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“All right.” Something strange passed through me. “Is something going on over there I don’t know about?”
“It’s Sam, Hill’s brother.”
“I figured.”
“How much do you know about him?”
“Enough to know he’s shady as shit,” I growled, thinking how crap ran in families.
“That he is. I did a little digging on him, talked to a few people I know over there who work in the courts. They’ve had their eyes on Sam for a while. Trouble is when you’re on the side of the law, things can get overlooked. If you know what I mean. The guy’s an asshole JAG lawyer. Seems he kicked up a hell of a shit storm with a judge a few years back. It’s a long story, but he thinks he’s God’s gift. My buddy’s seen him in action. He’s like a bulldog and won’t stop at anything to win, dirty or not. Must run in the family. Anyway, he’s been heard making comments. Puttin’ it out there that there’ve been wrongful accusations made about his brother. I think he might be setting the stage for something.”
It really is all about who you know in this world.
“Thanks for that, Frank. I appreciate the insight.”
“I’m texting you an address. It’s a bar in Washington called The Rusty Nail.”
“Yeah, I know it.” A lot of the guys went there to blow off steam.
“Word is that the bartender might know something about what happened over there. I don’t know much more than that, but it’ll be a good place to start. We can talk more when you get back.”
“Agreed. I’ll look into it.” I heard the call to board my flight and was about to tell him when he interrupted.
“Shit, I have to go, Beckett.” I heard the click as he hung up. I guessed we were both in a hurry. I handed the agent my ID, and she waved for me to go on. I knew my rush to board would probably end up with the plane sitting on the tarmac for another twenty minutes, but the urge to do something had me trotting down the ramp to the plane. As I sat there impatiently waiting for our takeoff, I thought over Frank’s words. I only hoped that bartender knew something, and it wasn’t going to be a dead end.
My head still spun as we taxied then took off for North Dakota.
We touched down a few hours later. I met Mark at arrivals, and we began the drive back to Shadows. I took a breath of relief when we drove over the border and was pleased to be back in the quiet of the mountains.
“All things considered, how was your trip?” he finally said when we were a few miles from the house. Mark was usually chatty, but I appreciated that he knew when silence was needed. I wasn’t the first guy to use it as a coping mechanism.
“Rough.”
“If it helps,” he looked over at me, “it doesn’t get easier.” He went back to the road, and I appreciated the truth he gave me. I’d been impressed with how Blackstone honored their fallen. I’d listened and seen how they kept Paul close to their hearts, so he’d never be forgotten. Maybe I needed to do something like that, too.
“How’s everything at the house?” I could use a distraction now that my mind was exhausted.
“Good. Ivy got hit on by a parent from Livi’s school.” He didn’t hesitate to throw that out there. I could feel his eyes on me.
“Really?” I shifted in my seat and refused to meet his gaze. I suddenly felt incredibly protective. I was pleased at the thought that Blackstone had my back, though. “Anything I should be concerned about?”
“She’s loyal,” he nodded, “but she’s a catch, and Redstone’s a small town. It won’t take long for word to spread there’s a single woman in town.”
“She’s not single.”
“Then you better make that known sooner rather than later.” He pulled off the road, and we headed toward the first checkpoint.
We didn’t talk much after that, and soon the house was in sight. I was surprised at the feeling that filled me. I was home.
After I unpacked and showered, I made a beeline toward the dining room. I was suddenly ravenous. Everyone was gathered around the brightly colored dinner table. John had told me about how Savannah loved her seasons, and that the fall and winter were her favorite ones. The serving dishes and decorations were either dark green, orange, or red. Little orange pumpkins were wedged among a driftwood type centerpiece, and the scent of cinnamon lingered in the air. I felt like I was back at my mom’s about to eat Thanksgiving dinner. My stomach grumbled at the thought of turkey.
“This looks amazing, Savi.” I caught John’s eye, and he shrugged with a grin.
“Thank you.” Savannah looked pointedly at Ivy’s empty chair. “How was your trip?”
I didn’t share why I’d left. Only the guys knew, so I kept it light. “It was nice to see my family.” I looked away as I wondered where Ivy was.
“I heard your buddy Moore will be joining us soon.” Mike handed me a bowl of baby potatoes. “We’re looking forward to meeting him.”
