Page 62 of Mine to Protect

“It was bad enough that I knew my boyfriend was out there following a bunch of thugs around. But now it’s my brotherandRhett?” She rubbed her temples.

“Chris has gotten us this far,” Jackie said.

“My niece is right.” Jackie’s uncle leaned forward from his perch on the reclining chair. “He’s done things for us that no one else has.”

The other man, who looked a lot like Joe, pushed from the sofa. “He knew to bring us to Lighthouse Cove. He’s kept all of us safe for weeks. He’s a very smart man, and he’ll do well in this line of work.”

“Excuse me?” Shelby blinked.

Jackie took her hand. “He didn’t want to tell you until he was done, but he’s been taking college classes at night.”

Shelby gasped. Her brother was full of secrets lately.

“He’s only got one semester left in criminal justice. He wants to be a police officer,” Jackie said with a beaming smile and tears running down her cheeks. “He wants to make you proud.”

“I’m hiring,” Rebecca said. “If you are willing to relocate. And Chris will have to learn not to go rogue like this again.”

Shelby’s breath hitched. This was not where her brain needed to be right now. She turned and stared at Rebecca. “What’s the plan?” She decided to direct her attention to the problem at hand. She’d deal with all the other stuff when she came face-to-face with her brother.

Rebecca planted her hands on her hips. “I’m going to bring Albert, Joe, and Melissa back to the station. It’s the safest place for them. Jackie can stay here with you and Miles, or she can come with us. It’s up to her, as long as she understands that I will need a full statement from her later.”

“I want to stay with Shelby for now, if that’s okay,” Jackie said.

Rebecca nodded.

“What about Chris and Rhett?” Shelby asked.

“Emmerson and Emmett are at the state park. It’s watch and wait right now,” Rebecca said. “We take our cues from them.” She waved her hand at the front door. “We need to get going while we have the bad guys contained at the park.”

Shelby wrapped her arms around her middle.

Jackie hugged her family.

Her parents.

That thought filled Shelby’s heart with a wave of sadness and regret. She missed her father so much it hurt her soul. But seeing Jackie reunited with her flesh and blood filled Shelby with gratitude. Shelby had so many happy memories that she wouldn’t trade for anything.

Not even those five years between Key West and now.

Everything happened for a reason.

Her father used to tell her that all the time, and now she fully believed the statement.

Her life had come full circle.

Miles closed the door.

“Did you tell your mother about all the evidence?” Jackie asked.

Miles nodded.

“What are you talking about?” Shelby shifted her gaze between Jackie and Miles, her stare narrowed.

“Information that will help my mother nail Tony Gorga to the wall and protect Albert, Melissa, and Joe,” Miles said. “I want you to know that I left your brother behind without my brother’s blessing, but I know it was the right thing to do. Rhett was outnumbered and outgunned. I didn’t know how fast my mom could get Emmerson and Emmett in place, and there is only so much they can do.”

“I don’t like being in the dark, and I sure as shit don’t like being lied to.” Shelby made her way to the sliding glass doors and stared out over the pool toward the river. The sun beat down on the ripples as an easterly breeze came across the water. A couple of otters swam by.

“I don’t believe Rhett has lied to you,” Miles said. “He didn’t know about all this stuff.”

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