“Your father might think that it’s in there,” Beau replied. “But given what you said, he may feel it’s safer there than anywhere else. As long as he has the mansion, the evidence won’t go anywhere. That’s where I’d look.”
“Then, what?” Sierra asked. “We go to the FBI?”
“That’s one option. It’s the option I would have chosen, before we had this conversation. But the wheels of justice move slowly. I worry it will take too long to go that route. The FBI will take years following up on whatever your mother has, authenticating it, corroborating it, before making a move. We need to secure yours and your brothers’ safety now. We don’tgoto the FBI. Wethreatento go to the FBI, use the documentation as our bargaining chip. And we do it together, as a team having each other’s backs, so that what happened to your mother doesn’t happen to us.”
He feathered his hand down the side of her face, ignoring Esteban’s curses. “Tomorrow morning, bright and early, we’re all going to Memphis. We’ll use that bolt-hole you mentioned at the mansion to gain entrance and search the library. And if we’re right, if we find your mother’s documents there, we’ll have our leverage. Then we’ll make a deal with the devil.”
“Chief Dawson?”
He glanced at Rafael in question.
“What if we can’t find the evidence?”
“Plan B, of course.”
“What’s plan B?” Sierra asked.
He grimaced. “I wish I knew.”
“I’m sure you’ll think of something. You always do.”
He didn’t appear to be convinced.
She wasn’t either. The task before them seemed nearly impossible. “Beau, I haven’t seen either of my brothers in a while, especially Esteban, of course. Do you mind giving us some privacy so we can catch up?”
“Of course. Esteban, Rafael, you’re welcome to stay here overnight. Both of the couches are big and comfortable. There are extra linens in the hall closet. Or you can meet us here at dawn if you prefer. Sierra and I don’t have a car at this cabin. Do either of you have one close by?”
“I do,” Rafael said. “My rental I drove from the airport. We can use that.”
“And I’ve got a cabin near here already,” Esteban said, looking uncomfortable as he glanced from Sierra to Beau. “If you two are, uh, staying here, I’d prefer to stay there. Rafael can stay with me.”
“Fair enough. I’ll watch TV in the bedroom, give you three your time alone.”
As soon as the bedroom door closed, Sierra pulled the coffee table close to the couch where her brothers were and sat on the table facing them. And this time, she spoke only in Spanish, just in case Beau heard them.
“Beau isn’t going to the mansion with us tomorrow,” she whispered.
Esteban did a fist pump. “Good. You’ve seen the light. You’re going to dump the cop.”
She poked him in the ribs. “I’m not dumping him. But he’ll probably dump me after this. I think he’s right about what we need to do, find the evidence, make a deal with Dad. I honestly don’t see another viable option. But this is a mess of our making, not his. I’ve been in denial my entire adult life, trying to pretend Dad isn’t as bad as we all know he is. And you two have gone right along with him, ignoring all the advice from Mom.”
When they both started to argue, she held up a hand to stop them. “I don’t want Beau coming along because I don’t want him getting hurt, or worse, if this plan doesn’t go the way we hope it will.”
“What do you need us to do?” Esteban rubbed his hands together as if in anticipation. “Tie him to a concrete block and toss him in the lake?”
She gasped in horror.
“Kidding. Damn, don’t take me so seriously.”
Rafael elbowed him.
“Ouch. Stop it, you two. I’m going to have bruises.”
“Neither of you does anything to hurt Beau. Swear it,” she said.
“I swear.” Rafael looked at his brother. “Your turn.”
“Fine. As much as I’d like to, I won’t hurt the cop.”
