Page 18 of I'll Carry You

“I came to warn you. I tried calling, but your phone went to voice mail. Lucky for you, I figured the drive was worth it for my favorite client.” The smirk on TJ’s face made it clear he fully intended to bill Jason for the drive. He rubbed his bearded chin. “Ned’s in town.”

Jason shot him a quick look before unlocking the cabin. What sort of place didn’t have electric keys these days? He slipped the key back into his pocket, processing TJ’s words. The news should surprise and worry him more than it did. But really, if TJ had found him, it wasn’t that surprising that Ned had. “Why?”

“Because your car license plate showed up at an impound lot.”

Right.Because, of course.

He set his mouth to a line. “Come on in.”

“I told you, you were playing with fire by coming here.” TJ slipped in behind him. “Interesting place, though. Definitely not where I’d expect to find you. You planning on staging aButch Cassidy and the Sundance Kidwhen they come for your money?”

Jason stalked toward the kitchen. He rummaged through the fridge and pulled out a plastic water bottle. The cap popped as he opened it and he took a swig. “They didn’t have a normal hotel in town.”

“You mean they didn’t have a five-star luxury hotel in town? There’s a difference between what you consider normal and what everyone else does.” TJ sat on one of the barstools at the open kitchen countertop.

“All right, get on with it. Clearly, you’re interested in telling me more than the fact that Ned is here. We both know you could have done that with a phone call.”

TJ shrugged, reaching into the basket of complimentary fruit. He plucked out a banana and turned it upside down. “You know most people peel their bananas wrong? Watch a nature show. This is how the monkeys do it.” He popped the peel off the bottom and took a bite. “I could have told you everything by phone. But I figure it’s our one and only time to hang out.”

“That and you can charge me for travel.” Jason set both hands down on the counter, facing him.

TJ chuckled. “And I can charge you for travel.” He took another bite of the banana. “You were right about Amanda. She’s pregnant.”

Instant, purple rage curdled in his throat, the back of his neck tensing as he mashed his teeth together. “That bitch.”

One more way she could ruin his life. Cunning, manipulativewhore.

He never should have married her. But she’d been model-like gorgeous and they’d shared all the same friends. A perfect match, according to everyone. And it made his grandfather happy. Jason should have known then she was no good. His grandfather had a way of pushing Jason toward things that suited his interests more than Jason’s.

“It’s hundreds of millions. You called it.” TJ chewed noisily.

“It’s not mine.” He had called it. He’d known the instant Amanda heard about his grandfather’s will that she’d try something like this. The will had been about as clear as mud about the whole thing anyway and if there was a case to be made, she’d try to do it.

“Are you sure?” TJ dipped his chin, scrutinizing him closely.

Jason’s eyes narrowed. “She’s been fucking Chad Duncan for years. Ninety-nine-point-nine percent positive it’s his. And I’m willing to bet a paternity test on it.”

“Ninety-nine-point nine isn’t one hundred.”

He was aware of that fact. And hated it. “Thanks, genius. You know I didn’t get to be CFO because I’m not familiar with numbers.”

“Still.” TJ shrugged. “Between her and this whole thing with Kevin, whatever inheritance you have could wind up in court disputes for years.”

Jason rubbed his eyes. “Years the company doesn’t have before the Powells and Chad run it into the ground.” He finished the water bottle and crumpled it in his fist, the plastic crackling. “What are my options?”

“I’m a private investigator, not a lawyer. What the hell do I know?” TJ leaned back in the stool and swung his feet on the counter. “But you might want to talk to yours.”

Jason’s head throbbed. This was quickly snowballing into a monster of a situation—one that he had little desire to direct. He glared at TJ. “Since you’ve made yourself so useful to me with this and clearly have time on your hands to be here, what do you say to the proposition of handling this for me?”

“You know, I’m not your personal assistant.” TJ crossed his arms. “I also don’t care about your business.”

“Yeah, but you’re the only one I trust.”

TJ chortled. “Now you’re sounding like your grandfather.” He tossed his head back and forth as though weighing the offer. “How much are we talking?”

Jason strode back toward his room. “Double whatever I normally pay you.”

“Triple,” TJ called out. “And I need someplace to stay. You have an extra room?”

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