Page 85 of Mine to Keep

“In your office.” He scrolled through articles, pictures, and other information, and his stomach soured.

He’d poked the bear, and he didn’t like what he’d found.

And it pissed him off that his mother had been right.

Of course, this could be what Bryn wanted to talk to him about tonight, and he had to give her the benefit of the doubt.

He had to. Because he loved her, and he couldn’t change that fact if he tried.

Rhett crossed the threshold and tossed a folder onto the desk. “You really don’t want to read that.”

“What is it, exactly?” He opened the file and let out an audible gasp. “Jesus.”

“That’s the only hospital record I found, by the way. But I bet there are more.”

“Her husband did that to her?”

“That’s not what the report says, but yeah, I’d say that man was quite the bastard.”

Jamison swallowed as he turned a few pages and scanned what his brother had uncovered.

“The night Timothy Perish died, he got into a wicked fight with his wife. There aren’t any pictures or anything that I could find, but there are reports from those that worked at the club. One person said she was out of control. Another person said it was him that was over the top. Lots of conflicting stories, actually. But everyone can agree that when Timothy left the club, he was drunk and possibly high on coke. His parents wholeheartedly blame Brenda for his death. They even threatened a wrongful death suit against her when the authorities didn’t see any reason to bring charges against her.”

“There would be no reason since she wasn’t in the car,” Jamison said as he continued looking at images and stories that didn’t make any sense.

Bryn had lied to him.

About everything.

Part of him understood. Deep down, he knew that he’d do the same thing. One hundred fucking percent he’d lie.

The question then became: Was she going to tell him the truth?

“What else have you found out?” Jamison asked.

“The Perishes have spent a fair amount of money looking into Brenda’s death. There was an investigation, and they were adamant at one point that she wasn’t dead. They have people watching Brenda’s sister and her dad.”

“Jesus. I wish I could bring them to Bryn. This is just so fucking unfair.”

“I agree. But to tell you the truth, Bryn did the right thing by disappearing. That family is horrible. What he did to her for ten damn years—”

“I don’t need a recap,” Jamison said. His heart beat so fast it hurt. If the Perish family knew about Zadie, they would come after her, and they wouldn’t give a shit who they stepped on in order to take her from her mother.

There was no fucking way Jamison would let anything happen to Zadie, much less allow mother and child to be separated.

From him.

As angry as he was that she hadn’t yet trusted him enough to tell him the truth, based on what he’d learned about her in-laws, he didn’t blame her. Hopefully, he’d be able to get her to do that tonight.

“A friend of mine is poking around the family. I should know more by tomorrow.”

Jamison picked up his cell and texted a couple of buddies, asking them if they could take his shift.

Immediately, one of his friends responded with a yes.

Wonderful. He could spend tonight with Bryn, and he wouldn’t have to get up at five in the morning to go to work. He could stay and take care of her, and they could work on a plan for what to do next.

“Stay on this,” he said. “And promise me you won’t tell Mom yet.”

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