HIS Return (Hamilton Investigation & Security: HIS Series Book 3)

by Sheila Kell

  Blank expressions responded to his statement. The room was not filled with market experts.

  James smiled. “To change that to a sports analogy, that’s like a major league player batting .950 for a year.” He chuckled at the nods of understanding. “Right. Not possible. Anyone who would’ve looked at this, outside of someone crooked, would’ve seen the fraud.”

  Em cleared her throat. “Will people get their money back?”

  He frowned. She wanted a dream, but she already knew that Charles had spent a great deal of the money. They’d talked about all his assets. The mansions in the U.S. and abroad. The vacation homes. The luxury cars. The yachts. The jewelry his wife wore. The artwork he proudly displayed. Jake’s heart went out to Em because he knew while she was probably ecstatic this was about to be over, her heart broke because the clients would still lose.

  James shook his head and with a sad smile answered, “No. We’ll get them what we can, but he led an extravagant lifestyle.”

  “What about Em’s boss? We couldn’t find him. Did he ever appear?” Devon asked.

  Arthur nodded. “We found him this morning. He took the coward’s way out and committed suicide. He did leave a note with a detailed summary that implicates Charles. However, he had already made sure any evidence burned with his office.” He took a deep breath and released it loudly. “How well do you know Charles’s son Brian?”

  Jesse raised his chin a notch. “We used to know him well, but we haven’t seen him in years. Do you think he’s involved?”

  “We don’t know. He’s working for his father, so that’s not good for him. I just wonder if he’s involved.” Arthur shrugged. “I guess we’ll find out when it all washes out.”

  “Fuck! Why can’t you just bring Randall in today? He may not be out and about, but he could be coordinating with someone to hurt Em and my daughter.”

  Arthur raised his hand. “Calm down, Jake. We’ve tapped his phones. If he makes a call, we’ll know about it.” The man made a good attempt to reassure him, but Jake couldn’t be calmed.

  James looked at Em. “This is the largest financial fraud case in history. Charles will most likely spend the rest of his life behind bars. Miss Hamilton, you will be famous as the whistle-blower who helped bring him down.”

  Jake saw her visibly shake and took her hand, lifted her from the chair she lounged in, sat down and pulled her onto his lap. “Can we keep her identity secret?”

  Shaking his head, James gave them a thin smile. “It won’t be possible. The records and trial will be public, and she’ll have to testify.”

  “Arthur, can’t you do something?” Jesse asked.

  Heaving a heavy sigh, the deputy director shook his head. “I could, but he’s right. This will be public, and we don’t want to suppress her information or her. You know if we had Em as an anonymous source, somehow her name would find its way to the press. And there is no telling what they’ll make up for her reason for wanting to remain anonymous. It’s best we control it. Otherwise, it may be a scandal you don’t want to deal with. Do you want to hear something like she heard about it in bed with her boss? You know the media gets brutal.”

  Arthur set his glass down on the table beside the couch. “Look, hundreds of people and charitable organizations are going to be devastated or wiped out because of his actions. They want to know who to thank for saving them from further loss. We are doing this, and Emily is our whistle-blower.”

  Trent spoke from his normal position in front of the fireplace, “Since this person will garner a lot of popularity, to include possible book deals, what if you offer it to Teri and see if she’d consider being the whistle-blower and leaving Em completely out of it. Would that work?”

  Em looked at Arthur with a hopeful expression on her face and in her eyes.

  Jake wanted to hug Trent for coming up with such a great idea. Of course, Teri would accept it. The bitch would take all the attention she could get.

  Arthur rubbed his jaw in a thoughtful gesture. “I’m okay with it. James?”

  The SEC leader tilted his head and shrugged. “I guess we could do it since Miss Hamilton didn’t actually bring us any hard evidence, only a conversation, and Ms. Sheppard brought us actual records. If the other woman goes for it, I don’t see a reason not to do it.”

  The sense of protectiveness that had woven itself around him to keep Em out of the limelight relaxed. This would easily be a done deal, and his fiancée was free of this obligation.

  Jake cleared his throat. “Now, can you find another place for Teri to stay?”

  A GOOD old-fashioned meal of southern fried chicken, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob and cornbread was served outside at the picnic benches covered with red-checkered tablecloth. Round paper lights were strung overhead around a pergola to light the area to the descending sun.

  Emily watched her brothers and the team rotate in and out, devouring plate after plate, actually piece after piece of chicken without the plate, as if they’d been starved for a week. Mrs. Kessler must’ve cooked an entire farm of chickens for them.

  “You’d best eat up because this is the last time you get this. When the senator gets home, he’ll be on a strict diet which means you’ll be on a strict diet.” Mrs. Kessler pointed at them; her finger moved through the group of Hamiltons, HIS team members, and two guests. “No more fried chicken.”

  “What?” Les exclaimed. “Come on, Mrs. K. You can’t sneak us some on the side? What about when the senator isn’t here?”

  Emily knew Les was a favorite of Mrs. Kessler’s, and she’d cook just about anything for the man. They had a special bond since they were both born in the South.

  The housekeeper smiled brightly. “Well,” she said and smoothed the country apron Les had given her for her birthday, “I’ll cook it when he’s not here.” She spun and scooted back inside the house with a little pep in her step.

  A few of the men chuckled.

  “You sweet talker,” Matt said.

  Les shrugged. “I can’t help it if she loves me.”

  Brad made kissing sounds. “Les and Mrs. K sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g.”

  Emily’s laughter blended in with the rest of the group’s. Hers was at the thought of a twenty-eight-year-old Les and a sixty-something-year-old Mrs. Kessler actually in a tree.

  “Fuck you.” Les threw his chicken wing bone at Brad, who ducked, and then he turned. “Christ, I’m sorry.” He looked at Kate and then at Emily with wide eyes.

  He didn’t need to worry; the three little ones were attempting to repeat the singsong spelling of kissing that Brad had spoken and probably hadn’t heard his cursing. She loved how the men watched, or tried to watch, what they said around the children without being asked.

  Looking contrite, he turned. “I’ll just go check on the men.”

  Jason appeared and sat beside Emily. She loved her adopted nephew, and she was happy she’d been able to be here for his birthday party. She’d spent so little time with him before she’d moved. Getting to know him was important to her. He was already a teenager. He’d be grown and out of the house in no time. So would her daughter. She shuddered at the thought.

  “Aunt Em.”

  “Yes, Jason.”

  He cleared his throat. It was cute that he was nervous.

  Since it was serious to him, she wiped the smile from her face and focused her full attention on him.

  “If it’s not safe, it’s okay if you don’t go to my party. I understand.”

  How sweet. He was so grown for thirteen. She guessed knowing you could die from your leukemia would mature a child. But he’d kicked his disease enough that it was in remission. For now. She prayed it stayed that way forever.

  “Turning fourteen is a big deal. I know the party is a month early, but it’s your party, and I’d like to be there.” She wanted to reach out and touch his face, but s
he figured that might be considered too babyish to him. “I promise that we never planned on my going to the game if it wasn’t safe. We just didn’t want to tell you unless it was actually the case.”

  “Oh.” He nodded. “That’s good to know. I’m glad.” He looked down.

  She hoped she hadn’t hurt his feelings by telling him about her not going. With what Arthur said, she imagined things would be fine, but she’d still be safe rather than sorry. She needed to bring a smile to his face. “Are you excited?”

  As she’d expected, his face brightened. “Am I ever! It’s a college football game. And Poppy says he got me into the locker room too. Can you believe it? I get to meet the quarterback.”

  Laughing, she’d barely caught that Jake had called for everyone’s attention. She shook her mind clear and looked up at the man she loved, who stood next to her by the picnic bench, knowing what he was about to say although she thought everyone already knew the news.

  He lifted his daughter in his arms, shifted her to his right shoulder, and then with his left hand, he reached down, clasped Emily’s hand and helped her to her feet. “Everyone knows how I feel about Em. Well, I’ve asked her to marry me, and she’s said yes. Since you’re all here—and since I don’t want to wait—”

  Laughter interrupted him.

  Smiling broadly, he finished his announcement. “We’re having a small ceremony, here, after the senator returns home.”

  Clapping, “It’s about time,” and whistling came from the crowd. The best part was that when Amber squeezed his neck tightly, and his only reaction was to hug her back.

  Twenty-Two

  JAKE REALIZED HE hadn’t had a PTSD episode in a while. The progression muscle relaxation technique he’d learned was extremely beneficial before bed. He’d feared sleeping with Em, but he’d done it anyway because after that first incident, he hadn’t any nightmares when she was by his side. Plus, she’d insisted, even though he could see a little bit of concern in her eyes. She wanted to be there for him should he return to the hell he’d lived with. He couldn’t imagine anything better than being in her arms should that happen.

  He’d listened to the psychiatrist and knew in his heart he could control it. That it was only a temporary thing for him. Yet, Matt had pulled him aside and spoken with him about PTSD and how he might react to certain things. He also told him that it may lessen, but it would never go away, which did worry Jake.

  Matt didn’t admit it, but Jake guessed the ex-Navy SEAL must suffer from it. To what extent he still did, Jake couldn’t say. But Em’s brother rubbed his leg something fierce the longer they spoke about it.

  Jake clutched open the directions booklet of the magic kit and refocused on the words as Em leaned close to him to read. His fingers itched to drop it and curl around her soft body. Seeing the old kit on a shelf, he’d come up with the brilliant idea that the two of them put on a magic show for the children. He knew it meant more time alone with Em. He hadn’t thought about how close they’d need to get, looking over each other’s shoulders, to prepare for the evening entertainment.

  He inhaled a deep breath and caught it. Damned if she didn’t smell ravishing. Her scent, something with jasmine, kept his dick in a semi-wood state. He wanted to grab her now, toss her over his shoulder and bolt for the bedroom.

  Em moved to the table where they’d laid out all the pieces of the kit. “Candy from the drawer box sounds easy enough.” She reached out for the plastic component to the trick, looked it over and then handed the box to him. “Do you want to try?”

  He knew what he wanted to try, and it had nothing to do with putting on a show for the kids. Instead of doing as he wished, he read through the instructions for the trick, set the booklet down and reached for the trick box. “Looks simple enough.”

  Their hands brushed, and he clasped onto hers, delighted when she caught her breath.

  Clearing her throat, she slid her hand from his and stepped back. “Think you can manage?”

  With a quirk of his brow, he smiled, wanting to tease her with an answer that alluded to managing his way around her body. Instead he let her relax. “Let’s see what we’ve got.” Flipping the box over, he found the secret hole. No way in fucking hell was his finger fitting in there. “I think my lovely assistant will have to do this trick.”

  A blush rose on her face as she stared at the hand he held up beside the box to demonstrate his problem.

  Well, well. It was pretty easy to get to her. He’d remember that. “Hold out your hand,” he instructed.

  She seemed to regain control of herself and smiled mischievously. “Your assistant, huh?” She took the box from him. “Since you can’t do the trick, I think you should be my assistant.”

  Jake leaned close, his cheek next to hers as he whispered in her ear, “I’ll be glad to assist you in any way I can.”

  Em pushed against his chest. “Can you get serious for one minute?”

  Not wishing to push his luck, he stepped back and nodded with a chuckle, secretly pleased at her erratic breathing. Remembering something he’d seen on the table, he turned away and then back to her. He placed the cheap top hat from the kit on her head and then completed an exaggerated bow. “Of course, oh wise magician.”

  Her laughter reached in and wove its warmth around his soul. “You’re impossible.” She shook her head and had to grab the hat to keep it from falling off her head. “We only have a little bit more time before the kids are ready for their show.”

  He opened his mouth, but she raised a hand to forestall his comment. “I don’t want to hear anything dirty. Behave.”

  “I’ll behave.” Jake cocked his head and winked. “For now.”

  “Uhm, okay, let’s do this trick.” She turned her focus to the box with shaky hands.

  Biting the inside of his lip to keep from laughing, Jake picked up the instruction booklet again. He didn’t wish to push his luck. “Okay. Put your finger in the hole and then open the drawer.”

  She looked expectantly at it. “It’s empty.”

  “That’s good, Em. Now close the drawer, remove your finger and open it again.”

  After complying, her countenance flooded with excitement. “It’s got the candy.” Pride beamed in her gaze. “Look, Jake, I did it.”

  He didn’t have the heart to remind her these tricks were made for eight-year-olds to perform. Seeing her happy was all that mattered. And, he planned a lifetime of making her happy. “As your assistant, I applaud you and am preparing your next trick for our special audience. Do you wish to use your x-ray vision or to multiply rabbits?”

  The adults in the Hamilton family plus their houseguests flooded into the room, led by Jesse. “She’ll use neither. We’ve got news.”

  Jake clutched her hand. He hoped for good news. They couldn’t take more bad news.

  “That’s it,” Arthur stated. “Teri has given us enough to bring Charles in, but there’s a slight hiccup you should know about. You’ll hear it on the news soon enough.”

  “What the fuck do you mean?” Jake’s patience was paper-thin. He was ready to take down this bastard. He didn’t trust the man wouldn’t find a way to send someone after his Em. Until this asshole was behind bars and someone else was to blame, he didn’t think his woman or his daughter were safe.

  “He’s been ensconced with his attorney all day. We’ve been informed he plans to turn himself in to prevent our rushing in and arresting him. He’ll make a big fucking production of it.” Jake’s old boss tightened his lips. “My boss has agreed to it.”

  “Fuck that. Go in and get him. He could change his mind. An attorney can do anything. I don’t trust it.”

  “Jake, settle down,” Jesse said from the couch.

  The SEC director set down the bottle of water he’d been drinking. “From what we’ve found, the man’s fraud involved around fifty million dollars. The attorney has ma
de a deal that the directors of several agencies have agreed to involve him turning himself in to prevent our embarrassing him by arresting him so there is nothing he can do except put himself in criminal jeopardy. He has until the end of the week to turn himself in.”

  Brad whistled. “Fifty million. How did he get that far without someone noticing?”

  James rubbed his neck with one hand. “I found another agent who helped Paul shuffle the investigations of Randall’s firm.”

  “It’ll be a bit of a mess. Randall’s wife is already crying she didn’t know, and since we’ve frozen his funds, she says she can’t live. It’s not fair. The standard excuse.” Arthur shook his head in disgust. “She couldn’t care less if anyone gets any of their money back.”

  Jake had a feeling something like that would happen. He was happy the funds were frozen. That would affect the help the attorney would provide. Who would want to work for free? Especially knowing if he failed there would be no funds left to pay him with since they’d all be dispersed to those who’d been swindled.

  He didn’t really care about that. All he cared about was his family. Would Randall blame her any longer since she was no longer tied to the investigation? Now it was Teri.

  “What about Brian Randall?” No one had mentioned him recently. Where did he stand in all this? Jake hoped their old friend hadn’t been involved.

  “I’ve got that handled,” Jesse said.

  With Charles Randall’s focus on trying to keep out of jail and on Teri, Jake figured the man would forget about Em, but he’d never let his guard down completely. Of course, he’d always keep his eyes open for danger to his family.

  “Let me know when he turns himself in.” Jake walked out of the room, tugging his future bride along.

  Tomorrow couldn’t arrive soon enough. Nothing would ruin their day.

  MEGAN leaned against the pillows on Emily’s bed and rubbed her belly. “Are you sure you want to rush a wedding. Just have a JP come in? I mean, this is your big day. You shouldn’t let Jake dictate it.”