“Could you read the titles scanning them that fast?”
“No. Do you think he has a camera or something?”
That would be logical, but there’s a look in the kid’s eyes. “I think he’s got a photographic memory.”
“Huh? How can you tell?”
Because that’s how I look when I’m cataloging things. A photographic memory rocks and stinks at the same time. Ivy’s face flashes in my mind. Each little strand of gold in her hair shines just as bright as it did the day I asked her out for the first time, but I can also see every wrinkle of pain on her face as the light faded out of her eyes in the hospital.
No, it isn’t the time to think about that. I need to finish checking Micky Lectner for Dad and figure out what Everett is up to.
“Because your cousin has a photographic memory himself,” Mom chimes in. “Would you grab me some fruit for your bags?”
Daire rushes over to pick out a pile for him and Mila.
There’s nothing the kid can get into in Dad’s office except the safe, and that is triple-protected. I flip over to the research on Micky Lectner.
Seven months ago, this guy didn’t own a single piece of property in Urbium. He didn’t even own a place to live.
Dozens of cash businesses opening up in such a short time…that doesn’t throw up a million red flags.
Except they aren’t new. They were all profitable before Lectner bought them. We’ve eaten at that sushi place a time or two. The sale price for that was low…remarkably below market price.
How did he get it that cheap?
This guy pays his taxes. Every single cent of them. There’s not one questionable deduction. Nothing to attract any unwanted attention. Dad’s not going to like this.
Me: Micky Lectner is laundering money.
Dad: ???
Dad doesn’t waste energy on unnecessary words.
Me: Details will take a while.
Dad: Get them. And read Maddox in.
Just how I wanted to spend my day. Maddox will just kick Lectner out. It’s not an issue. Except Fiona owns the place.
Time to call Maddox.
“What?” Maddox definitely doesn’t exude the bliss of finally finding his soulmate.
“Hello to you, too.”
“Don’t even. Whatever trouble you’re calling about, I have enough of my own right now.”
It seems two weeks isn’t long enough for him to relax since Mindy was kidnapped. “What did she do now?”
“Other than refusing to stay in bed and rest? Nothing.” He sounds about ready to pull out all his hair. “The doctor cleared her to sit up and walk around. Now that woman thinks she can just go back to working full-time.”
I shouldn’t laugh at his frustration. “So?”
“She wants to go back to both of her jobs. There’s no way that woman is killing herself with work. She can keep one or the other. And she needs to choose to be here with me.”
Maddox should know by now that women never listen to us. “Did you tell her that?”
“Yeah, right before I carried her back to bed.”
