He gave a happy bounce in his seat. “Then we went on a long drive. It was kinda boring.”
Owen reached for Halle’s hand. “Only because you weren’t with us. The Tolliver men are lost without you.” He tapped a few buttons on the dashboard to turn on a movie for the boys.
They cheered and quickly became engrossed in the antics of their favorite dog detective.
Owen squeezed her fingers. “There’s been a newdevelopment in the investigation. Two, actually.” He drove them away from the downtown area and set their course for home. Though he’d mentioned a coffee date or early lunch, she didn’t comment on the direction they were taking. Home was where she preferred to be.
“I have news as well, but you go first.” Her absence from school would soon be noticed. For all she knew, Blaire Aspen had already reported that she’d left campus in the middle of the workday. Halle was in no hurry to return, either. The further she got from the school building, the easier it was to breathe.
Owen was silent for a moment. “The sheriff verified my findings a couple of hours ago—right after you left for work. There’s no easy way to tell you this, Halle.”
“Then just do it.” She doubted it would make her feel worse. She was already on edge.
“Your ex is married to Brooke Aspen. Different last names. International marriage certificate.”
“Married?” The air whooshed out of her. She hadn’t seen that one coming. On top of all the other horrible things her ex had done to her, it was cruel and hurtful to discover he’d offered her a bigamous marriage. Not that he’d gone through with it, but still! Fury quickly replaced her initial shock.
“Puts things in a whole new light, doesn’t it?” Owen sounded as angry as she felt.
“I…” She struggled to find the right words.
“You didn’t deserve this.” He squeezed her fingers again. “Any of it!”
“Why would they do such a thing?” Her mind worked feverishly to put the pieces together and make sense of them. “Since Brooke owns the property next door, why do they need Garrett Farm? Why do they need me?”
“I have a theory.” Owen turned onto the driveway leading home. “Before I tell you what it is, you deserve to know your ex’s father is also in town.”
“Let me guess.” Her heart raced sickeningly. “His name is Gavin House. Dr. Gavin House.”
Owen nodded gravely. “I take it you’ve met him?”
“It was unavoidable.” Her summons to his office had been no accident. It was all part of whatever James and his twisted associates were planning. “He’s the new elementary school principal. I just left his office.”
“Are you alright?” Owen’s voice was agonized.
“I lived to tell the tale.” She filled him in on everything that had transpired between them. “It can’t be a coincidence,” she concluded, “that James’ dad and Brooke’s sister have converged on Heart Lake.
“It’s not.” Owen pulled into the garage and parked. “The father-son team and the Aspen sisters are linked to financial fraud allegations in multiple states. What’s more, we have reason to believe they’re working together.”
Though she’d been expecting him to say something like that, it didn’t make it any easier to hear. “Why haven’t they been arrested?”
“That’s a good question.” His jaw tightened. “When the sheriff prepared his affidavit and submitted it to the judge, the Feds reached out and told him to stand down. Whatever is going on is apparently bigger than any of us imagined. It’s now a federal case.”
Unbelievable!“Leaving the local authorities to do what, exactly?”
“Wait for justice to be served.” Owen didn’t sound any happier about it than she was. Before turning off the show his sons were watching, he leaned over the seat to get theirattention. “How about you finish watching this in the living room?”
Their heads immediately swiveled toward Halle. “Will you make us more pancakes?” Ryder begged, trying to look pitiful.
“You just ate!” She couldn’t believe he was ready to eat again. She reached over the seat to ruffle his hair.
He leaned into her touch. “I’m always hungry.”
She glanced at Owen for his input, but he merely shrugged. “Okay. New plan.” She smiled at Ryder. “This calls for more protein.” It would stay in their bellies longer than fluffy pancakes.
He looked fascinated. “What’s protein?”
“Eggs,” she supplied. “Bacon, ham, sausage?—”
