“I have a gut feeling we’re getting to the end of the tunnel, so to speak.” I appreciate Jake’s attempt at reassurance, but that’s all I’ve got in me—appreciation. I honestly can’t say that I believe him.
“I’m going to take my brothers back to our dad’s place. Keep me updated on the Patricia thing. Let me know if you get any leads.”
“Yeah, I will do that. I’ll head over there once the crime scene crew finishes here. I’m pretty sure your father’s house will be the next target if they need those codes. I’m going to get a few undercover agents on your security team, so we’re ready if they make a play for them.”
Blowing out a big breath, I nod. “Okay. I’ll see you later then.”
Once he has the keys and directions to lock up, I go off in search of my brothers. Later that afternoon, Chuck and Melinda return to their own home with our promise to let them know if we hear anything. Melinda had been pale and looking unwell the whole time they had been here, so Nana insisted she go home to rest.
They’d been trying to get hold of Maxine to tell her about Harlow, but she hasn't been answering her phone. That, of course, caused an expected amount of panic until I told them what she had asked me to do. I couldn't let them go on thinking she was missing too. They were understandably shocked by their daughter running off since as far as they knew they were supposed to be meeting her for lunch the next day, but we finally got a response from her that confirmed she was well and would face the music with them in a few days.
Once they left, we all kind of drifted apart. Everyone’s feeling a little lost while waiting for Jake to finish up over at the other house. With two different crime scenes to process, it was late afternoon by the time he came over and finished integrating his agents into the security detail.
The house feels like it’s covered in a cloud of fog. Everyone is subdued and miserable. Jacinta is barely consolable, swinging between tears and anger-filled rants about how she could have done more. When Holden spoke to Hope, she wanted to come out, but he insisted she stay at her apartment in the city. We need one less person for us to worry about, and it will be easy enough to keep her updated via phone. It’s not like we’re drowning in progress.
All of us are hanging out in the living area while Mrs. Heyton bustles about trying to feed us and keep us supplied with coffee. Ben has retired to Nana and Poppy’s wing of the house to pack. I think he felt uncomfortable and in the way. Poor guy, I’m sure it’s not the reunion they expected. I overheard them talking, telling him to return home. I know they plan to visit him once everything is settled, but they’ve all still got to be pretty disappointed.
Meanwhile, I have my laptop open in front of me. Jake and I are waiting for everything the tech team found on Patricia, including a couple of addresses for properties in her name. My email pings, telling me the information has arrived just as Dad’s phone rings.
I don't pay any attention to what he says as I open up the file, but his shouting has me looking up before I’ve really gotten to check anything out.
He puts down the phone, his eyes alight with excitement. “That was Chris. He wanted to ask me about a flight plan that Jaxon just filed. He said it was for eight this evening, but he wasn’t sure if he could find a pilot in time since he and James are off for the next week.”
“They must be trying to leave the country.” Declan stands up from the couch. “We can’t let them do that.”
I frown and exchange a look with Jake, noting he looks as perplexed as I feel.
“That doesn't seem right. Why would they leave the country without the codes to all the vaults?” I ask him.
“Maybe they plan on hiring a safe cracker? Or blowing them up. It works in our favor if they’re trying to make a run for it. I could have them surrounded by international authorities within hours. Where did the flight plan say they were going?” Jake asks Dad.
“Russia.” Jake and I exchange another look.
“That’s weird. The twins don’t have any holdings in Russia. Or none that were in the trust, at least.”
“Yeah, but the will might actually say something different. Maybe it mentioned off-the-books places,” Oli says.
“You and Harlow never read it?” I ask my brother, and he shakes his head.
“No, then we didn't have to lie about what it said.”
“Yet you lied about its existence,” Kai drawls dryly.
I ignore their bickering; there’s nothing that can be done about it now. There’s something tickling the edge of my mind, a thought that I just can’t grasp. Something is telling me that this is all wrong.
“What if it’s a ploy to get us out of the house?” Holden says from where he’s sitting. He’s got an arm wrapped around Jacinta, though it’s not doing as much good as it normally would. “Maybe it’s just some kind of distraction?”
They all start to chatter, but I ignore it and sit down, reading over the information on Patricia. It lists her as owning three properties—an apartment in the city, a house in Connecticut, and a cabin about an hour from here.
“Hey, hey!” Jake shouts, holding up his hand to quiet my family. “This is what’s going to happen. They’ll probably be watching the place to see that you leave, so I would suggest that Thomas and the rest of you guys be seen getting into your SUV and driving toward the airport. If it’s a ploy to get you out of the house, we need to sell it.”
“But what if they’re actually going to be there?” Jacinta interrupts.
“I’ll have agents there to make sure the flight can’t leave,” he assures her. “Then I and the rest of our agents here will wait for them to arrive. We’ll have this wrapped up by nightfall.”
“I think that we should check out Patricia’s cabin. Maybe they’re holding Jaxon and Harlow there,” I suggest to Jake, pointing to the information on my laptop.
“That actually sounds like a good idea. Even if they aren't, we may find another lead. Though hopefully they’ll tell us once we have them apprehended.”
