasn’t an official fire investigator, but I watched them work on countless cases. This fire was no accident—I’m almost sure of it. I’m looking at burn marks in the yard. They have nothing to do with the house fire. It looks like a chemical was spilled.”

“Fuck.”

Brand agrees with my sentiment. “Exactly. I doubt you have a fire investigator in your department, but you should be able to call in reinforcements. This is textbook—the fire started in the front of the house. The entire place is destroyed at this point, but it’s plain to see where it started. I heard some rumblings from a couple of the men. I told them I’m your friend and used to be on the department in Seattle. They agreed and called in a fire investigator and an arson K-9. If a dog hits it, you’ll know.”

I pull in a deep breath. None of this is good. My gaze shifts between Ruby and Blake. “Just when I didn’t think this could get worse.”

Brand goes on. “This in addition to Ansel Reid being in town? Yeah, this is on the far side of bad.”

Ruby and Blake are so on edge, they might rip the phone from my face to figure out what’s going on.

Ruby steps forward and does something she hasn’t done for years. She presses herself against me and looks up. She doesn’t need to utter a word. She wants something from me. And when she looks at me like that, I’ll give it to her every time.

I slide my hand up Ruby’s spine before I dip my hand into her hair but keep talking to Brand. “This changes everything.”

“I have no idea what you were dealing with before this, but yeah, I suspect this changes some shit,” Brand deadpans. “I’ll call you with any other revelations.”

“I appreciate it. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen. Either way, we’ll talk soon.” I disconnect the call and prepare to tell Ruby and Blake someone set Alice’s house on fire with her inside.

But as soon as I do, the receptionist interrupts. “Ruby, Blake ... I have good news. Your grandma is awake! The doctors are calling it nothing short of miraculous as low as her oxygen was when they brought her in.”

Saved by a miracle.

Ruby has a light in her eyes I haven’t seen in ages. “Can we see her?”

The receptionist smiles. “Normally, no. But she’s awake enough that she’s demanding to see you two. The doctors think she’ll calm down if they give her what she wants.”

I’d laugh if the situation weren’t so grave, because little do they know, she won’t calm down after she sees her grandkids. Hell, she might be twice as fired up if she had the energy.