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“I’m certain Sedona will be able to make a dark joke about it.”
Swirling the liquid in the glass, I nodded in agreement. “Yep. She certainly will.”
It only took another minute before Sean returned to the room. In his hand was a thick manila file as well as what appearedto be another jump drive. I almost groaned seeing it. At this point, jump drives had become the bane of my existence. At least Michael believed that he could unlock the passcodes for the ones Sedona had brought with her.
“I figured a busy man like yourself would want to see what I have in vivid color, but so you know I didn’t doctor shit on these photographs, I also have the full proof on this disc. You can have both since we have a deal.”
A deal made with the devil was still a deal, one I would honor if what he’d provided was decent and could lead me to the person hunting my woman like a dog.
Gregory accepted the items, opening the file and flipping through the stack of photographs. He cursed under his breath in French, shaking his head several times. “Whew. How did you get these?” he asked Sean without handing me the file. That mean whatever he was holding was more than just the ammunition needed.
It would rock my world.
“I stole it. How else?” Sean muttered. “I didn’t do what you thought I did with the O’Connors. Someone made it look like I was the bad seed. So sure, I was angry as fuck and upset. Instead of feeling sorry for myself, I became determined to figure out what the fuck was going on and who framed me. What I didn’t expect was to find what I did about you and your family. This is gonna kill my father.”
Gregory handed me the file but shook his head. “I think you’re gonna sit down. Then we need to roll, brother.”
I was the kind of man who prided himself on taking bad news standing up. Yet the moment I opened the file, the very firstpicture was enough of an indication my brother was right after all.
It was perhaps the first time images of my past, the limited time I’d spent with my son and the woman I fully intended on marrying, flashed in front of my eyes.
I’d also learned never to underestimate a powerful woman.
CHAPTER 27
Sedona
I was still pacing the office I’d been using, ready to bite the head off a bat. The sickness remained, enough that I’d grabbed a glass of the Irish whiskey Jonny had brought back from Louisville, hoping it would calm my nerves.
I’d gotten voicemail, which had driven me to another state of anger, the call yet to be returned. It had been risky to do, maybe stupid, but I couldn’t tolerate being behind the eight ball any longer.
I moved to a standing position, pushing the drink away. The alcohol wasn’t doing me any good, the taste bitter in my mind, no matter the vintage. As I started to pace the floor, I suspected that Jonny’s world had coincidentally collided with mine, and that whatever was going on had little to do with me. But at this point, I could be certain of nothing. Not a damn thing, including who was trying to kill us. I grabbed my phone, shoving it into the back pocket of my jeans.
God, I hated this.
The waiting.
The anticipation.
The anxiety.
It felt like a hammer was going to fall at any minute, as if the house was going to be attacked. I was antsy, my skin prickling, a heaviness in my heart. I wanted to scream, breaking down into tears. Something. Instead, I was overanalyzing everything that I’d learned, realizing there were far too many missing pieces to be able to make either assumptions or qualified guesses. I’d be an idiot to try to do so, driving myself to the point of madness.
A cold chill scoured my system, forcing me to fold my arms. I’d seen the little cookie monster several times throughout the last few hours, although only briefly, Margaret keeping me away from him as if I was a bad seed. Her behavior annoyed the hell out of me, although I wasn’t certain what I could do about it.
It was obvious I was irritated by everything that was going on, including the fact Jonny had been gone for so long. I hadn’t eaten, hadn’t moved away from the room. I growled softly to myself and headed for the window, peering out into the late afternoon sun. Everything about Jonny’s backyard was serene and extremely inviting. I wanted nothing more than to head to the riverbanks, enjoying a picnic. The thought allowed a smile. Maybe a little fresh air would help.
I doubted cracking open the door would be considered disobeying. Right? A naughty mindset filtered in and I dared open the door. The breath of fresh air was amazing, tingling my senses. There was a light afternoon breeze that was warmer than I expected, the scent of various flowers catching me off guard.
Hmmm… What if I just stepped right outside onto the deck? One foot. Okay, both feet. But I’d lean against the door. Just to get a little sunlight on my face. I glanced over my shoulder and grinned like some kid getting ready to do something very naughty. Against the rules handed down like I was a bad girl, I did the unthinkable.
I stepped outside, basking in the fresh air and sunlight, marveling in being able to take several deep breaths. A sound caught my attention. Was it laughter? I scanned the perimeter, squinting from the light. When I was certain I heard it again, I shielded my eyes with my hand, squinting again to try to make out anything. The tire swing was moving, more so than it should be in such a light breeze. A creepy feeling tickled my nerves, whispering we were in danger. I needed to get a grip.
A third giggle was all I needed. There was no doubt in my mind it was Christian’s little voice. But it sounded like it was coming from an open window. I glanced up at the second story. Christian’s window was open. While I shouldn’t be bothered because it sounded as if he was happy with whatever activity he was engaged in, something yanked on my instincts.
After scanning the perimeter, hoping to find one of the soldiers, I chastised myself for being silly. However, I would check in on the little cookie monster. Maybe I needed to hear his giggle up close and personal, ensuring he was safe. As I headed up the stairs, I could hear what sounded like music, the kind that kids of his age would enjoy listening to. Or maybe it was a movie. The closer I got to his door, the more apprehension settled deep inside.
I couldn’t toss aside the feeling that something was horribly wrong. His door was partially open, enough that as I walkedcloser, I could see part of his room but not enough to see anything other than a portion of his bed and a bookshelf.
