They were right here with her.
“Just do it,” she stated. “I can take it.”
All she hoped was it wouldn’t be like the last shock. That one was too much to bear.
Julian told her about what her brother discovered when he returned to the hotel. Her face stayed completely neutral, and she didn’t even blink. She was pulling old tricks from her FBI days. Tori Littlemoon wasn’t showing her cards.
Julian waited for some kind of reaction. There was a good possibility that he preferred her to lose it. When his wife went silent like this, it made him nervous as hell. As he got to the end of the tale, he still waited for some sort of response.
“Then I guess I made the right decision when it came to her.”
Oh, she was mad. One might even say furious, but she wasn’t shocked. From the outside, her ‘mother’ would see their life as desirable. Working for the FBI, how many times did she see this happen?
Greed was common.
Look at how it killed the people who owned this house. They wanted that gold and paid for it with their lives.
Tori knew that her mother wouldn’t be immune to it. There was no way she was letting Shelby Christensen destroy more of her heart.
It just wasn’t happening.
“I’m sorry,” Julian stated. “I wanted to believe you’d be better off forgiving her, but I was wrong.”
Tori shrugged. “I went with my gut. I always do, Julian. I don’t blame you for wanting to give her the benefit of the doubt. Let’s face it. You’re a far better person than I am. We both know that, but I can’t be who I’m not.”
That last part caught him off guard. “Wait, what?”
Beckett knew this was a bad place to be. This had all the makings of marital discord and an epic fight. “We’re going to step out. This is something that you both need to discuss. We’ll be in the living room with the journals and map.”
With that, he led Claire away.
Julian stared at her. “What does that mean, exactly, that I’m a far better person?”
Tori didn't want a fight. To her, it was the truth. “You’ve always been the better person, Julian. When we met, I walked away. You chased me, and I deserted you. If you look back at all the times there has been turmoil in our relationship, it’s been my fault. I know you’re the better half of this unit. I’m the one who’s going to jack it up.”
He didn't like this at all.
“Is that how you see me?”
“It’s the truth. If there’s a rotten side to this apple, it’s me. You don’t see your family trying to blackmail you by going to a rag tabloid. You’ve always been the exemplary one, and I’m not surprised that you wanted me to take the high road. Me not doing it, well, that proves it. You would have, and if this happened to you, you would have forgiven her again. You’re simply a better person.”
“Victoria Rose, if you believe that, we’ll never survive. I don’t look at you and see you as the ‘bad one’. I see you as my wife. I don’t judge you.”
“I judge me, Jules. This time, I played a long shot, going with my gut, and it was right. I was a soldier and in the FBI. My gut kept me alive. My mother isn't just an innocent victim in all this. Maybe my father abused her, and that was very wrong, but she isn't as pure as the freshly fallen snow.”
“I’m not as good as you think,” he admitted.
She laughed. “Oh, really? What did you do? Switch my decaf for caffeinated tea bags?”
“I hate whenever you mention Quinn Laramie. When you say his name, I want to damn him to the deepest pit of hell.”
She stared at him, openmouthed.
“See? I’m not as high and mighty as you thought, so get me off that pedestal, honey.”
Tori couldn’t believe what Julian was saying. Quinn Laramie had been her fiancé who died in the war. He died because of her. Now, Julian was dropping a bomb.
This was bigger than what he said about her mother. That she expected. This…
Yeah, this was huge.
“Why?”
“You loved him. If he didn't die, you wouldn’t be my wife. The baby you carry wouldn’t be mine. I hate the man simply for that. He died for our country, and I’m petty enough to be glad. So, what does that make me, Tori? Still think I’m lily white? Have you ever wished death on the women I was with before you?”
She closed her mouth and ran her fingers through her red hair, trying to get her balance. When she looked up at him, the stormy blue gray eyes showed so much.
“So, every time I mention him…”
“I celebrate that he’s gone, simultaneously suffering from the guilt. I hate knowing that he saved the woman I love, and you see him as a hero. I want to be the only man in your life filling that role. It’s wrong, but it’s the truth. I’m jealous of a dead man.”
She got up and began pacing, her hands shoved deep in her pockets.
“It’s a lot to swallow, isn't it?” Julian asked. “Imagine carrying this every day for almost two years. It started the night you told me about him. With every dream you have, the stake is buried deeper in my heart. I hate a hero.”
“I’m sorry this hurts you, Julian,” she said, stopping in front of him. “I didn't know, and you should have told me. I would never bring his name up again.”
“I know that you saved his picture and ring. I know it’s in that damn box in our bedroom. I’m a horrible person because you’re holding onto your love for another man.”
She took his face in her hands. “You think I kept those things? Do you really believe I would marry you and bring the memories of another man with me into our bedroom?”
He didn't speak.
It spoke louder than words.
“They’re gone, Julian. I sent the picture and flag to his mother, along with the ring. They were never meant to be mine. You were. The day you asked me to marry you, as soon as that case was over, they were shipped back with a note. If you look in my footlocker, you might be surprised.”
He was. All this time, he really hated looking at it. He knew what was in it, and that killed him.
Now, he found that it wasn’t what he believed.
“When we get home, you should look. One day, when you’re ready, we’ll do it together.”
He felt like a fool.
“I’m sorry, Victoria. I’m sorry that I feel like this.”
She wrapped her arms around his waist, placing them nose to nose. “Julian, all you had to do is talk to me. When you thought I was cheating, you could have asked. Now, you could have come to me. I loved Quinn Laramie, but I wasn’t in love with him. I never wanted to have his children. Yes, I agreed to marry him, but I told you that he forced my hand. That’s not true with us. I wanted that with you. I guess we both have been feeling out of sorts.”
“You’re not the bad one, Tori. You’re the best things in my life. Without you, I’d be lost.”
“You found me, Jules. You brought me home.”
He leaned in to kiss her. “I’m proud of your gut.”
She laughed. “Thanks, I think.”
“We should go find Beckett and Claire.”
Tori linked her fingers with his, allowing him to lead her to the living room.
“Before we go in,” she said, stopping him in the foyer. “I’m proud of my brother. I’m glad he’s part of our lives. It took courage to come to us.”
Julian grinned. “That’s good, because you’re going to get to see him a lot.”
“What?”
“He’s living in our apartment.”
She laughed. “You’re full of surprises today.”
Julian knew it. Now, he hoped they were done. He didn't want anymore. He was maxed out.
Inside the living room, they found Claire and Beckett mulling over the papers. Sometimes, Julian forgot that the man had been a cop. It was nice having more people on the team who thought like one.
“Find anything?” he asked.
The man shook his head. “There’s mention o
f a treasure, Captain Perla, and the Carlsbad family, but nothing more. By now, everyone who was involved in this should be dead.”
Tori thought about it.
“What if they’re not?”
Julian glanced over. “What do you mean?”
She set it up for them. “We’re looking for a killer who spans over one hundred years. Right?”
They nodded.
“We know that the person doing this now had to find out about the treasure somehow, correct?”
Again, they agreed.
“Okay, so logically, if they didn't get the information out of a book, since this is all that’s ever been published about it, and we just found the letters, how would they know?”
Beckett thought about it. “Word of mouth?”
“It would be more than that,” stated Tori. “Julian and Claire, how did stories pass down for your people?”
He got it.
“They were shared from father to child, from that child to their offspring, and so on.”
Tori continued, “So, it’s logical to say that the killer, who is preying on this house and the people who bought it, found out the old fashioned way.”
“Family lore,” Julian stated.
She nodded. “It would also explain why the killing has continued. Maybe this whole family is a little screwy. The crazy nut doesn’t fall far from the tree.”
Julian kissed his wife soundly on the mouth. “I really love working with you. Your brain is amazing.”
She grinned. “Yeah, so you keep saying when we’re in bed, only it comes out of your mouth as ass.”
“VICTORIA!”
They all laughed.
“We need to find out how our killers are connected, and then we can find out how this all started.”
Claire was confused. “I get the family of killers, but I don’t get how you’ll tie it together.”
Tori explained, “This gold has been buried for a very long time. Well before the first victim, Ralph Clarence, died. So, why did it start with him? What was the catalyst?”
Beckett jumped in, offering his two cents, “But we don’t know that he was the first to die. We just know that he was the first documented to go missing. You, yourself, told us that records are sketchy before him. Maybe there were more.”
She grinned. “Well, I can tell you how we can find out if he was the first.”
“How?” he asked warily.
“Bethany mentioned there were six victims. I’m going to bet that it started with him. I’m getting that gut feeling that he’s our man. I think that’s where this all started. For some reason, he started the chain of events.”
Claire rubbed her hands together. “So, it’s like dominoes?”
“Yes,” replied Julian.
She got it now. “So, we find the dead people and go from there.”
Beckett groaned, as he leaned back on the couch. “I really hate that part.” He was hoping that they didn't have to find any more bodies.
They couldn’t blame him.
Tori faced her husband. “Can you call Christina? She’s excellent at this kind of thing. We can have her research everyone ever connected to Ralph Clarence. I bet she’ll dig something up.”
Julian pulled out his phone. “It’s going to take her some time. That’s a lot of work.”
“What do we have but time?” Beckett asked. “It’s not like the dead victims are going anywhere.”
He rolled his eyes. “I’m not going there. I’ll call Christina and get her started. Meanwhile, I suggest Beckett and Claire start wandering the house. We’re going to have to find the last three bodies to put this case to bed.”
They stood.
“Let’s earn this paycheck, people,” he said, making the call.
In his mind, he was praying they got out of there in one piece.
That was his real goal.
Screw the dead.
* * *
Tuesday Mid-Morning
As they wandered the house, there was a knock at the door. Actually, it was more like an irritating pounding that wouldn’t stop. All four investigators headed down to see what was going on. Once Julian opened the door, they completely understood what the ruckus was all about.
In fact, Tori and Julian were expecting her.
The sheriff had arrived, and she looked like she was ready to scalp a few Natives.
Without even being invited in, she pushed past them to get inside. Heading toward the living room, she began wandering around.
It was there that Tori had to put a stop to it. There was no doubt in her mind that the woman was casing the joint. She’d done it before, but each time, she’d at least been invited in.
That was kind of how the law worked.
Sheriff Weinboro was skirting dangerously close to crossing that line.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Tori asked, as the woman picked up the papers on the table.
“Nothing, that is, unless you have something to hide from me. Do you?” she asked, smiling sweetly.
Tori crossed toward the brunette and took the papers back. “Let me warn you, Sheriff Weinboro, you’re not dealing with people who don’t know the tricks to the trade. I was in the FBI, and both gentlemen here were law enforcement too. We’re well aware of what you’re pulling.”
She crossed her arms. “I’m just stopping in to see if you found anything else. There are supposed to be up to six victims here. If all those people who went missing are buried here, then it’s my job to find them.”
Yeah, no it wasn’t.
This was their case.
Julian took over, because if the shit was going to hit the fan, he was taking the brunt of it. They had jumped the sheriff and called the FBI, and that was going to ruffle the woman’s feathers if she found out, without a doubt.
“If we did, you would have gotten a call. Now, maybe we can discuss you giving us a tail.”
She laughed. “Yeah, he was useless. I should have known better. It was a job that I should have taken on myself. Consider it lesson learned. The next time, I won’t make that mistake twice.”
Tori stepped up. “It’s time you left then, unless you have permission from the Lamonts to be here. If not, you’re trespassing, since we didn't invite you in.”
She didn't look happy.
Tori didn't back down. “Again, we know the law.”
“You’re asking for trouble,” she stated. “This is my town, and I can make you pay if you don’t play the game the right way.”
Tori Littlemoon moved closer, staring into the woman’s eyes. “That’s funny, Sheriff. That sounded like a threat. Here’s one back. I still have connections in the FBI. Maybe you’d like them breathing down your neck, or better yet, digging into your life.”
The woman glared at her, unaccustomed to being threatened. “Keep your noses clean, or the first screw up will be your last. I can promise you that.”
With that, she turned and headed out.
When the door slammed, Tori faced her husband. “You had better call the Lamonts and run interference. That bitch has it in for us. She wants to make us bleed, and I don’t doubt that she’s going to try and play the family.”
Julian pulled out his phone. “I’ll make the call.”
When he walked away, Tori faced the other two members of the team. The woman was worriedly staring up at the man.
“Beckett, are you okay?” she asked.
“He’s overwhelmed,” Claire interjected. “Can’t you send him out of here for a little while? I’ll keep using the map and keep looking.”
He laughed. “Thanks, Mom.”
Tori didn't disagree with Claire in the least. If they found another body, they were going to need him to touch the bones.
“How about you head out to pick up some supplies?” Tori asked. “You can get a little breather.”
Normally, Beckett would have objected, but he wanted to make a call to Claire’s mother.
This would give him some alone time.
“Okay, I can do that.”
Tori dug her credit card out of her purse and handed it to him. “Just bring me the receipt. You know how Mr. OCD is about receipts,” she stated.
“I heard that, Victoria. Don’t be bold.”
They turned when Julian walked in.
“We have an issue.”
They all waited.
“It seems that Chester Lamont is over all of this. He and his sister want to move on. They’ve paid up to Sunday, and after that, we have to be out. In fact, there’s going to be a real estate agent coming by to take pictures at some point. ‘The Killing House’ is going to be ‘The For Sale House’, and soon.”
“Crap! That’s the last thing we need,” Tori stated. “We’ve put holes in walls and tore this place up.”
He was well aware. This case was about to get very expensive. If they were lucky, they might break even when they were paid.
“We need to get out that box of letters and find the next clue. It has to be in there.”
They knew he was right.
Beckett headed for the door. “I won’t be long,” he reassured, grabbing the keys off the table by the door.
“Where’s he going?” Julian asked, as the man hightailed it out of there.
Tori explained.
“This is getting to Beck,” Claire offered. “I’m worried about him,” she added.
Julian patted his sister on the back. “He’s tougher than he looks. Have faith in the man. Don’t go all babysitter on him. People hate that.”
Tori snorted. “Yeah, they really do.”
“You don’t count. You’re my wife. Suck it up, honey.”
Claire hugged him. “Thank you for sharing dad’s necklace,” she offered. “That was a pretty amazing gift.”
It wasn’t him, so Julian pointed at his wife. “You can thank Tori. It was all her.”
Her sister-in-law went to her next, hugging her. “Thank you, Tori. It meant the world to me.”
She didn't mind. There was one thing that Tori did know, and it was that she was pretty much healed. She didn't need the necklace, she had the read deal when it came to protection.
Julian Littlemoon.
Unthinkable Games (LIttlemoon Investigations Book 3) Page 32