Page 45 of End Game

“Whose liberty are you protecting?”

“Every child’s.”

“Who specifically?” he pressed, though the answer came to him a split second before she answered.

“I’m godmother to Liv’s son, Brodie.”

“You’re afraid of the domino effect. Whatever decision they make in Engel County might also be adopted in Haywood County.”

“It’s happening all over the country.”

“Does your protection extend to loaning a twenty-five-hundred-year-old Celtic artifact to a board member’s son?”

A beat of silence. “You have yet to tell me of what I’m being accused.”

“I believe I just did.”

“Where did you come by your information?”

Ash ground his teeth together. “Are you really going to play it this way?”

“I’m not playing it any way. I’ve learned it’s best to make sure we’re on the same page, is all.”

“Let’s start at Chapter One, then,” he said, allowing his irritation to shine through. “An Engel County School Board member overheard another board member bragging about how a wealthy benefactor had loaned her son a priceless artifact for display at the grand opening of his natural history museum. Based on the proud mama’s description, the other board member believed it’s the one from your private collection.” He tilted his head. “Ring a bell?”

“I’m not sure you could’ve been any more vague if you’d tried.”

“Chapter Two,” he ground out. “The complainant has suggested the artifact is payment for an upcoming vote addressing book bans and parental rights, and she conveyed this concern to others until the information reached my desk.”

“Sounds like a great deal of speculation.” Her head tilted to the side. “Let me guess—Joyce Ann Carlson, the so-called complainant, gave Joan Steele an earful about this conspiracy.”

So much for keeping his family out of this. Kayla-fucking-Krowne was already several steps ahead of him. Did she know Lawson would send him?

It shouldn’t have surprised him that she would have thoroughly researched each member of the school board, to determine the yeas and nays. But how had she made the link to his Aunt Joan?

“You’ve done your homework,” he said at last, knowing it would be fruitless to probe at her methods.

“Always.”

“Chapter Three?—”

“The personal chapter,” she interrupted. “I’m aware that Joyce Ann has already informed her cousin, Resident Special Agent Mitch Lawson, about her concern. Who did your Aunt Joan discuss it with?”

“Her sister-in-law.” He raised a brow.

She sent him a don’t-waste-my-time look. “Lynette Blackwell, your mother.”

“Just checking.”

“It’s amazing, I know, but I’m still following this endless, epic tale.”

“She thought Liv could talk to you and find out if the accusation was true.”

“At least she gave me the benefit of the doubt.” She eyed him as if to say, Unlike her nephew. “Liv never spoke to me.”

“Zeke intercepted Mom before she could fill her in.”

“How did Zeke know?”

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