Beloved by Brothers [Doms of Destiny, Colorado 6] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Chloe Lang

Dad Eddie rolled his eyes. “He told Alice he was in Chicago.”

  “He’s not allowed out of the county.” Phoebe had read all the terms of Shane’s parole. She shouldn’t be surprised. Shane was the black sheep in the Blue family.

  “Not without the sheriff’s permission,” Dad Curtis said. “Maybe Jason gave it to him.”

  “He was here just fifteen minutes ago,” Corey informed them. “Jason had no idea where Shane was.”

  Their parents’ faces fell.

  Phoebe tried to contain her anxiety for her brother. Once again, Shane was running headfirst to trouble, dragging all of them down with him.

  Her mother clasped her hands. “Where is the sheriff now?”

  “Jason, Mitchell, and Lucas went to Clover.” Her worry for her three men continued to roll through her.

  Corey nodded. “Mom, Phoebe’s stalker issue should be over tonight. Jason found out who the guy is. He and his brothers are headed to his house to arrest him.”

  She and Corey filled them in on all the details they’d learned about McCrae.

  Dad Curtis put his arm around Phoebe. “Those boys will get that asshole.”

  Dad Eddied nodded. “The Wolfe brothers are good men, Phoebe.”

  “I’m worried about them,” she confessed.

  “Of course you are, baby. But everything is going to turn out fine. You’ll see.” Her mom kissed her on the cheek. “ Since we’re all up so late, would anyone like some coffee or wine?”

  It was clear that her mom was trying to get all their minds off of what was happening in Clover.

  “I wouldn’t mind some wine, mom.” She took a deep breath. “I’ve got something else I want to talk to you about.”

  “Forget the coffee. Let’s all have some wine,” Dad Curtis said. “It’ll help us relax until the Wolfes return.”

  “I’ll get it.” Corey walked to the kitchen. “You visit with the folks.”

  “Okay, sweetheart. What is it you want to talk about?” her mom asked. “Perhaps I can help you. Does this have anything to do with you and the Wolfes? I did see you and Lucas sitting together at the O’Learys’ Halloween party.”

  “I never can keep anything from you, Mom. And, yes, you’re right. I want to talk to you about Jason, Mitchell, and Lucas.”

  “Oh, I’m so excited, dear. We’ve been waiting so long for a reconciliation.”

  Dad Curtis smiled. “This is the best news ever.”

  “I know it’s been three years, but we gave them our permission for your hand.” Dad Eddie grinned broadly. “We’ve never taken that back.”

  “Y’all are jumping the gun just a little bit.” She looked at her parents and saw the unconditional love for her in their eyes. Growing up in their home had been wonderful. “It’s true, but I have so much to work out, especially with Jason.”

  Her mom nodded. “Of the three, I can imagine you do with him.”

  “I still feel there’s animosity between Shane and Jason. It worries me there will never be any trust between them. So, Mom, what do I do? I love them.”

  Corey returned carrying a tray with five glasses and an opened bottle of wine. “Did I miss anything?”

  “Your sister was just telling us how she hooked up with the Wolfe brothers again,” Dad Curtis said.

  Phoebe’s jaw dropped. “Dad?”

  “What?” he said with a grin. “Oh, I forgot that means something else these days, doesn’t it?”

  “Yes, Dad, it does.” She laughed and turned to Corey. “I was also telling them about how I was worried about Jason and asking them what they thought I should do.”

  Her mom took a sip of wine. “Honey, you know I never give advice unless you ask for it.”

  “Alice, you’ve got to be kidding.” Dad Eddie laughed. “Ask…don’t ask…you are always doling out advice like Chinese fortune cookies at Phong’s Wok.”

  Her mom smiled at the two men she’d spent most of her life with. “With you two, I’ve had to. Neither of you would’ve proposed if I hadn’t.”

  “What do you mean by that, baby?” Dad Curtis leaned forward and took her mom’s hand, reaching over Phoebe’s lap.

  “I hinted and hinted, but neither of you figured out I was ready to say yes. Finally, when I told you the best place and time to propose was at midnight on Lover’s Beach, you did.”

  Dad Eddie grabbed her mom’s other hand. “And you made us the happiest men in the world, honey.”

  “Anyway, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted,” her mom said, smiling. “The most important thing, Phoebe, is love. If you all love each other, everything else will work out. I promise you. I know Jason truly cares about Shane. When it comes to the men of Destiny, they can be a stubborn lot and Jason is one of the most headstrong and determined men in this town. Why do you think he was elected as sheriff? Because all of us knew he would never give up on anything. He would fight for us. And baby, he has proven again and again that he will fight for you, too. As a mom, I know there’s more to the story about Shane than what we know. I know it in my heart.”

  “I want to believe that, Mom, but it’s hard.” The facts were clear and Shane was proving again, by breaking the terms of his probation, that he hadn’t changed one bit. But in her heart, too, she still hoped Shane was the wonderful, loving, honest brother she’d always known.

  “This whole situation is not your problem. It is between Shane and Jason. You love them both. Just keep it that way. Let them work this out.”

  “But mom, it’s so hard to see two men that you love not care about one another.”

  “That’s where you’re wrong, sweetheart. They do care. They always have cared.”

  * * * *

  With both his brothers by his side, Jason walked into the office of the motel.

  “Hey, Sheriff,” the man behind the counter said. “What brings you and your brothers out at this hour?”

  “Ted, we’ve got a man, Andy McCrae, that I need to speak to.”

  “He checked in a couple of weeks ago. Paid a month in advance. Comes and goes as he pleases. What kind of trouble is he in?”

  “I’ll let you know after,” Jason told him. “What room is McCrae in?”

  “Now, Sheriff, you know I’m not supposed to tell you that without a warrant.”

  “How many years have you known me, Ted?”

  “Since you were a kid.”

  “In all those years, have I ever steered you wrong?”

  “Can’t say that you have, Jason. And neither have Mitchell or Lucas.”

  “Okay then, I’m sure you don’t want some hoodlum giving you trouble, running away your other customers. Right?”

  “Sure thing, Sheriff. We may not be The Ritz, but I do try to run a tight ship.”

  “Let’s have that number then.”

  “If you’re sure it’s okay?”

  “I’m sure.”

  “It’s room number twelve.”

  “Thanks Ted. You won’t regret this.”

  The motel owner leaned back in his chair. “I hope you’re right about that.”

  “I want you to sit tight, no matter what you hear, understand?”

  “I’ll be doing that, Sheriff.”

  “I need the key.”

  “Here it is, now be careful. Understand?” Ted said with a grin.

  “Come on, bros, we’ve got some arresting to do.”

  With their guns drawn, Jason, Lucas, and Mitchell quietly approached room twelve. No lights were on.

  “Looks like he’s sleeping,” Mitchell whispered, “which we’ll help us get the drop on him.”

  “Lucas, go around back and make sure there’s no escape route.”

  “Sure thing, bro,” Lucas said quietly.

  Jason stuck the key into the door, turning it very slowly, hoping not to disturb McCrae’s sleep. Holding his breath, he waited for his eyes to adjust to the dark. The tiny room came into focus, though with dark patches of gray. A form was on the bed.

  “Hands up, M
cCrae,” Jason yelled and then he switched on the light.

  The shape he’d seen in the bed turned out to be only pillows strewn across the mattress.

  “He’s not here, bro.”

  The door to the bathroom was ajar. Jason walked in and saw a gruesome scene. In the tub was a mutilated corpse, likely of Andy McCrae.

  “He’s in here, Mitchell. Holler at Lucas to let him know.”

  Looking at the condition of the body, Jason scowled. Not even this bastard deserved a death like this.

  Obviously, it had been slow and torturous. Fingers had been severed. Deep cuts were all over McCrae’s body, including a large gash to his face. It looked as though death finally came by a stab wound to the heart.

  When Lucas and Mitchell returned, he saw the look of horror on their faces.

  “There’s much more to this man than we know. I have some crime scene tape in my car to secure this area. I need to make sure no one enters until this is fully investigated. Will you take care of blocking off the scene while I make some calls?”

  “We got this,” Mitchell stated.

  Jason walked away and called Brown, filling her in on all he’d discovered. Brown agreed with him that there was more to this than McCrae just being a stalker.

  “Jason, I’ll get a team out there right away to investigate. I know this is your jurisdiction, but I smell Lunceford in the middle of this. Do you agree?”

  “Totally. I’ll send my brothers to Phoebe. They’ll let her know and make sure she’s safe. I’ll stay here until your team arrives.” He didn’t want to wait long. He wanted to get back to Phoebe as soon as possible. “Make sure they hurry.”

  “I will. Keep your ROC close by. I will contact you for follow-up.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Phoebe jumped to her feet when Mitchell and Lucas walked in. “Oh my God, where’s Jason? Is he okay?”

  “He’s fine, sweetheart.” Lucas wrapped his arms around her. “Let’s sit, and I’ll tell you and your parents everything.”

  The intensity in his tone made her nervous. She sat down on the sofa and Lucas and Mitchell took a seat on either side of her.

  “What happened in Clover, boys?” her mom asked.

  Dad Eddie put his arm around her mother. “Did you find the bastard?”

  Lucas’s face darkened. “We did, Mr. Blue, but it didn’t turn out the way we thought.”

  “Well, go on, boys,” Dad Curtis urged. “Tell us everything.”

  She, Corey, and their parents listened intently to Lucas and Mitchell recount the horror they had found at the motel.

  Andy McCrae is dead. Murdered. His body mutilated. “I just can’t believe this.”

  “Honey, it’s true.” Mitchell put his arm around her and squeezed. “Every word.”

  “Being a stalker surely had nothing to do with McCrae getting killed.” Corey’s tone mirrored her thoughts. None of this added up. “There’s more here than we know.”

  “Andy was strange, yes, but seemed so harmless.” Phoebe recalled the awkward date she’d had with McCrae. Andy might’ve been a little weird, but he wasn’t a killer and didn’t deserve to die. “Why would anyone do such a thing? None of this makes any sense to me.”

  Lucas grabbed her hand. “I’m sure we’ll know more once all the evidence is in.”

  “When will Jason be here?” Corey asked.

  “As soon as the investigative team arrives,” Mitchell answered, “he’ll head this way.”

  * * * *

  Standing in the motel room, Jason looked at his cell. The time kept ticking away. Where are Brown’s men?

  “Brought you a cup of coffee, Sheriff.” Ted stood outside the open door.

  The man clearly knew better than to cross the yellow tape.

  He’d filled Ted in about how they’d found McCrae right before Lucas and Mitchell had left.

  “Thanks, Ted, but you still can’t come in here.” He took the cup with his gloved hand. “It’s a crime scene now. Murder. I’ll stop by before I leave and clue you in on anything else that turns up.”

  “That’ll be fine. I’ll be in my office if you need anything.”

  He could tell the man was shaken.

  He was anxious for Brown’s team to arrive so he could leave and get back to Phoebe. He’d been standing since Lucas and Mitchell left, not wanting to taint the murder scene. He’d donned gloves and kept them on to make sure he didn’t disturb any fingerprints or other evidence. He knew protocols and always followed them to the letter. The crime scene investigators were better trained at finding every shred of evidence in these kinds of cases. Best to leave it to the experts.

  Once the agents arrived, he would give his statement and exit.

  Sipping on the coffee, he glanced around the room one more time. Something on the floor caught his attention. He’d not seen it before because the comforter hid most of it. Carefully, he lifted the blanket and saw it was a billfold.

  Is it McCrae’s wallet or his killer’s?

  Phoebe’s stalker was out of the picture. Who had killed McCrae and why? Would the murderer seek out Phoebe for some unknown reason?

  Jason’s gut tightened. He had to protect her. She was his responsibility. Always. “This is my jurisdiction,” he told himself. Inside the leather of the wallet might be the answers he needed. Gently he grabbed the billfold by the corner, placing it on the bed.

  He opened it, and what he saw shocked and crushed him. Going against all his training, against everything he believed—Jason placed the wallet in his pocket.

  He knew who had killed McCrae.

  His world and Phoebe’s was about to be ripped apart again.

  * * * *

  Phoebe looked out the window and saw Jason drive up in his patrol car. “Thank God, he’s here.”

  Corey jumped up and opened the door. Everyone was anxiously awaiting his arrival.

  When Jason entered, they all started bombarding him with questions at once.

  Jason held up his hands. “Just give me a second, I need a drink.”

  Phoebe could tell by his demeanor something was extremely wrong.

  “What would you like, Jason?” her mom asked, always ready to help.

  Her heart was thudding in her chest. “He drinks Jack Daniels straight up.”

  “Just sit down, Jason,” Dad Eddie told him.

  “Good idea,” Dad Curtis said. “From what your brothers told us, I’m sure this was hard to digest.”

  “You don’t know the half of it, Mr. Blue.” Jason turned to Mitchell and Lucas. “Did you tell them the condition we found McCrae’s body in?”

  “Yes,” Lucas said. “We told them everything.”

  Jason’s eyes landed on her. “All your family is here, Phoebe, but Shane. Where is he?”

  Here we go again. “We don’t know,” she answered truthfully.

  He took the glass from her mom and drained it dry in one gulp.

  “Jason, you know Shane.” Corey’s tone was filled with concern. “He’s likely holed up at some woman’s house.”

  Her mom poured Jason another shot.

  He drank it. “Shane better still be in town.”

  Phoebe tensed, not liking where this conversation was going. “Leaving would be against the terms of his parole. I’m certain he’s still here.”

  “I’m not,” Jason stated flatly.

  “What in the hell does this have to do with what happened in Clover?” Lucas stood and folded his arms over his chest. The old animosity between him and Jason seemed to have returned in a flash.

  Mitchell stepped next to Lucas, staring down at Jason. “Can’t you drop your übercop attitude when it comes to Shane for tonight and tell us about McCrae’s murder instead?”

  “That’s what I’m trying to do. Shane’s in trouble.”

  Her heart seized in her chest. “What do you mean by that?”

  Jason’s face fell.

  “Tell me,” she demanded. “Don’t hold back.” Not again, Jason. Please. Ope
n up and tell me.

  “I have reason to believe he killed McCrae.”

  Her mom shook her head defiantly. “I don’t care what you found or how bad it looks. I know my son just as well as I know you, Jason Christopher Wolfe. Shane is no murderer. You know it and I know it.”

  “I want to believe that, Alice. I do.”

  Phoebe couldn’t wrap her head around what Jason was saying. She felt the old hurt bubble up like acid in her throat. “Why would you say such a thing? We just got Shane back.”

  He didn’t answer, but his stare never left her.

  Corey’s face darkened. “What makes you think my brother is responsible, Jason? What evidence do you have?”

  “I can’t say, but he’s in trouble. I’ll do everything I can to help.”

  “Like you did before,” she snapped back. “Don’t do this family any favors, Sheriff. You can go. Now.”

  Jason looked resigned to saying good-bye again. “I’m sorry about this. I truly am.”

  “Sorry?” All the feelings she’d had when he’d sent Shane away to prison began stinging once again, but this time with even more pain. “I don’t believe you, Jason. Not one damn bit. You’ve been gunning for Shane since he got back in town. You say you think he’s responsible somehow for what happened to Andy but you won’t tell us why. Well, mister, I’m a lawyer. I will use everything in my power to make sure he doesn’t go back.”

  “I’m sure you will,” he said quietly.

  Why is he doing this again?

  “This doesn’t make any sense,” Lucas jumped in, his voice laden with hot irritation. “We only found out about Andy’s location from Brown. How would Shane have found out before us, Sheriff?”

  The old bitterness between the brothers was back in full force.

  Jason shrugged. “He was in the pen for three years. I’m sure he made some pretty sketchy friends.”

  “So? What does that mean?” Mitchell’s face thundered with rage.

  “What your brother is suggesting is criminals get intel much faster than law enforcement,” Corey answered. “Even if that’s true, Jason, I still can’t believe Shane would go alone. He would’ve called me first. Mom is right. My brother is no killer.”