Marcus didn’t respond, simply stared Beaumont down.The man broke in seconds.“I came to get Daniella to sign some papers.”
“You tried to kill her.”
Beaumont shook his head.“No.I need her to sign the papers.That’s all I came for.”
Marcus barely blinked.“What papers?”
Beaumont’s eyes flickered to Dani, then Boomer, back to Marcus.“The family wants to merge the company, but she’s refusing to help.We need the money.She has no part in the company, but she won’t sign.Won’t do a simple thing to help her family.”
“Where are these papers?”
Beaumont blinked and stammered a few times.Lawson kept the laugh inside.
Marcus continued to stare Beaumont down.“You stated you arrived at this property to get papers signed.Where are the papers?”
The man’s mouth opened and closed, but no words came out.The dumbass hadn’t even brought the documents with him.So much for that excuse.
Marcus pulled out his handcuffs.“Jeremy Beaumont, you’re under arrest for attempted murder.More charges to be added later.”
“No!”Beaumont screamed.“I need her to sign.I wouldn’t have needed to come here if she would just sign.It would all be over.All she has to do is sign, and that fixes everything.It’s all her fault for being such a pathetic bitch.”
Marcus hauled Beaumont to his feet and led him to the cruiser, Boomer following in his wake.The dog was having the best time, which helped Lawson contain his need to slam his fist into the jerk’s face.
Marcus returned once Beaumont sat secured in the cruiser’s back seat.“I have a deputy coming out.She’ll get Beaumont booked and locked up on the first set of charges.I want to finish evaluating the scene and collecting evidence.Beaumont doesn’t strike me as a master criminal, and I’m sure we’ll find more than we need.Hell, we already have enough for probably a dozen charges, but I want all the evidence I can get.”
Dani sagged into Lawson’s side.“Do whatever you need to do, but please come in and have something to eat first.Lawson made enough sandwiches to feed a few dozen people.”
That made Lawson laugh.“I probably did.It was the only thing I could think of doing that would keep me from kicking Beaumont’s ass.”
Marcus grinned.“Good choice.I’d hate to arrest a friend.”
Lawson smiled back, but he knew he would have done anything to keep Dani safe if it had been required.He figured Marcus knew it as well.
He took Dani’s hand and led them to the cottage with Bibi on her other side.“Come inside, everyone.We’ve got sandwiches.”
With a cheer, everyone moved inside.Dani’s cottage wasn’t large, but nobody cared.They were together, all safe, and that’s all that mattered.
Dani didn’t want to let Lawson or Bibi out of her sight.Although Marcus had sent Jeremy off with another deputy, she still worried he hadn’t been working alone and that he might attempt to injure one of them.
What if her parents had sent Jeremy?Or Evelyn or Nathaniel.That didn’t feel right, and she shoved the thought away.Was she such a terrible judge of character that her sister could have fooled her?They’d had several conversations over the past week, and in each one, Dani had felt a stronger connection .Even her texts with Nathaniel had been less strained as they got to know each other.
Dani sat on a kitchen chair beside Lawson, who’d brought his chair right next to hers.He hadn’t let go of her either.Jolie sat on her other side.Knox walked behind them and patted her shoulder.
Amber and Gray remained outside with the fire investigators and police.Boomer was looking for evidence for them.
Being surrounded by so many good people, she realized she couldn’t be a terrible judge of character.Her sister and brother weren’t in on this.She couldn’t be sure of her parents because she hadn’t spoken to them.Not like she’d had with Evelyn.
Could her parents have sent their son-in-law to hurt her?Kill her?
It seemed impossible.That was the stuff of movies, not real life.
As if sensing her thoughts, Lawson leaned in.“You doing okay?”
She nodded.“I don’t think Evelyn had anything to do with this.”
“I agree.I’m betting Jeremy has serious money issues, and that this merger is a way to boost his income.”
“I wonder if he’s skimming money from the company and changing the books.Or maybe he’s a gambler and is in debt.Somehow, the merger would help.He sounded desperate.”
