Page 109 of The Mastermind

“You ruined my family!”

Tears flowed down Audri’s face as I pulled her into me. She turned her face into my chest and sobbed.

“You can spend the rest of your life in jail.” After several more punches, Grayson slid to the floor.

“You can’t prove shit.” Derek panted, looking pale. “My lawyer will get me out in no time.”

I yanked out my phone, grinned, and pressed play. It repeated, “You can’t prove shit.My lawyer will get me out in no time.”

Derek’s jaw dropped as fear splashed across his face.

I glanced at my watch, nodded at my men, and they left.

Ten minutes later, sirens blasted, and the real FBI agents arrived. My PI had been listening in and gauged the right time to notify his friends at the bureau about a kidnapping and a murder case that needed investigating.

The agents read Derek and Mallory their Miranda rights and took them away.

“I loved your mother, which was why I stayed around to help her take care of you and Grayson. She should have been mine,” Derek said as he walked past us.

“That’s not love.” Audri glared at him. “That’s greed.” Her voice was calmer than I expected.

Grayson came up to Audri. “You okay?”

“I should ask you that.” She touched his swollen lips. Derek had gotten in a few blows too.

“I let him take a few hits. It would be wrong to beat the shit out of an old man.”

Audri’s lips quirked. “We’ll have to talk to Mom.”

“We’ll do it together.” Grayson turned to me. “You got her? I need to talk to the agents.”

“Go.”

Grayson placed a hand on my shoulders. “Thanks, man.” I understood what he didn’t say. He was grateful for what I’d uncovered about Derek and for looking after Audri.

Audri watched her brother follow the agents out of the warehouse as more tears streamed down her face.

“Here.” I dug into my pocket and offered her a bunched tissue. “I have more in the car.”

She glanced at the scrunched-up tissue and laughed. “You’re giving me a dirty tissue?”

I scratched my head. “Umm . . .” I couldn’t remember.

She took it from my hand, blew her nose, and tossed it into the trash bin.

“How are you feeling?” I rubbed the red mark on her face, wanting to erase all her pain.

“Sore and very . . . tired.”

“Let’s have the EMS check you out.” I walked her out of the warehouse.

She stopped in her steps and looked up at me. “How did you record Derek? How did you know I was here?”

I lifted her wrist and tapped the aqua bracelet I’d given her a while back. “It’s wired for emergency tracking. After the incident at the shopping center, I had a feeling something else might happen. I had to know that you’d be safe, but I would only activate it on an emergency basis. It has audio recordings too, so I have a copy of everything he said.”

“Oh . . .” She rubbed her fingers over the gems, staring at the bracelet.

What was on her mind?

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