After a moment of silence, while she lay curled up, still shivering, she peeked out to see Dash. He was standing over her, hands jammed on his hips, nicely clad in jeans. Her eyes strayed to the clock. "You need to go to work," she said, then started coughing again.

"Give me a minute," he said, then he called Bob and Rufus into his room and ordered them up onto the bed. Matty closed her eyes but could feel Dash maneuvering the dogs around her, one in front and one in back. Both dogs seemed born for their roles as body heaters, stretching themselves out alongside her.

"This is just temporary, just give me a minute," Dash repeated and then she heard his footsteps leaving the room. Bob leaned back and nuzzled her; Rufus seemed to scrunch up even closer to her. She smiled. How could she not love a man who trusted dogs to keep his woman warm when he couldnt?

She snuggled down further into her blankets at the thought, enjoying the feel of her two companions beside her, like two sentinels. She was drifting back to sleep when she heard Dash order the dogs back off the bed, and immediately she was wracked with shivers again.

She mumbled a not very polite protest and heard Dash chuckle. Then the bed dipped, the covers were pulled back, and he slid in behind her.

"They were just temporary while I rearranged my day to stay with you," he said.

"You didnt have to do that," she said, or thought she said. Her voice sounded fuzzy to her.

"I know, but I did. Now go back to sleep," he ordered and she did.

The second time Matty woke up that day, she felt like shed been hit by a freight train-but in a weirdly good way. In the way a person feels after their body has spent a few hours shivering and tensing its muscles in the fit of a fever then, once the fever has passed, the tired, sore muscles have relaxed. In other words, she felt like her body had run a marathon while shed been sleeping.

Stretching out under the covers, she noted that her chest still felt a little tight, but she knew her fever was gone. She also knew that Dash was gone. Glancing over at his side of the bed, she frowned. His jeans and white undershirt were gone, but his socks and a button-down work shirt were still draped on the chair beside the bed.

Stretching again, she rolled out of bed and tentatively placed her feet on the floor. Taking heart from the fact that she neither burst into a renewed bout of shakes nor started coughing, she stood, found one of Dashs oversized t-shirts, and slid it on.

Moving slowly, like she would the day after a good workout, she made her way downstairs. Dash was outside, phone to his ear, engaged in what looked like a serious conversation. Matty stood in the doorway and took a moment to acknowledge just how easy on the eyes Dashiell Kent was, especially standing there in his jeans with his bare feet braced apart, emphasizing his lean frame. Of course shed noticed his looks when they first met, it was impossible not to. But since then, shed grown to know him and, yes, his aesthetic was still extremely appealing, but now when she looked at him, she saw so much more.

He swung around when he ended his call, as if sensing her presence. His eyes swept over her and she let out a little smile.

"Like what you see?" Matty asked.

He grinned back and walked toward her. "I could say the same to you. You were ogling my butt, werent you?" He wrapped his arms around her as she looked up to meet his eyes.

"That and other parts," she said.

He ran a hand over her face, his expression going from fun to serious in a heartbeat. "Feeling better?"

"I feel like I just did a two hour workout in my sleep, but my fever is gone and I dont feel quite as tired."

"Your cough? You werent sounding so good."

"Chest still feels tight, but I think a good nights sleep might cure it. Is everything okay?" she asked, pulling away from Dash and moving toward the kitchen. "You looked awfully serious on that call."

Following Matty, he put a teakettle on the stove for her as he chided, "You couldnt even see my face, how did you know it was serious?"

And thats when she knew it really was something; that the phone call had been important. She could see it in Dashs eyes, in the way his easy-going comment didnt quite reach them.

"It was in the way you stood, the line of your back," she answered, moving toward him. "What was the call, Dash?" she asked, stopping a foot away. His eyes skittered away from her and her heart sank. It didnt seem like he was trying to hide anything, but he looked like a man gathering strength to say something. Finally, he began.

"The FBI conducted their raid late this morning. That was Ian on the phone."

Her breath caught in the back of her throat. "And?" she managed to say.

"And they are still combing through the evidence. They arrested nine men and the FBI is very happy with what they are finding."

"But what about Ian? And Vivi? Did they find out anything about Brad?" After everything shed realized last night, she knew that Brad had come to be important to her, even in his death; however, even she was surprised at the desperation in her voice. She wanted justice for her half brother, a man she hadnt had the privilege of knowing in life, but who had given her so much in his death. The changes shed experienced, the thoughts shed allowed herself to have, were because of the people shed met over the past few weeks, and though Brad was dead, she counted him among that group. Perhaps even, with the exception of Dash, the most important.

Dash took a deep breath. "They found surveillance photos of Brad in the office and on one of the computers. They also found a shotgun of the same caliber that killed him, though they havent had a chance to run ballistics yet. They also found his address written on the back of one of the pictures."

"So its looking like they might find who did it?" she asked, hope clear in her voice.

Dash nodded. "Its looking that way, but they dont have any concrete evidence yet."

"Like a confession or the matching ballistics?" she asked. He nodded again. "But its looking good?" she insisted.

He let out another deep breath. "Yeah," he said wrapping his arms around her, "its looking good."

She rested her head against his chest until the whistle on the teakettle sounded. In silence, she made herself a cup of tea, Dashs presence solid and steady beside her. After steeping the leaves for a minute, she went to the sink and found herself staring out the window at the sweeping view in front of her. It was such a breathtaking place, she couldnt imagine herself anywhere else. The intellectual side of her knew that in the winter it would be brutal. But it would still be beautiful and she was certain that she didnt want to leave. And everything shed experienced, every person shed met, every field that took her breath away, was because of Brad. And most of all, there was Dash. She wouldnt have met Dash if it werent for her half brother.

Standing there in Dashs kitchen, a wave of something that felt like love for Brad washed over her. Blinking away a few tears, she realized she would never be able to thank him. Yes, she and Dash would figure out how to honor him, but she would never be truly able to say thank you.

But maybe she could say her own good-bye.

"Dash," she said, turning toward him. His dark eyes met her gaze. "I want to say good-bye to Brad. And I dont mean at the funeral in a few days. I want to go back to the house, back to the barn, and say good-bye."

His eyes studied her face for a long moment. She thought he might point out that what she was saying was fanciful, but instead he inclined his head. "And you want to say thank you, dont you?" he asked, seeing right into the heart of her.

She unsuccessfully blinked back a few more tears. Dash stayed where he was, letting her feel what she was feeling. She nodded and more tears flowed. Tears she didnt even try to hold back or hide. "I have a lot to thank him for, Dash. Including you."

He stepped forward and took her in his arms. "We both have a lot to thank him for," Dash said, resting his cheek on her hair. "Of course we can go back to the house. Why dont you go upstairs and get dressed, maybe take a few Tylenol in case your fever thinks about coming back, and then we can head over to the house. I can wait there while you go up to the barn."

"You know I love you, right?" Matty asked, tightening her hold on Dash. For a moment he went still, then his arms pulled her closer to him.

"Yeah, I do. And I love you too."

She smiled against his chest then pulled back. "Ten minutes?"

He lowered his head and dropped a kiss on her lips. "Anytime youre ready. Ill be here."

And he would be, she knew. He would be there.

CHAPTER 28.

IT TOOK MATTY QUITE A WHILE to make it back up to the barn where shed found Brad all those days ago. Between the tightness in her chest and the reason for her going in the first place, her feet were not moving very quickly.

She paused and turned to take in the view behind her. It was the time of day she liked to call the magic hour. About an hour before dusk, just as the sun was starting to go down behind the hills to the west, the hills to the east were cast in light that varied from gold to pink. Tonight they were most definitely gold, and she took a moment to appreciate their beauty. She didnt know what she would do with her house or life in DC, but she knew she wanted to be here, in Windsor, watching the magic hour as much as possible.

When the light started to change, she turned and continued making her way to her destination. When the barn came into view, she realized that it looked almost exactly as it had that first time. It seemed to her that a lot should be different because so much had happened there, but aside from the tire tracks from the police and crime scene vehicles, it looked just the same.

She slid the door open and stepped inside, blinking at the darkness. Standing there in the doorway, she let her eyes adjust to the dim light then started to take in the scene.

There was no body, no chair, no flies, nothing. It was all but empty with a few bales of hay at the far end. It no longer smelled as it had when shed found Brad; instead, the scent of the sweet alfalfa mixed with dirt greeted her. It wasnt a clean smell, but it was earthy and appropriate, and Matty thought Brad would be glad to see this place back as it should be.

She walked farther into the barn, toward where the chair had been, and stood, absorbing the silence. She inhaled deeply and let her breath out slowly. She had so much to thank Brad for that for a long moment she just stilled her mind and body and let herself feel. Sorrow for what she and Brad had lost because of their parents, happiness at having been brought to Windsor, and gratitude for what Brad had taught her and was continuing to teach her about engaging in life, about strength, and about character.

A ray of sun shot through one of the west-facing windows and the light danced in front of her, making her smile. She was watching the dust float about when a figure appeared at the door.

Startled, she took a few steps backward.

"Mai?" Matty said. She knew the confusion in her voice probably wasnt that courteous, but she was surprised to see Chens sister there. Surprised Dash had told Mai where to find her.

"Matty," she said, her voice sounding different than it had in the past, less cultured, less smooth. Less lets-be-great-girlfriends.

"Is everything alright?" Matty asked as Mai came toward her.

"That depends," came the answer.

Matty frowned again as the little warning bells inside her mind started going off. "On?" she said after a slight hesitation.

"On what you can tell me about what Brad was up to before he died," Mai answered, as she pulled a gun from the pocket of her blazer.

CHAPTER 29.

MATTY STARED AT THE GUN, the reality of the situation slowly sinking in. Or at least what she knew of it. She was still horribly confused. Though what she did know-that Mai was there, with a gun, thinking that Matty knew more than she did about Brad-didnt make much sense.

"What are you talking about, Mai?" Matty tried to inch her way to the door, taking small steps as she spoke. But Mai, pointing the gun, effectively halted her progress.

"Your brother was looking into things he should have left alone. I know he uncovered some of the activities happening around the horses and tracks, I want to know what else he found," Mai responded.

"How would I know what he was looking into?" she asked, saying the first thing that came to mind because she hadnt quite processed the rest.

Mai sighed. "The raid, Matty. There was a raid this morning on the offices of several known members of the Irish Mafia."

"Youre not part of the Irish Mafia," Matty pointed out.

"Of course not," Mai said, disgust echoing in her tone.

Matty eyed the door. "Then just what do you want to know and why do you think I would be able to help you?" She wasnt sure how she was going to get out of this, or even if she was, but she wasnt going to go without a fight. That said, looking in Mais eyes, Matty recognized something she hadnt seen in a long time: the hollow, empty look of a sociopath who neither cared nor valued the life of anyone other than herself.

It was a reminder of everything she had left behind when shed moved out of the projects. Oh, Mai was dressed better, had more sophisticated mannerisms, but she was no different than those that ruled the neighborhoods, that terrorized the people where Matty had grown up. And Matty knew, without the slightest doubt, the other woman had no intention of letting her live. Even if she didnt know anything about Brad and what he might have found out, Mai would kill her; and if she did know something, Mai would simply wait to hear it and then kill her anyway.

She could fake it to buy herself some time; she knew she could. But only if she knew what kind of information Mai was looking for-what Mai thought she might know. If she could figure that out, or maybe keep Mai talking and occupied, she might, just might, be able to find herself a way out.

"What did he tell you?" Mai asked.

"About?" Matty countered.

"About what he was looking into. About my business arrangements."

"Your business arrangements?"

"Matty, dont play dumb, it doesnt become you," Mai said on a sigh.

Matty blinked. Okay, maybe figuring out what information Mai wanted from her wasnt going to work because she had no idea where to start. Maybe she should just focus on the getting-her-to-talk plan.

"Youre right, it doesnt. It doesnt generally become anyone. But in this case, I actually dont have any idea what youre talking about. What makes you think Brad was looking into your business arrangements and why I would know about it?"

"Your brother talked about you all the time, you know," Mai said, taking a step toward her in designer boots that, for some reason, seemed to stand out to Matty, even as she took one step back and moved little to her left. She was precisely three inches closer to the door now.

"He was always amazed at the life you led, at your success. Pleased, I might add. He used to say you deserved it after the hell your father, his father, put you through. I think he admired you greatly."

"The feeling is mutual," Matty said. At least that was the truth. It might not have been mutual before, but she did feel all those things for him now.

"Be that as it may, I know you two never spoke. I know he tried to contact you a handful of times. I know you never responded. I know your estrangement caused him great pain and it was something he thought about often. I also know he felt guilty for what his parents did to you."

Matty wasnt sure what to make of this long statement, or even what seemed to be the hint of jealousy she heard in Mais tone. She knew the facts were accurate-that Brad had tried to call and contact her, but she had never reciprocated. And as for the rest, she couldnt attest to what Brad had been feeling, so she simply nodded at Mai and began to wonder if Mai and Brad had, at one point, been more than friends.

"So you can imagine my surprise," Mai continued, "when suddenly you agreed to come up and house-sit for him."

"I was surprised myself," Matty interrupted.

"On the same day someone hacked into one of my computers that contained private records," Mai finished.

Mattys brows shot down. She still wasnt sure what Mai was trying to say, but she was starting to understand that it was more likely than not that Brad had stumbled onto something other than just information on the Irish. Whether Brad knew it or not was unclear.

"So, you think Brad accessed some of your files-files that contained information he shared with me-and that I came up to Windsor to, what? Help him plan what to do with it? Use it against you?"

Mai tilted her elegant head and studied her for a long moment. "He skimmed money from the accounts."

"And it was the lure of that money that brought me up here? You think I came because he was able to entice me with money?" Matty asked the question, but it was so absurd she could hardly wrap her mind around it. She didnt need money. And not that she could be bribed, but if even if Brad had wanted to try, he wouldnt have chosen money as the incentive.

"A lot of money went missing, Matty," Mai said.

"I have a lot of money, Mai. I dont need any of yours, and I especially dont need to do anything illegal to get more," Matty shot back, even as she realized that, based on what Mai had just said, Brad must have known something if hed taken the time to steal her money. If what Charlotte had told them yesterday was anything to go by, Brad only took money from people who earned it in illegal and harmful ways. But whether Brad knew it was Mais money, or if he thought it was just part of the Mafias money, wasnt clear. However, since it was Brad who had put her in touch with Chen, who had then brought Mai into her life, she was leaning toward Brad not having had any idea about the Zheng family. And as her mind raced, Matty gave a fleeting thought to Chen-was he involved, too? Did he have any idea his sister was here?