Page 55 of Mine to Protect

Shelby laughed before taking another sip. She stared out into the blue sky as sun kissed the beach. She closed her eyes and sucked in a deep breath. “How long do you think Rhett will be?”

“As long as it takes,” Rebecca said. “I need to go shower and get this work stench off me. You sit here, sip your drink, and enjoy. I’ll be back shortly.” Rebecca stood. “Try to relax. We’re going to figure this out and get your brother back.”

Shelby took Rebecca by the hand. “Thank you.”

“This might be premature, but that’s what family is all about.”

* * *

Rhett pulledhis Jeep up behind a dark SUV that was parked in front of a twenty-five-foot camper at the site that Miles had texted. He slid from behind the steering wheel, and a young man immediately appeared from the recreational vehicle.

“You must be Rhett,” the man said.

Rhett closed the gap, stretching out his hand. “I take it you’re Chris.”

“Thank you for coming. Why don’t we take a walk?”

“Not until I see who all is here and have a chat with my brother.” Rhett glanced over his shoulder. He’d been in contact with Miles since the moment he drove through the gate. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Chris, but he certainly didn’t trust Albert and Joe Staub. And he didn’t know Melissa, Albert’s wife, from a hole in the ground. All Rhett had to go on was what he now believed were lies concocted by whoever wanted the four of them dead, and bullshit articles planted on the internet.

However, he had no idea what kind of people the Staubs really were. For all he knew, they were as crooked as kinky hair.

“I’m right here, big brother.” Miles jogged across the street. He gave Rhett a manly pat on the back. “The campground is secure. My friend Annie has eyes everywhere.”

“That’s good to know.” Rhett had a brick in the pit of his stomach. This felt off. He didn’t know what or why, but he didn’t like something about the situation. “Where’s everyone else?”

“Inside the RV,” Chris said.

“I want to see and talk with them.” Rhett held up his hand when Chris tried to talk. “I know you have an agenda, and I appreciate that. But you need to understand that I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place. I have questions that need answers, and—”

“I need to protect Jackie’s family. Both her uncle and her parents.”

“I want to do that, too, but I need to knowwhyI’m doing that. And I want to hear that not just from you but also from them.” Rhett rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m here out of respect for you and because I care about your sister.”

“That’s fair,” Chris said. “Give me a second. Okay?”

Rhett nodded.

Chris turned on his heels and went back into the trailer.

“Have you met them?” Rhett asked his brother.

“Just Jackie. She’s a sweet girl. Scared shitless, but nice,” Miles said. “I have, however, seen all of them. They’ve had to come out of that RV to use the facilities and whatnot.”

“What do you make of all this?”

“I’d be speculating since the only person Chris wants to have a conversation with is you, but when I asked him why, since I’m your brother and work for you sometimes, his only response was that Shelby trusted you. And only you.” Miles stuffed his hands into his pockets.

Rhett glanced up and down the street, noting all the other trailers and vehicles. A few families sat at their picnic tables, eating lunch. A couple rode their bikes down the road. Children laughed as they raced by on their way to the playground with the parents yelling at them to slow down as they trailed behind.

A vision of him and Shelby sitting by his pool while a couple of their kids swam and played filled his head.

Suddenly, he felt like an elephant was sitting on his chest. That wasn’t what he’d expected. He’d just gotten used to the idea that he was entering into a serious relationship. One that he anticipated would be his last.

Shelby was the girl for him, but he’d never thought about children.

He was forty-three years old. Granted, he wasn’t an old man, and she was only thirty-five, but they hadn’t even had that conversation. He suddenly became dizzy. He pinched the bridge of his nose and took in a deep breath. “What’s your overall feeling about Chris?”

“I believe he’s being genuine,” Miles said. “I did some digging last night and this morning on the Staub family and their ties to the Gorga organization and the Mortellis.”

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