Zoya lifted her chin. “We were told to come for cake. Back off, Gideon. We didn’t do anything wrong.”

Abigail crossed the kitchen to climb into Amos’s lap. “He sounds mean again, Papa,” she whispered, but so loudly that they could all hear it. “Why is he mean?”

Amos sighed. “He’s not mean. He’s frustrated. That’s not the same thing.”

Mercy was studying Bunker carefully. “Searching the newspaper archives is not a bad idea, Jeffrey. I’m Mercy, by the way.”

Bunker at least had the good grace to look ashamed. “I know. I’m . . . I’m sorry.”

“I know,” she said quietly.

Rafe had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from snarling. This man had seen the video of Mercy. Yes, it was grainy, according to anyone who’d seen it. Yes, he’d gotten it taken down within hours. But he’d seen it. He’d seen Mercy, naked and vulnerable, and Rafe wanted to rip his arms off for that alone.

But Mercy only smiled at the young man. “You helped Amos reunite with us, and I’m grateful. As far as I’m concerned, we’re more than even. I’ve missed him more than I can say. Thank you.”

“And you reported my aunt Quill’s murder,” Farrah added, “and for that I have to thank you.”

Farrah’s use of “have to” wasn’t lost on anyone, especially Bunker.

“She was a nice lady,” Bunker said, dropping his gaze to his feet. “She was so proud of both of you. I hate that she was touched by any of this. That she . . .” He glanced up at Abigail, who was watching everything with wide eyes that seemed to miss nothing. “Anyway. I’m so sorry for your loss.” He squared his shoulders. “I’ll go to my room now. If you need me to help search archives for this Herbert Hampton guy, please ask.”

Irina rolled her eyes. “Sit, Jeffrey. We’ll have cake.”

But Rafe was too surprised by Bunker’s words to stem his own. “Wait. He’s staying here? In this house? With Zoya here? Why?” He narrowed his eyes. “You never would have let us have ‘special friends’ spend the night.”

Zoya glared at him as she took four servings of the cake. “He’s here because he brought Amos here, and Amos has most likely been discovered missing, which means that the people in Eden will be looking for him and anyone who’s helping him. Jeff’s at risk because he did a good thing. To make it worse, the FBI ‘can’t spare’ anyone to watch his house to make sure he and his mother are safe. So they are here. At our invitation. Mine, Mom’s, and Dad’s. You don’t live here anymore, Rafe, so you can sh—be quiet,” she amended, then gave Bunker two of the four plates she’d prepared. “Jeff, let’s go back to the office. We can take your mother and my sister Meg some cake, too.”

The two of them left the kitchen, Zoya with an angry flounce and Bunker with a quiet sigh.