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I haven’t thought about the woman from the pictures in a long time. She might be someone we should talk to. I hit reply on the email to Colin, click the attach button, and find the pictures of Christopher and the woman from the investigation he did for me. With those pictures added, I quickly type, “Can you find her? I need to talk to her.”
I hit send as Jack watches over my shoulder. My eyes meet his. “Maybe Christopher said something to that woman before everything went bad and Andrea left. Maybe something we can use.”
“Never pass up a lead. That’s my rule.”
Jack’s right. It may be a dead end, but she could have something to offer.
“Hopefully, my PI can find her. It’s worth a shot.”
We sit in silence for a few minutes while pondering what to do next. Jack’s phone dings, and he checks the notification.
“Fuck!” he says before tossing the phone onto the coffee table in front of him. “That was a local patrol officer texting me. He says press just checked in at the Fraser Motel.”
“Shit.” I stand and pace. I have to come up with a plan to keep the press away from my sisters.
I stop on a dime and clap my hands together. Jack jerks his attention to me. “SJ,” I say flatly. I hurry to retrieve my phone off the sofa.
Jack stands when he realizes what I’ve suggested. “How soon do you think he can get here? The vultures have already landed. We need to get to Andrea before they do. I’ll call Nathan and let him know about the press.”
Jack walks away to call Nathan, and I find SJ’s name in my phone and press call. He answers on the second ring.
“Shaw?” he says. Concern laces his voice. He protected Adalyn and Sophia fiercely, even coming in on his days off if they wanted to go out.
“SJ, sorry to be abrupt, but there isn’t much time to explain. Can you come to Fraser? Today?” I blurt.
“Of course. I can book a flight now.” He doesn’t hesitate to agree to come without even knowing any details.
“The press is here in Fraser. They’re trying to find Andrea to question her about someone that testified on Christopher’s behalf earlier this week. If you can come today, now, I’ll make it worth your while.”
“I’ve been following the trial. Lying bastards. I’ll send you my flight info and come straight to Jack’s from the airport.” SJ ends the call before I can respond.
I turn just as Jack is walking over. “SJ’s booking a flight,” I say quickly just as he opens his mouth to speak.
“Nathan is home today with Adalyn and Sophia. They won’t tell Andrea anything. I’m going to head to the café. I want to be sure no one gets to her.”
I nod. “I’m coming, too.”
We both pack up our laptops and head out the door to Jack’s truck. Thankfully, the café is close by. I get a text from SJ just as we park out front. His flight lands at nine o’clock tonight. It’ll be late when he gets here, but at least he’s coming.
Jack is out of the truck and nearly to the café entrance before I can even close the passenger door. We’ll have to break the news to Andrea about everything at once; Morales testifying and the press being in Fraser.
As soon as I’m through the café door, my eyes find Charlie. She tries to hide a smile spreading across her face. My body tingles as her eyes rake over it. I have to shove the lust I feel for her aside. Right now, I have to break all this awful news to Andrea.
“Where’s Andrea?” Jack’s voice breaks our focus on each other. His face is lined with worry.
“Irene’s office. Everything okay?”
He doesn’t respond as he heads for the office. I give Charlie a tight smile but follow behind Jack. I need to take the brunt of Andrea’s anger.
Jack and I crowd into Irene’s office, but unfortunately, I think we’re too late. Irene has a small television in her office, playing a major news network. There’s a replay of Morales on the stand with a banner running beneath the clip that reads “Is Andrea Shaw the real criminal?”
Andrea turns to face Jack and me, her facial expression going from white as a sheet to beat red in two seconds flat.
“How could you—both of you—keep this from me?” She stands, her hands fisted at her sides.
Jack reaches for her, but she steps back, creating more distance between them.
I step forward. “Don’t be mad at Jack. It was my idea to steer you clear of the news until we could come up with a plan.”
