Page 31 of Mine to Protect

But not necessarily the conversation. That could be helpful, depending on what Chris said.

“Fine. You can talk first. However, I need you to follow my script. Can you do that?”

She nodded. “Tell me what to say.”

“You need to use your own words so it sounds authentic. However, I’ll give you the basics.” He shifted in his seat. Siblings had a code. At least, he and his brothers did. They never had to discuss it. They never even made it up. They just understood each other innately. Their language came in a glance or a tone conveyed in a word. It didn’t take much.

If she was as close to her brother as she claimed, she could hint to something without Rhett knowing, even though he was damn fucking good at his job.

That thoroughly pissed him off. Royally.

“Ask him to come to me sooner. Tell him—no,beghim—not to go to the bank. If he—”

The phone buzzed.

“Just convince him.” Rhett hit the green button a little aggressively with his finger as the phone shifted on the table. He tapped the speaker button.

Shelby swallowed. “Chris?”

“Tell me what’s going down at the bank,” Chris said.

“Come to Rhett’s house.” Shelby stared at the phone. “It’s the safest place for you and Jackie. He’s not the enemy in this.”

Chris laughed, but it wasn’t the kind of laugh where something was funny. It had a sarcastic ring to it. “Next thing you’re going to tell me, is that he’s not sitting right next to you, listening to this conversation.”

“No, she’s not,” Rhett said, needing to cut through the bullshit. He reached across the table and took Shelby’s hand, giving it a good squeeze. “Your sister is scared and confused. I can’t help either of you if I don’t have answers, and I can’t protect you if you do something stupid.”

“I need that key,” Chris said.

“That’s out of my hands.” Rhett wasn’t above lying to Chris about many things, but this wasn’t one of them. “Unfortunately, that became evidence, and I can’t get it.”

“Take me off speaker,” Chris said.

Rhett jumped to his feet and did as the man asked.

Shelby covered her mouth and gasped.

“It’s going to be okay,” Rhett said. “Go inside. Let me do what I do best.” He turned and took three paces. It was time to deal with this and get it all out in the open. At least, with Chris. “Okay. I’m out of earshot.” He hated doing that to Shelby, but if that was what it took to get Chris talking, so be it.

“Who the fuck are you to my sister?”

Rhett jerked his head. That was not what he’d expected to be the first thing out of Chris’s mouth. “An old friend.”

“Funny. She never mentioned you to me.”

“Right now, all I care about is making sure you, Jackie, and Shelby are safe. I can’t do that if you’re still running and, frankly, lying to me.” Rhett rubbed his temple. “But let’s be real. You brought this to my door for a reason.”

“I don’t want my sister anywhere near this. I’ve been trying to keep her out of it. That’s why I ran.”

“Why did you pick Lighthouse Cove?” Rhett didn’t believe in coincidences. There had to be a connection. A reason that Chris and Jackie had skipped out on their hometown in Jacksonville and landed where Rhett lived. Right where someone from Shelby’s past lived, who happened to be a private investigator and also had a cop for a mom.

“We got off the interstate, and that’s where we landed. That’s all.”

“Bullshit,” Rhett said. “Next thing you’re going to tell me is that you didn’t have someone call Shelby and tell her to go to Lighthouse Cove to collect your belongings.”

“So what if I did?” Chris said.

“And what about theanonymous tipthe cops got about the necklace and where to find it? That’s so weirdly random that it makes no fucking sense at all.”

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