Page 55 of Jason's Justice
“Thanks,” Jason said as he took the paper, looked at it, then at his watch. “Drive me to the airport?”
“Absolutely,” Kevin said, and turned his back when Jason kissed Ilsa one last time, but promised to see her soon in Colorado.
In Kevin’s vehicle, Jason was silent for a few miles, then sighed heavily as he looked over at Kevin. “What are you going to do now?”
“I’ll stick around here for a couple more days, to make sure Ilsa will be okay, then I’m heading back to Seattle.”
“Oh,” Jason said sadly.
“Not permanently. Like you and Ilsa, I too have things I need to settle. The biggest contention in my divorce was my house. My grandfather built it with his own two hands. In the pre-nuptial agreement I had with Karen, she couldn’t touch it. Along with the fact that it wasn’t marital property. The divorce was hell because she wanted that house. But like I just said, I owned it before I even met her, not marital property, and I had an iron clad pre-nuptial agreement, along with a pit bull of a divorce lawyer. Now, if I want to take Erin Riceman up on her job offer of being in security alongside Duane, then I have to think long and hard if I want the job, and sell the house. I know it’s just a house…” his voice trailed off and Jason nodded.
“It’s the principle of it.”
“Yeah, I guess that’s what it is. I guess I need to go home, look around, call Erin to get the exact duties I would be doing, then have a long talk with Caleb.”
“Do you think he’ll come back to Seattle?”
“No, he’s got his perfect job, running his own practice, and doing what he loves. I don’t know if you picked up on it, but he and Katherine are an item. I don’t think either one of them will be leaving The Broken Wheel anytime soon.”
“Yeah, I got that same impression. I wish you luck, but like you said, you’ll have to come to terms with things all on your own. I wish you luck and hope to see you back at the ranch.”
“Do you know how long you’ll be?”
“No, I’m going to have to go back and deal with what happened this morning, then do the same as you and Ilsa by calling Erin, verifying she still wants me to work for her, then go through what I want to take, and what I will sell with the townhouse.”
“Well, for whatever it’s worth, I wish you well,” Kevin said as he pulled up to the drop off zone, and stuck his hand out. They shook, Jason hopped out, and grabbed his suitcases from the back. He gave a short wave before he walked into the airport. Once he made it through security and made his way to his gate, he noted he still had two hours before his flight was to leave, and he swung by the airport lounge to get some lunch, and a well-deserved drink as a celebration for the guilty conviction against George Grayson. The next trial would be against Larry Mason, but he didn’t have to participate it that. He had only been hired to go after Grayson. However, all the evidence used in his trial would also be used against Mason. The only thing different was that because he fully cooperated, then he would serve his time in a Federal facility, and life without parole was off the table. Unlike with Grayson who would be serving life alongside his son in the maximum-security prison.
While he ate, he called Erin, and gave her the result of the trial, and flat-out asked if she still needed him as a lawyer against Royal, the Firths, and Miller. When she said yes, he explained that he was on his way back to DC to deal with something that came up, and because he didn’t want to lie, he told her what he had to face, then asked where he would live when he returned. He nodded, grinned, and agreed when she told him he could have one of the cabins on Broken Two, next to Caleb and Katherine. He thanked her and hung up.
He finished his meal, paid, then sat there and called the detective in charge of the case. He said he would be in DC around midnight, and the detective agreed to pick him up. In the meantime, Jason told him everything he knew about Amber, the man she’d been with, and the real estate agent from when they broke into his home almost two years ago. The detective was very interested in what he had to say and they talked for a good hour. By the time Jason made his way to his gate, he wasexhausted, but knew the day wasn’t over. With the end of his life in DC looming, he looked forward to moving to Colorado permanently and starting a more serious relationship with Ilsa Miller, and starting a job where he could help Erin out. During the flight, he worked on questions to ask, and things that needed to be looked into. He knew Larry Mason and Duane Manchester would be a buffet of information about the guns that were sold to Royal, and how Manchester was the one that went over state lines with them. He nodded when they finally landed, and as he went to baggage claim, the saw a man standing there holding a sign with Jason’s name on it.
“I’m Jason Black,” he walked up to the man.
“Detective Glennis,” the man said and pulled his shield. Together they grabbed Jason’s suitcases and he only asked one question.
“Is my home still a crime scene?”
“No, we got all the information we needed from your housekeeper. The crime technicians finished, and we gave Mrs. Hastings permission to clean up after them. You’re free to go home. That’s where I’m taking you now. It’s late, I wanted to meet you, and you can come into the precinct in the morning. I have a few programs running, and should have the information I’m seeking available by the time you arrive.”
“Thank you, I’ll be there at nine. And thank you for the lift home.”
“No problem,” Detective Glennis said, and they rode the rest of the way in silence.
CHAPTER 23
“Help you?”Duane asked the man behind the wheel of the U-Haul, then grinned widely. “Hey, Jason Black, I’m going to go out on a limb here, but based on you driving this U-Haul, you’re here permanently?”
“Yes. I talked with Erin two months ago before I went back to DC to clean up my life back there. She said I could move into a cabin over on Broken Two. I wanted to stop in and tell Erin I’ve arrived.”
“And DC?”
“In my rearview mirror. I dealt with the problem of someone breaking in and trying to claim it was their house. Pressed charges, sat at her trial, then went to her arch nemesis and gave her the commission to sell my town house. I have my clothes, my bedroom set, and a few other things. I’ve been talking with Erin, and she said she’d clean it out except for the appliance. I want to tell her I’m here.”
“Park at the end of the vehicles and go in and talk to her. She’s in her office.” Jason did as instructed, and when he got out of the truck, he stretched, then walked stiffly toward the back door of the main house. He went down the hall and wrappedhis knuckles on the doorjamb. He laughed when Erin looked up, gave a scream, and came running around her desk toward him.
“You’re here!” She laughed as she hugged him, then stood back and studied him intently. “You look exhausted.”
“I am. Who knew selling my town house, quitting my job, and dealing with a psycho could be so draining. But it’s all done. The person who broke into my home was dealt with by a court of law, and she’s serving time.” He grinned. “I contacted her arch nemesis to commission her to sell my home. Then I had to discuss my leaving my job with the President, he wasn’t happy, but he allowed it.”
