Lottie turned to Hunt with big eyes. “I don’t understand what’s happening here.”
Hunt tugged her closer toward her brother at the couch. “Matteo was released from custody earlier. None of the evidence pointed to his involvement in your father’s death, only Leo’s.”
Across from Matteo, Archer rose from the couch, where he’d been on his phone, and cupped Hunt’s shoulder. “Call me tomorrow.”
“I will,” Hunt said. “Thanks for everything.”
Archer looked back at Matteo. “I’ll wait for you in the lobby.” Then he gave Lottie a hug before he headed for the front door.
When it clicked shut behind him, Hunt released Lottie’s hand and went to fetch them all a much-needed drink. He pulled three cold beers from the fridge. “Last night, I had Elise look into Matteo,” he explained to Lottie. After cracking open the bottles, he handed them out. “She couldn’t find anything that pointed to him being a criminal, only that Matteo was trapped in a life he hated.”
Lottie’s head cocked, brows pulling together. “How did you find that out?”
“From reading my personal text messages to an old girlfriend,” Matteo grumbled.
“Oh.” Lottie glanced between Hunt and Matteo, taking a long,longsip of her beer. She finally asked Hunt, “And you believe my brother’s innocent?”
“A hundred percent, yes,” he said with a firm nod. “Matteo was the one who sent you the box.”
Lottie squeaked, a hand flying to her chest. She slowly turned to Matteo. “It was you?”
“Well, I sent it to the lawyer, who sent it to you after the PI found you.” He rose. “Leo changed the last few years. Like, the devil got in him or something. Dad knew it. I knew it.” He took another hesitant step closer as Lottie’s eyes widened. “Dad suspected Leo was going to kill him. He told me about the camera.” Another step closer, and Lottie’s chin quivered. “He told me if he was found dead, Leo was responsible. When I watched the video and heard Dad say that you would be the one that would take the family down, I knew he wanted me to send the video to you. I knew I had to find a way to hide the UBS stick. Anything too obvious, Leo would have found.”
Lottie’s face reddened. “You put me in danger by sending me that box.”
Shame darkened his features, and his shoulders hunched. “I honestly had no idea Leo would take it that far. I thought after he looked through your stuff and didn’t find anything, that’d be the end of it.”
“But it wasn’t?” Hunt asked.
Matteo swallowed his drink, then shook his head. “He never really showed anger toward you until Dad said you’d ruin us. I never heard him mention you through all the years that you were gone. But I think when he saw you again, he felt burned that you left us and stole money from the business.” His voice got small as he said gently, “I’m sorry, Lottie. I never would have sent it if I thought he’d put you in danger.”
Because he knew Lottie would want to know, Hunt asked, “Why wouldn’t you take it to the cops yourself?”
Matteo slowly shook his head. “I couldn’t. I couldn’t be the one.”
Leo didn’t deserve Matteo’s loyalty.
Hunt could tell Lottie was thinking the same as she nibbled her lip, watching him closely. Her shoulders suddenly straightened as she realized she was braver and stronger than her brother. “So, you really wanted out, too?” she eventually asked.
He nodded slowly. “I was jealous of you. That you had the balls to leave. I…I couldn’t have done that.”
“The situation was different,” Lottie said softly. “You were involved with the business. I wasn’t.”
“I wasn’t really involved,” Matteo said. Then he shrugged. “I drove Leo around. That’s all I did.”
“Yeah, but he still would have killed you just like he did with Dad if you left,” she countered. “I was nothing to him.”
Matteo’s breath hitched, tears welling in his eyes. He barely got out, “You were something to me.”
“Oh, Matteo.” She handed Hunt her beer and then threw her arms around her brother.
Hunt turned away, hearing their cries, giving them privacy. He busied himself in the kitchen, shoving whatever he could find in his mouth. His entire body hurt. He’d been tired before, but nothing like this. He hadn’t sleep in what felt like forever. It had taken him almost all night to solve the puzzle. He could tell by the dark circles under Lottie’s eyes that she hadn’t slept well last night either. When he hit the bed, he doubted an earthquake wouldn’t even stir him.
He only turned back to them when Lottie asked, “Where are you going now?”
“I’m going with your friend Archer,” Matteo said.
Hunt caught Lottie’s frown in the seconds before she asked, “Where is he taking you?”
