Page 110 of Proof of Guilt

Good. A name could lead them to possible bank records. From what Theo could hear of Jameson’s conversation, he was already working on that.

“I’m having the hands beef up security at the ranch,” Gabriel went on. He was looking at his sister now. “I’m debating whether to go back there or move Nathan, Jodi and you to a safe house.”

“Jodi won’t go,” Theo quickly said.

Gabriel didn’t argue with that. Probably because he knew Jodi well. Jodi was a well-trained security specialist and would consider it an insult if she was tucked away while others were in danger. But maybe Theo could put a different spin on this to get her to go.

“What if Jodi realizes she’d be protecting Ivy and Nathan if she went?” Theo asked.

Gabriel nodded. “That could work. It’d also work if you went with them. That way, I wouldn’t have to tie up a deputy.”

Theo felt as if Gabriel had just turned the tables on him. He did want to be with Ivy and Nathan. He wanted to protect them. But it would be hard to find the person behind this if he was shut away in a safe house.

Before Theo could respond to Gabriel, Wesley finished his call and joined them. Theo could tell from the agent’s expression that he’d learned something.

Something that Theo might not like.

“I just had a tech do a computer search on our person of interest,” Wesley explained. “Birch McKenzie. Like I said, he owns a bar in San Antonio, and it’s not exactly a five-star place. When I was a beat cop, we were always getting calls to go out to the place. Anyway, SAPD’s bringing in McKenzie now for questioning, but the tech found an interesting connection. To you,” he added, looking at Theo.

Theo shook his head and was certain he’d never heard the man’s name before today. “You think I know McKenzie?”

“No. But your uncle August does.” Wesley paused, his mouth tightening. “August lent McKenzie the money to buy the bar.”

Gabriel mumbled some profanity under his breath and took out his phone again. “I’ll get August in here right away for questioning. And he’d better have the right answers.”

CHAPTER SIX

Ivy tried to put on a brave face for her son’s sake, but she felt none of that braveness inside her. She was terrified, not for herself but for Nathan. He was much too young to be caught up in the middle of this.

“How much longer do we have to be here?” Nathan asked her. Considering they’d been at Gabriel’s office for well over an hour, she was surprised he hadn’t asked that sooner. Maybe, though, that was because he’d been interested in the movie Jodi had downloaded for him.

“We’ll be able to leave soon,” Ivy told him, and hoped it wasn’t a lie. Actually, she wasn’t certain how long it would take Gabriel to set up a safe house.

One where Nathan, Jodi and she would apparently be going. With Theo. That caused her stomach to tighten even more than it already was. Because there was little chance that Theo would keep the truth from Nathan much longer.

“But what about Aunt Jodi and Uncle Gabriel’s wedding?” Nathan pressed. He yawned. No surprise there, since it was a little past his nine o’clock bedtime. Plus, it’d been the day from Hades what with the attack.

“We might have to delay that a day or two,” Jodi answered. She was in the corner of Gabriel’s office, working on a laptop. Theo was in the other corner, doing the same. All of them waiting for the deputy to bring in August.

Nathan made a sound of disappointment. In his case it was probably because he’d been expecting cake and party food. But Ivy figured what he felt was a drop in the bucket compared to what Jodi and Gabriel did. They’d waited a long time for this wedding, and now it might have to be delayed indefinitely.

Jodi stood, stretching, and she set the laptop aside. “I’m getting a bottle of water. Anyone else want one?”

Theo, Nathan and Ivy shook their heads. Gabriel had already brought in burgers from the café just up the street, and the only one who’d touched any of it was Nathan. Nothing seemed to dampen his appetite.

Jodi stepped out, closing the door behind her. A precaution no doubt, so that Nathan wouldn’t be able to hear anything that was being said in the squad room where Gabriel, Jameson, Wesley and two deputies were working.

“It’s like there are a bunch of secrets going on,” Nathan said, snagging both Ivy’s and Theo’s attention. Nathan looked at both of them, probably waiting for them to verify that.

They didn’t.

Mumbling something she didn’t catch, her son got up from the desk and went to the small bed that Ivy had made for him on the floor. Basically, it was a couple of blankets and a pillow that she’d gotten from the break room. It wouldn’t be long before Nathan was sacked out—which was a good thing, considering the loud voice she heard out in the squad room.

Not August Canton.

But it was a familiar voice.

“Lacey,” Ivy provided when Theo looked at her.

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