“And what isshegoing to do with it?”
“She’s already done it. On behalf of Jo’s father, Monroe put most of the money from the sale in a trust in Jo’s name. And she set the rest aside for Jo to have cash on hand.” Sheriff Thatcher handed over the paperwork. “I was supposed to deliver this, but I trust you to see to it that she gets it.”
Cole looked at the documents from the Whitlock and Burnham Law Offices out of Olympia and a separate envelope that he suspected held the cash. “Why didn’t he just give the R&D to Jo?” He dropped his hands. “She’s a handy person. I think she would have enjoyed working there. Or at least he could have let her make the decision to sell it or keep it.” What was he saying? After what her father had done, Jo would probably never go back there.
The sheriff shrugged. “My guess is he believes she is no longer safe here and wanted her to have the money. Maybe to hide again?”
“No. Jo doesn’t want to hide anymore. She wants to know who murdered her mother and why her father is hiding.” And this time, he didn’t take her with him, like he did three years ago, after the funeral.
While he had the sheriff alone, he might as well ask him. He gestured toward Sanders standing in the large formal dining room across the way. “Where’d you find this guy anyway?”
Hawk got closer. “I’d like to hear that too. I heard he was DSS. Is he former military?”
The sheriff arched a brow. He gave them a look that said he wasn’t going to talk about Detective Sanders. “You might not like his direct ways, but you’ll come around.”
That remains to beseen.“So. Jo’s dad has communicatedwith Evelyn Monroe. Can any of this tell us where the man himself is?”
“No. You’re welcome to talk to Mrs. Monroe, but I doubt you’ll learn anything more.”
“Well, this might all be good and well—like he’s looking out for her—but he needs to know that she has a price on her head, and that’s because of him.”
Sanders returned from his call and apparently heard part of their conversation because he said, “I think he knows. He warned her about the bomb and just seconds before it went off, which means he’s in direct contact with the bomber, who we believe is Merrick. We find Merrick, we find her father. We find her father, we find Merrick.”
“How can you be so sure?” Cole asked.
Sanders tilted his head, looking at Cole as if confused about how Cole couldn’t see what he saw.
“I get it,” Cole said. “But there are too many unknowns to be sure about anything. Once we find either Merrick or Driscoll, we can learn who is behind the threats and the danger.”
“Exactly. Someone hired Merrick to kill. Someone threatened Driscoll. I suspect that same person is behind Mason Hyde’s and possibly Mira Cattrel’s deaths.”
All connected.
All leading back to one person.
26
What? He left me money?
The sheriff and that obnoxious detective had gone. Jo shouldn’t have left. She should have remained and grilled him with her own questions. And now this from her father? A bundle of cash, and then a trust on top of that?
She lifted her hands, refusing to take the two envelopes from Cole. “I don’t want it. What am I supposed to do with it? Hide again? Disappear somewhere else?” Anguish filled her. She didn’t want to look at Cole, but she couldn’t help searching his gaze for something ... she didn’t even know what.
“You can think about what you want to do. You have enough money to probably do anything you want, within reason.”
“Right. I’m sure I can’t buy an island if I wanted.” She cracked half a smile. And she could feel more confident about paying Cole. He never said how much he charged, and she hadn’t asked. Shoot, she hadn’t even signed on the dotted line. She’d been impulsive. Desperate. But she’d find a way, even if she didn’t usethismoney.
Still ... she plopped on the sofa and looked at the gray skies through the picture window. “What was he thinking? Why would I want his money? He knew I was in danger, and he left. I don’t want his money. I wanted—I needed—him.He knew there was a bomb, and he...”
“Warned you,” Cole said. “Jo, I know you’re angry with him and this dilemma that he’s left you in. What I’m about to say doesn’t come close to comparing to this predicament. For years, I thought that my dad preferred my brother over me, all because I overheard something. I was an adult. Dad was long gone before I learned the truth. I heard everything out of context. I’m just saying that, until we know more, you should withhold judgment. I can’t know what your father was thinking, but I suspect that he’s putting distance between him and you to try to draw the danger to himself andawayfrom you, his daughter. I know he loves you.”
“Is that right?” Jo hated the sarcasm coming out. “Look. I’m sorry. I’m letting my frustration at my dad get to me. The way Detective Sanders sounded like he thought I was complicit in a crime didn’t help. But I didn’t mean to take it out on you.” Still, right now, she was angry and resentful. All negative emotions.Lord,help me letthem go!
Cole was right, though. Pop had probably left to protect her. “Thanks for sharing. I know he loves me. This is all just hard to swallow.”
“You can think on it. In the meantime, I’ve booked us tickets to Michigan.”
“Michigan?”
