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“Ellie, pick up the phone and take me off speaker,” Tom said as Bethany and Matt left the room.
“Okay, dad, I’m here.”
“You’re still angry with her.”
“Of course I am.”
“How would you have felt stepping off a bus in Manhattan with virtually nothing? No job, no place to live, not knowing a soul. You’ve lived a blessed life. Your mother and I had our problems, and I know that wasn’t easy for you, but that young woman has been through hell and back, yet somehow, she’s found the courage to do the right thing. If this Michael character finds out, she’ll probably end up with a bullet in her head. Do you understand what I’m telling you?”
“Yes, dad.”
“Look at the love shining from the eyes of those amazing animals you paint. You couldn’t create them if you didn’t have that love in your heart. Tap into it.”
“I will. It’s just so much to take in.”
“I understand, but think how much it was for her to live through it. I’m going to end this conversation now, but your mother will call you from her phone. Ask Matt to send me pictures of the briefcase, then call me. And sweetheart, we’ll fly in as soon as the weather permits.”
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
As the small group stared down at the fortune, Matt took the photographs and sent them to Tom, then moved into the bedroom to call him. The moment Tom told him about the FBI agents arriving at his office instructing him to vacate the house, Matt was suspicious.
“Do you know anyone at the FBI who can verify them?” Tom asked. “I made note of their names. Steve McDonald and Jeff Blake.”
“Could you text that to me. I’ll get in touch with my contact and pass it along..”
“Sure, thanks. So—why were you at the house tonight?”
“I discovered Eleanor had a tracker on her car,” Matt replied.
“She what?”
“Yeah, it’s been dealt with, but it got me thinkin’, and I came back before the storm rolled in to check your house. I been here for a while! Tom, it’s riddled with bugs.”
“Bugs, like roaches?”
“Not those kinds of bugs,” Matt replied with a grin. “Listenin’ devices. Michael Aiken wanted to make sure he knew if you stumbled across that briefcase, and he probably wanted to keep tabs on Bethany!”
“Do you think she had a hand in planting them?”
“Not the ones I dug out. I’m guessin’ it was done during the remodelin’.”
“How did you find them?”
“I have the equipment. I’ve cleared the upstairs, but there’s still the downstairs to do. I’ll get back to it tomorrow.”
“But, Matt, that’s when those alleged FBI agents are showing up.”
“Not after the weather we just had. You’ll probably get a call from them postponin’ their visit. Be sure to let me know so I can be here when they arrive.”
“Okay. Where do we go from here?”
“That’s a good question. I called David to update him and he insisted on coming back even though the roads are a mess. He could even be here by now.”
“That’s David.”
“If he isn’t, I’ll wait until he arrives, then I need to get home to my wife and baby.
“Ah, yes, Becky Clarkson.”
