Free Highland Shift (Highland Destiny: 1) by Laura Harner, L.E. Harner Page A

down to me had my father lived long enough.
    “Recently, when Worthington contacted the solicitor to have the property sold, I knew something was wrong. He would never sell it without first finding…what he has been looking for. I went to Phoenix to find out who you were and how you were connected to the Worthingtons. I followed you. I searched your home when you were away,” he said softly, avoiding Elena’s eyes.
    “When I found out you were engaged to the youngest Worthington, I was positive you were part of the plan. I followed you to London and paid that woman to let me have her seat on the flight to Edinburgh. You told me on the plane where you were getting your car, so I waited there in order to send the description ahead to Red. The plan was, I would follow behind, and Red would wait in Inverness. We didna’ intend to let you out of our sight.
    “Then I noticed someone else was watching you. He was hiding, waiting for you to come out to your car. I wanted to know who hired him, so I tapped him on the shoulder, and he swung around fast with a knife in his hand. I was careless, and he caught me in the side and ran away. You came out of the office just then, and without thinking it through, I jumped in your car and told you to drive.”
    He finally looked at Elena and said, “I am sorry I scared you, lass.” Then he smiled at the memory, “Och, you are a feisty one! When you finally shared your story with me, I realized you were a victim in this, too. I still thought there was something wrong with Worthington selling you the farm, so I stayed close, trying to figure out what he was planning.”
    His head went down again, and his voice was just above a whisper, “I was away the night you went to town. By the time I got here, you were in the yard with those…and he smashed your head…and I thought I would kill him.” His voice, which had started to shake with anger, faded away, and he just looked at her.
    Bleakly, he said, “I am sorry, Elena. I should have protected you better. I should have believed you were really in danger. It’s just that the first time, I thought it still might just be a coincidence or that Worthington had somehow found out something. Now that we know the property will revert to him if something happens to you in the next six months, we must be extra careful. He never intended you to own this farm.”
    Elena looked at all of them and waited. They all watched her, as if waiting to be told she believed them. She thought through what he had said. She was convinced of the evidence of the recent attacks. It made sense that Martin wanted her out of the way. She certainly hadn’t gone as quietly as he’d initially expected. It also made sense that if this were Faolan’s family home, he would track the new owner, especially if the family lost it under coercion. Elena could also make a convincing case that Faolan would initially be suspicious of her, and track her movements. That was all evidence that told a story she could believe in.
    However, an apparently unreported murder, ancient weapons and artifacts, and what sounded suspiciously like magic were stretching Elena’s credulity to the limit. Faolan hadn’t spoken very much about any of them, yet they were integral to understanding the whole story.
    They were at an impasse. Faolan was finished telling the story he wanted Elena to hear, but not the one she thought she needed to hear. She knew she hadn’t heard the whole truth yet, certainly not enough of it to explain everything. Most importantly, Elena still had no idea why Faolan was pushing her away.
    “Faolan,” Lilly said gently, “you must tell her all of it.”
    He looked back at her, his face stricken, and then roared, “No!” He stormed from the room, and the front door slammed behind him.
    Elena looked at Red and Lilly in the deafening silence that followed. Both of them were looking towards the door where Faolan had just left, their eyes full of love and