Good place to start. Wish I’d thought of it, but my thoughts were as jumbled as a word-search puzzle.
Thomas’s neck flushed. “Not exactly, but Boyd called the police when he found Bolls’s body. He was held for questioning, but they had nothing to keep him on. He told me about being a snitch for Las Vegas Narcotics Detective Spitzer.
“I spoke to Detective Spitzer earlier today, and he briefed me on the circumstances of Boyd’s undercover work for him. He further explained about the drugs Boyd was dealing, which coincided with what you told me, Bailey, so I decided to get tested for anything in my system that wasn’t normal.
“Last night, before he went to look for Bolls, Boyd resigned his position at Glory Hole Studios when Marcelo Garcia tried to force him to have unprotected sex on camera since Bolls wasn’t there.”
Boyd spoke up. “Marcelo knew Danny wasn’t coming. He told me that if I didn’t let a guy I’d never worked with before have sex with me without a condom, he would beat me unconscious and let the guy do it without my permission. I left the shoot immediately because I was certain Marcelo would carry out his threat. I went to Danny’s apartment to check on him, and that’s when I discovered he was dead.”
The guy was shaking to the point that I couldn’t guess if he was being honest or if he was a fantastic fucking actor. God knew I didn’t want to believe Boyd because, since I’d found out about his relationship with Thomas, I believed he’d be my brother’s downfall. I hated to say it, but it looked as if I might be right.
Thomas’s gaze slid from Boyd to me. “I’ve decided I may not run again after I finish this term. Lindsey’s been acting strangely, so I took it seriously that maybe there was something else going on without my knowledge.”
Jagger chuckled. “Like what, Governor?”
“Like maybe my wife is drugging me before bed with something that allows me to perform sexually, but without any memory of the encounter.” I could see the hurt in Thomas’s eyes at the thought of Lindsey doing something of the sort. In that moment, I hated that I’d been the one to predict it.
I turned to Boyd. “Why couldn’t someone else take your place during the sex part of the video? All they’d need was a blond wig. I saw plenty of candidates the day we were in the offices of Glory Hole.”
Boyd shook his head. “I suggested it, but Marcelo refused. He said none of the others looked enough like me for it to be believable—as if people believe what they see in porn videos as real life.
“Danny had called me three times, but I couldn’t answer because…” Boyd turned to look at Thomas.
“He called me, and we went to pick him up after he quit his job. Boyd called Danny back while we were in the car, and he didn’t answer, so we went to his apartment so he could check on Danny. I stayed in the car.
“Boyd made me promise to leave so I couldn’t be connected to any of it. When Spitzer arrived, Boyd called me, and I spoke to the detective. I believe word got out about us through someone at the police department, which is why I’ve decided not to run again.”
Thomas hung his head because I knew it wasn’t what he wanted to do, but he’d made up his mind, and as much as I knew it would disappoint Mom, I believed he was doing the rightthing. Having a wife and a lover at the same time wouldn’t fly well with the voters, even in a swing state like Nevada.
“And what about Lindsey?” I couldn’t help asking. She wasn’t one to back down.
Thomas sighed. “I haven’t told her my suspicions yet. She’s not going to be happy at all, but, Bailey, she’ll see that we couldn’t be happy together, and she’ll do the right thing. My future is with Boyd.
“After he testifies against the Viper Kings, the Víbora, and Marcelo Garcia, we’re going back to Philly, and I’m going to work at the Dawson Foundation for a while. We’ll figure out our future, Boyd and me, one day at a time.”
“Where’s Mom’s money?” After I’d beaten the hell out of Danny Bolls the night I’d gone to dinner with Thomas and Lindsey, I’d returned with the money to the mansion and left it when I took off that night.
“You took it to give it back to Mom. Lindsey told me you took it when you came by the house while I wasn’t there. Don’t joke about that shit, Bailey. I didn’t want the money in the first place.” Thomas’s grin stumped me.
“Took the money? No, Thomas. I didn’t take the money. God, why would I do that?”
Jagger turned to me, his expression grim. “Call your mother and ask her if she got the money back.”
I pulled out my phone and hit the contact. Finally, she answered. “Hello, Bailey, dear. How are you?”
“Fine, Mom. I’m here with Thomas. We have an odd question for you. Did you get your million bucks back?” Time stood still as we waited for her answer.
“Bailey, son, I told you I was helping Thomas build a war chest. He’ll need more than my money, but he can loan that cash to his campaign as he needs it. You’ll get your inheritance when I die. Thomas needed his money now.”
“So, you don’t have that money back.” I stared at my brother, and he closed his eyes.
After a moment, we both knew the truth of the matter. The money was gone, and I’d bet my life, so was Lindsey.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Jagger
The room was as silent as a tomb. Hell, even Boyd Newton’s face was pale.
