by Donna Grant
“Do you have a little longer?” Skylar asked.
Leslie took one look at her face and frowned. “Something’s happened.”
“Yeah, it has,” Abby said. “Do I need to get the others?”
Skylar hesitated before nodding. She glanced down at her phone and contemplated calling Danny, but she decided against it. She could tell him later that night. Besides, he needed to work.
Once Clayton, Brice, Naomi, and Audrey were seated in the living area with Skylar, Abby, and Leslie, Skylar took a deep breath and opened her mouth to begin. About that time, Hope woke up from her nap.
“Go ahead,” Abby said as she jumped up and jogged to the stairs. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
Skylar licked her lips and folded her hands in her lap. Then she proceeded to tell the group what had transpired with her parents.
“I’m really not liking these Gaudets,” Naomi stated.
Clayton didn’t seem at all fazed by the story. “I figured they would offer some money as an incentive, but I didn’t expect the rest. Leslie, can you use this against them?”
The attorney shook her head. “Since the Longs didn’t get anything on tape or video to prove it happened, it would be their word against the Gaudets’.”
“Damn,” Audrey said.
Brice leaned forward and braced his forearms on his legs. “The Gaudets were quick to make an offer, and a sizable one at that.”
“You think they’ve done this before,” Leslie said.
Brice nodded, his brows raised. “I do. I think we need to get this information to Cash to see if it’ll help.”
For a minute, Skylar forgot who Cash was, but then she recalled that he was the private investigator the Harpers knew. “You think he can discover if Matt’s family has paid off others?”
“Absolutely,” Leslie said.
Audrey raised a brow, uncertainty on her face. “Um … don’t you need a court order to look into someone’s financials?”
“Not when there’s that kind of money involved,” Leslie explained. “If we have an idea which individual may have received a payoff and was connected to Matt, all we need to do is look at their lifestyle to see if anything changed drastically.”
Skylar rubbed her hands together. “I just want my parents safe.”
“We should bring them here,” Clayton replied.
“You can’t keep opening your house to others,” Skylar told him.
Brice laughed and shook his head as he smiled at his brother-in-law. “Obviously, you don’t know Clayton and Abby well enough to know that they’ll do just that.”
Clayton shrugged. “The fact is that your parents have been threatened. They need somewhere safe to go, and we have room.”
“I’m not sure we should move them,” Leslie said before Skylar could respond.
Skylar slid her gaze to her attorney. “Why do you say that?”
“Because the Gaudets already know you’re here.”
Brice’s face scrunched up in confusion. “Why does that matter?”
Leslie gave a little shake of her head. “It doesn’t. We all knew they would figure it out, but they expect you to bring Skylar’s parents here.”
“Again,” Brice said, “so?”
Clayton’s lips turned up at the corners. “I see where you’re going with this, Leslie.”
Brice threw up his hands. “I don’t.”
Leslie turned her brown eyes to Skylar. “With your and your parents’ permission, I’d like to set up their home to record conversations.”
“You think the lawyers will go back to them?” Skylar asked.
Leslie flashed a quick grin. “I do. When your parents don’t leave, and you don’t arrive to bring them here, the Gaudets will think that either your parents didn’t tell you of the offer, or that you’re planning something else.”
“Could it also look like Skylar and her parents don’t get along?” Naomi interjected.
Leslie lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “I’m betting that Matt knows how close Skylar and her parents are.”
Skylar nodded. “He does. And, yes, Leslie, do whatever you need to. My parents will agree, as well. I told them not to leave the house or let anyone in until they heard from me.”
“Good,” the attorney said as she tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear. “I can get this taken care of quickly.”
“Thank you,” Skylar told the room. She was saying that a lot, but without the friends she had around her, she wouldn’t know which direction to turn.
Clayton gave her a nod. “Talk to your parents. We’ll do the rest.”
Chapter 21
How in the hell was he supposed to concentrate on work after learning what the Gaudets were doing to Skylar? Danny squeezed the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger.
“Your silence tells its own story,” Clayton said through the phone.
Danny lowered his hand and sighed. “It’s either that or I let the cuss words fly.”
“You get pretty creative with those. I say spew.”
Danny grinned as he was sure Clayton intended, but it was fleeting. “How is Skylar?”
“She’s holding up well, but I can’t help but wonder how much more she can take.”
“A lot. She’s strong.”
“Everyone has a breaking point, Danny.”
He was well aware of that. “Have you heard from Jace, Cooper, or Caleb?”
There was a beat of silence. “No. Have you?”
“Not in the past few hours. They usually check in regularly.”
“For all three to be radio-silent isn’t good. I’ll contact Caleb.”
“And I’ll try to get in touch with Jace or Cooper,” Danny said. “Please keep me posted on Skylar.”
Clayton made a sound through the phone. “Of course. It’s none of my business, but it looks like something is developing there between you.”
“It is,” Danny said, smiling. It was the first time he’d admitted it to anyone else, and he liked how he felt when he said it aloud.
“Good. I like her. She’d be good for you.”
“Because you’re worried about me being alone?” Danny asked.
Clayton grunted. “Because I know you’re lonely. It’s the first time I’ve seen you really take an interest in anyone in years.”
“There’s always been something about Skylar that drew me.”
“Then I’m glad she’s in town. And, Danny, I’ll tell you what I told her, as bad as this business is with Matt and his family, it’ll go away eventually.”
Danny drew in a deep breath. “You aren’t wrong, Clayton, but I’ve seen the other side of these things. They can go really, really bad.”
“But we aren’t going to let that happen.”
Danny briefly closed his eyes. “Thanks for everything. I know it’s not great that I brought this to your door.”
“I’m glad you did. It means you trust me enough to keep someone you care about safe.”
“Yeah, but it also puts your family in a spotlight that might take a bad turn like it has with Skylar’s parents.”
There was a hard edge to Clayton’s voice when he said, “I dare the Gaudets to come after me.”
A few seconds later, the call ended. Danny immediately dialed Cooper’s number, but it went to voicemail. He tried Jace next, but it also went to voicemail.
Danny was about to go looking for them when his phone buzzed. He looked down to see a text from Cooper.
BUSY. CALL BACK IN A BIT.
That made Danny feel a little better, but he still didn’t like that they hadn’t checked in. It also worried him that he hadn’t heard their voices. Anyone could send a text.
He drummed his fingers on the desk before he dialed Jace’s number again. This time, he answered on the second ring.
“Hey,” he said in a whisper.
Danny winced. “A bad time?”
“Just don’t want to be heard.”
“You still following Mat
t?”
“They’re all together.”
Danny sat back in the chair. “The parents, Matt, and his brother?”
“And the lawyer.”
The fact that Jace kept everything at a whisper told Danny that the group was nearby. “Where are you?”
“Farmer’s market.”
Danny nodded, mentally placing them in a map off Old Sawmill Road in his head. “Public place.”
“Yep.”
“Anything good happening?”
“We have to get pretty close to hear anything. I fell back while C-squared moved in.”
Danny knew Jace was referring to Caleb and Cooper. “They haven’t recognized any of you, have they?”
“If they have, they haven’t said anything. And before you ask, no one is following us.”
For just a second, Danny thought about asking if Jace was sure about that, then he remembered the military training the three of them had. “Y’all should know that they sent some lawyers to Skylar’s family and offered them several million between them and Skylar if she’d disappear and forget about Matt. Skylar has twenty-four hours to make a decision, and if she refuses, they’re going after her parents and doubling down on her.”
“The hell they are,” Jace said in an even tone, but Danny wasn’t fooled. He, like the Harpers and Easts, knew that Jace wasn’t someone you wanted to get riled.
Danny drew in a deep breath. “Y’all have been trailing them for a few days now, and nothing has happened.”
“Not since Matt trailed you.”
There was that. “None of them are stupid enough to try to get onto the ranch. As long as Skylar stays there, she’s safe.”
“She’s a prisoner, Danny, and you know it. No matter how nice the surroundings, she can’t live her life.”
Danny fisted his hands, hating that he’d forgotten about Jace’s past. “You’re right. It is a prison. The quicker Matt and his family leave, the sooner she can have her freedom.”
“Cooper tried to get ahold of Cash earlier. I’ll nudge him to call again. We’ll be in touch soon.”
“Thanks.”
Just as he was about to hang up, Jace whispered, “Wait.”
Danny concentrated on listening through the phone as voices got louder. He picked up Matt’s easily enough.
“I’m not a fucking child anymore,” Matt said.
A man replied with, “No, but you are my son. If you want to continue pulling from your trust fund, then you’ll listen.”
Danny put the voice to memory and labeled it with: Sean Gaudet, patriarch.
Right on the heels of Sean’s voice was a woman’s. It was refined and dripped with annoyance. Michelle Gaudet told her son, “We’ve bent over backward for you. Perhaps we should stop and let you take care of things yourself. Without the family money.”
“Right,” Matt replied with a laugh. “We both know that won’t happen. Michael is gearing up his campaign for governor, and the family has to be perfect.”
“Every family has a black sheep,” replied another male voice.
Danny recognized that as Spencer, the youngest Gaudet brother. This conversation was enlightening to be sure, but it also told him the lengths the Gaudets had gone to for Matt before. Now, if Cash could only find a bread trail to Matt’s past, that would be great.
“This isn’t a conversation for public,” Rodney stated, reminding the family where they were.
Matt issued a loud bark of laughter. “You’re the one who wanted to walk around among the regular folk. Mom in her pearls and diamonds, and Dad in his thousand-dollar shoes. Yeah, we fit in real good here, Rodney.”
The crack of a palm on skin could be heard even through the phone. Then Michelle said, “I’ve had enough. I’m going back to the hotel.”
“Me, too,” Spencer said.
Unfortunately, nothing else was said. Danny pressed his lips together and went over the conversation as Jace ended the call after a whispered goodbye.
Danny turned to his computer and pulled up the file on Matthew Gaudet. He looked for any previous arrests, but there was none. In fact, Matt’s arrest with Danny’s department was the first time a Gaudet had been in the system since the sixties. The family was squeaky clean.
Or they just knew all the right people.
Matt hadn’t been wrong when he said that the family stood out in their community. Houston was only a few hours from them, but city life was vastly different than country life, and it was never more obvious than with the Gaudets’ arrival.
Danny devoted another hour to looking into the Gaudet family but came up with very little. He searched the national database, looking for anyone who might have made a complaint against them.
There had been a housekeeper who had gone to the police in Houston, but if there was any paperwork filled out, it hadn’t been entered into the system. Either that or the housekeeper had changed her mind.
With how easily the Gaudets threw money around, Danny wouldn’t be surprised if the housekeeper had been paid off. It seemed to be how the Gaudets did business. And it was certainly one way to keep the family name out of the papers and in a good light.
If no one was around to make waves, then the family could remain looking impeccable to most. With their wealth and picture-perfect looks, it was no wonder the family was one of the most photographed in Houston.
Danny rubbed his tired eyes. He reached for his cup of coffee, only to find it empty. He rose to go get more when there was a knock on his door. It opened far enough for Jace to poke in his head.
“I didn’t expect a visit,” Danny said.
Jace pushed the door open wider to walk in. “I was headed to get something to eat. Brice took over, so I’m done for the night.”
“What did you learn?”
“That the Gaudet family is fucked-up,” Jace said as he sank into one of the chairs before the desk. “And that they don’t hesitate to do whatever they need to for their family.”
Danny lowered himself back into his chair. “Yeah, I figured that.”
“You didn’t see the mother slap Matt, though. I don’t think it’s something she does often, but she was furious. Not sure if it was at Matt or the fact that he made her lose her temper in public.”
“Probably a bit of both.”
“For a moment, I actually thought Matt might hit her back, he was so irate. The others walked away, and Spencer went with Michelle. I followed them back to their hotel, where Brice met me.”
Danny nodded as he listened. “Dissension in the family. If only that meant they would stop helping Matt.”
“Yeah, that’s not going to happen.”
“I know. Wishful thinking.”
Jace yawned and scrubbed at the shadow of a beard on his jaw. “This thing could go one of two ways. Either they’ll stick it out and continue fighting, or they’ll leave.”
“From what I’ve seen, the Gaudets don’t run from anything.”
Jace blew out a long breath. “I have to agree with that assessment. Skylar needs to be prepared for anything.”
* * *
Matt stared at his red cheek in the public restroom. Everything in him had wanted to lash out at his mother for daring to slap him. And in full view of everyone, no less.
His parents had drilled into him and his brothers that nothing untoward could happen in public. That anything, even the slightest of disagreements, should be kept to the house where no one could see or hear.
And yet his mother had hit him.
That was the last straw. He’d been under his family’s thumb for too long. It was time he showed them just what he could do on his own. He didn’t need them. Not before, and certainly not now.
In his mind, their actions against Skylar were putting more of a spotlight on him, and that’s the last thing Matt wanted. He’d handled things before without his parents’ knowledge. He would again.
His phone buzzed. He looked down to see a number he didn’t recognize. Usually, he ignored those calls, but
he took a chance and answered.
“Matt?”
He perked up at the feminine voice, but he didn’t recognize it. “Yeah?”
“It’s Crypto. I’m still working on hacking into the East Ranch. Whoever set up the security system is a genius. It’s set up on several different servers. I’ve only been able to get into one. It’s the video feed. Thought you might be interested in what I’ve seen over the last six hours.”
He frowned, remembering that she spelled her name CRYP70. Hackers were weird. The woman talked fast and didn’t seem to give a rat’s ass who he was. Then again, he’d paid her handsomely, and that was just the first half. If she succeeded, she’d get the other half of the money and a big bonus. “Video? What good does that do me?”
“I don’t know, nor do I care. You wanted to see if I could hack in. This is how far I’ve gotten. I just sent you the link. The copy I made is on my server.”
There was a threat in her tone that he didn’t like. “Why is that important?”
“I want to make sure that you pay me what you’ve promised.”
“When you deliver, sweetheart.”
“Oh, I’ll deliver,” she promised and disconnected.
Matt pulled his phone away from his ear as a text came through from Crypto. There was a link that he clicked. It took him to a video feed.
He smiled when he saw the various camera views situated around the ranch. He focused on the ones nearest the house. It would take hours for him to search through it all, and that was better done on his laptop back at the hotel.
Just as he was about to lower his phone, a flash of blond hair caught his attention. He chose one of the video feeds and enlarged it so it filled his screen. And there, before his eyes was Skylar, holding hands with none other than Danny Oldman.
“I knew it,” Matt murmured angrily.
Chapter 22
December 11th
Everything was set up with her parents. Skylar hated that they had been brought into the middle of things, but once she explained what Leslie wanted to do, her parents had quickly agreed.
Skylar wasn’t in a good mood that morning. Danny had been called out to a bad wreck and hadn’t made it back to the ranch the night before. Skylar knew it was just part of his job, but she couldn’t help wondering if Matt and his family had had something to do with it.