Page 87 of Long Road Home

“Huh.” Kenna turned her back to the counter and sipped the coffee. “Anything else?”

“I’m working on Forrest’s case. The law firm took me on as a contract researcher.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” Maizie said. “I sent them some information, and they jumped on it. Stairns verified my abilities and vouched for my integrity. No one’s ever done that before. Said I was trustworthy.”

“Doesn’t mean it’s not true.”

“I knowyouthink it. You gave me access to like…everything.”

“You earned that respect,” Kenna said. She wasn’t going to get into how with other people in earshot. They didn’t need to know sensitive family business—everything Jax already knew full well. She wanted to find out if they had boundaries on how they communicated. Not because she was concerned, but just to hear about how he was protecting Maizie’s recovery. Because she wanted to know everything and she felt a lot like mama bear with this teen.

“Love you.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Kenna hung up and wandered to Jax, at the table with his back to her. He twisted his shoulders, and she leaned down to whisper, “Destain’s financials.”

Jax’s gaze narrowed. He and Pilsborough both pushed their chairs back and stood. They seemed to communicate without words, not saying anything. They approached the back of the couch, and in one move flipped it back and onto the floor. Destain’s legs swept through the air, and he tumbled onto the floor, waking up sputtering.

“What the flip are you guys doing?” He rolled over onto his backside and scrubbed his hands down his face.

“Funny,” Kenna said. “I was going to ask you the same thing. Like how come you suddenly made a big payment on your car. The one beyond your government salary. Or the fact you have money stashed in offshore bank accounts. Care to share, Marshal Destain?”

Destain stared up at the three of them standing around him. Jim shifted to set his bowl aside, on the floor, staying where he was. The marshal said, “You think I’m dirty?” He twisted to the side to face Pilsborough. “For reals? Me?”

“Then you should have a good explanation for the windfall.” Pilsborough’s expression remained neutral. The fact Jax vouched for him made all the difference, but it didn’t mean Destain hadn’t been implicated.

With what happened to Forrest, that seemed to be going around. But no way were the two related. At least not connected.

Kenna had either succeeded in losing Stan Tilley, or he would show up at some point. She’d rather be back helping Forrest and the lawyer, Lucas Amrand, clear her name. Maizie was great at what she did, and she could find anything if it was connected to the internet. Any file. Any record. Evidence that would exonerate Forrest, or at least put enough suspicion on someone else that she would be out from under the spotlight.

Jax glanced at her.

Kenna needed this moved along so they could get going. “Talk, Destain. Or we leave you out in the snow.” She folded her arms, creating that so familiar twinge ache in her forearms. She’d come so far. Things that used to be familiar felt new again, and her world had shifted. Amid the changes, she found herself struggling to keep up.

Destain shook his head. “Fine. I didn’t put the operation in jeopardy.” He looked at Pilsborough. “I wouldn’t do that.”

“I hope not,” his colleague said.

“They leaned on me for information, but when I didn’t give it up, they said they’d make it look like I was guilty. That huge payment landed in an offshore account in my name. Why not use some of it to pay down my car? They can’t take it back if I’ve already transferred it out. I should get something for my pain and suffering!”

“Being implicated as dirty?” Kenna said. “Seems a little convenient.”

“They were going to ruin me! Why not get something out of it?” Destain lifted his chin, but the effect wasn’t the same considering he was still sitting on the floor.

Jax said, “Let’s get you some dinner, and you can explain the whole thing.” He apparently wanted to play good cop in this scenario.

“While Jax gets you some chili,” Kenna said, “why don’t you tell me who these people are? Because so far we’ve had locals and another group in an SUV right on their tails. So what is it? Two different groups after Jim here”—she waved in his direction—“or one set of people with deep pockets, or a whole lot of connections?”

Destain shifted and stood.

Kenna took a step back. He clocked her move and didn’t like it. Did he think she would allow herself to be vulnerable?

“I don’t know who they are,” Destain said. “I got an unregistered email on my personal account. They sent pictures of my family. My friends. They threatened to ruin my career. They told me they do this all the time, framing people and making it look like they committed murder.” He shrugged. “I’m not going to jail. I can’t.”

And yet, he’d kept their money. He hadn’t gone to his boss at the marshals and explained the situation.

But something he said caught her attention.

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