“What did you find? Please tell me there aren’t any more secret babies in the family.”
“No, nothing like that, it looks like a handful of bank statements. There are three deposits of half a million.”
“Dollars?” He glanced at Allison for a second, eyes wide. He really should be focused on the road in front of him, but those documents in her hand—they could be the key to figuring out what happened to his father.
Unfortunately, he was having trouble focusing on anything. He couldn’t get his mind off of that damn DNA report. Why hadn’t his father told him? Why hadn’t Dale? Heck, even his mother had said nothing. Had his father told them?
He’d never thought his family was the secretive type. But between the murder and this little gem of information, it looked like there were hidden facts sprinkled throughout Chicago. He had no way of knowing who actually knew. That was why he wanted to talk to Julie.
She was another disappointment. Over the years, they’d become friends, or at least friendly. They had talked when given the opportunity. Why would she have kept this from him?
And as if this whole nightmare wasn’t insane enough, now bank statements were roaming around. He couldn’t wait to tie this up. The whole situation was exhausting.
“Yeah, a half million dollars.”
“Where were these deposits? Does it give a bank name?”
“It doesn’t say. All the documents have are account numbers.” She flipped another page. “Wait, Connolly is written in the corner. It looks like your father’s handwriting. Could this be Julie’s account? Why would he have given her money... Maybe for Cody?”
“I’m not sure, but that's one hell of a trust fund.”
They pulled into the driveway of a well-maintained bungalow. A few orange and burgundy leaves twirled down from the mature trees, joining the others decorating the neat lawn. The white trim around the windows and door was offset by the dark bricks and the evergreen shrubs surrounding the property. The white flower boxes hanging below the windows were bare.
Adam walked up the steps to the landing and knocked on the navy-blue door. He walked down a few steps and looked around the quiet Oak Park neighborhood. Huge yards with mature trees lined the streets. Million-dollar Victorian and French Normandy homes rounded out the eclectic vibe of the area. A minor scuffling was heard from inside the residence. The lock tumbled and the door opened wide.
Ben Mooring opened the door, his bare chest rising and falling as if he’d just run a race. Adam gave a small prayer of thanks that Ben took the time to put on a pair of jeans before he came to the door. Unfortunately, the jeans were bulging in unsettling places.
He then realized they were here to see Julie, and took a step back in surprise. “Ben?”
“Hey, Byrnes. Allison. Did you finally get the balls to sell?”
“It has nothing to do with balls. Is Julie Connolly here?” Adam angled himself so Ben couldn’t slam the door in his face.
“Why?” Ben asked.
“It’s important. We need to talk to her,” Adam growled.
“About what?” He crossed his arms, maintaining a defensive posture and looming over the pair.
Adam could feel anger engulfing him, and his hands clenched at his sides. He was pulling his right hand up to act, when a soft hand touched his arm.
“Ben, must you be a jerk your whole life?” Allison slowly moved her fingers down his arm and massaged Adam’s hand open. “We were looking for Julie, but Edward must have given us the wrong address. She isn’t here, is she?”
Julie skulked out from behind the door wearing sweatpants and what had to be Ben’s oversized college T-shirt. Julie bit her bottom lip and ran a hand through her disheveled hair.
“Please tell me this isn’t what it looks like.” Allison’s eyes narrowed as her hands flew to her hips.
“Allison, I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you, but I was afraid you wouldn’t understand.”
“You’re right. I don’t understand. Are you sleeping with this jackass?”
“Can we take this inside? I have neighbors that don’t want to hear your tirade,” Ben said.
They walked across the hardwood floors into the multi-windowed living room. Julie sighed and sat in exhaustion her head hanging low. Ben walked to her side and placed a hand on her shoulder for support.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but now you know. Ben and I have been seeing each other for a while, and I’m in love with him.”
Adam stared incredulously at Ben and Julie. The whole thing was ludicrous.
Apparently, Allison felt the same way, and her anger radiated from every pore.
She hissed at Ben, “You are lower than even I can imagine.” She rounded on Julie. “Don’t you get it? He’s using you. He’s trying to get the Byrnes’s company, and then he’ll run for the hills.”
Terror flew through Allison’s eyes.
“You didn’t?” Allison hit her forehead with the palm of her hand. “Oh, God, tell me you didn’t give him the list of client specifications?”
“What?” Julie looked as if someone punched her in the stomach.
“I have been trying to figure out how Ben has known all of our clients’ information—their names, their jewelry designs. I have been running all over the city of Chicago trying to get our clients back.” She lunged for Ben, and her fist met his nose with a crunch. “You slimy sonofabitch— how dare you use her like that?”
She pulled back to hit him again, but Adam managed to catch her before she connected. Julie jumped up and stood in front of Ben.
“Enough. Allison, I don’t know what you’re talking about. Ben doesn’t have any client information. Have you ever thought maybe he’s just good at his job? If you spent half as much time worrying about your job as you worry about what Ben’s doing, Byrnes might be doing better.”
“Bite me.” Anger seethed down Allison’s spine as she stood behind Adam, his arms still holding her back.
“Well, it’s nice to see we can be grown up about all of this.” Ben wiped the blood from his nose.
“I’ll get you a tissue,” Julie said gently to Ben. She swirled around to glare at Allison and growled, “I think you should leave.” She glared at her bosses and stomped out of the room.
Adam looked over at Ben. “Where did you get the list?”
Ben moved his eyes from Adam to Allison. “It’s not important. Just know Julie had nothing to do with it.”
Julie walked into the living room, tissue in hand. Her eyes opened wide. “Ben, is there some sort of a list?”
Ben kept looking forward, not meeting Julie’s stare. Adam was shocked by the pain reflected in his eyes. Julie’s disappointment almost appeared to hurt him. If Ben was using her, he was one hell of an actor. Either way, Adam was sure Julie had nothing to do with providing him inside information.
Who else would have given it to him, though?
The realization roiled through his stomach. Pain and frustration wrenched his heart. He was almost afraid to ask the question but… “How much did you pay Dale for the information?”
* * *
Ben dropped his hand from his nose. He wasn’t sure how to answer the question. He could lie, but he was tired of all the lying. He had always been cunning, but he’d never lied before. He couldn’t remember when dishonesty had become acceptable.
“Fifty thousand.” He sighed. It looked bad. Hell, it was bad. Julie remained quiet. He wanted to yell, “Just say something.” But he couldn’t. He was afraid of what she’d say.
The only chance he had was groveling. Maybe if he groveled. He turned to her and a fist hit his nose again with another damn crunch.
“Dammit.” His hand flew back to his nose, liquid pouring down his face. “You’re lucky that’s all I did.” Julie pulled away and paced a hole in his living room carpet. “Why would you buy their client information?”
“Why do you think?” His head tilted back, his bloody hand pressed to his nostrils. “You know we’re in tr
ouble. I needed some sort of edge and Dale needed money. It seemed like a good idea at the time.”
He fell into a chair. Head pounding, tension mounting, all he wanted to do was lay down. He woke up this morning hoping to spend some quality time with Julie. Lose himself in her. Take a day off from work and all its problems. So far, the day had veered completely off track.
“Why are you even here?” He focused to Adam. “Was it to bust my chops about some damn list?”
“Actually, no.” He looked uneasily at Allison. Good. The jackass was uncomfortable.
“Yeah, um—Julie, I’m really sorry for accusing you of stealing the client list. I’m a real shitty friend.” Allison played with the collar of her sweatshirt. Ben had to admit that Allison’s apology surprised him. He’d seen her explode in self- righteous indignation over and over, but not once had he seen her apologize for anything. Interesting.
“You are,” Julie agreed and gave a small smile. “But I guess I understand.” “Well, hold that thought.” Allison looked from Julie to Adam and then back to Julie. “Adam and I found the paternity test.”
Julie’s face crumbled in fear, and panic swam in her eyes as they darted from person to person. “Oh.”
“What paternity test?” Ben asked. “What is she talking about? Cody?” “Where did you find it?” Julie sat on the loveseat, ignoring him. Nice.
“It was in the condo.” Allison sat next to Julie and wiped away a tear from her cheek. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I couldn’t tell anyone. My father said if the Byrnes family found out they had a grandson, they’d try to take him away. I had to protect him. I couldn’t let them get my son.”
“But Herb knew about it?”
“Yeah, but only recently. My father said he was trying to make sure Herb wouldn’t take him away.”
Paternity test. Herb. Grandson. You gotta be kidding me! Ben’s heart thrumped in his ear. I’m gonna kick his ass! He jumped from the chair, and moved within inches of Adam’s face. “Adam is Cody’s father?”
“No,” Julie screeched out. “Dale is his father.”
Ben stepped back. Dale? That moron? God, he wanted to hit someone. Unfortunately, he couldn’t hit Adam. This wasn’t his fault. But the fact that it wasn’t Adam didn’t make it better. Hell, it made it worse. Dale? That weasel was Cody’s father and— crap, she’d slept with him.
“Are you kidding me? You told me the father was out of Cody’s life. What else have you lied about?”
“He is—was—out of Cody’s life. He doesn't even know about him. I never lied to you… and anyway, what about you? You haven’t been the picture of honesty lately.” Tears flowed down Julie’s cheeks. On the one hand he wanted to reach out and tell her it would be okay. On the other hand, he— he just needed to get away.
“You’re right.” He shook his head in disgust.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but what about the money?” Adam asked. “What money?”
Adam pulled out the bank statement and Ben grabbed it from him. “Whoa.
One-point-five million, this is some serious cash. Where did it go?”
Julie got to her feet and stared at the documents, eyes bulging. “I don’t know anything about money. I swear.”
“Is this why you broke into the condo a few weeks ago?” Adam asked.
“You broke into the condo?” Ben was sure his voice was an octave higher than normal.
“That was you?” Allison asked. Apparently, he wasn’t the only one left out of the loop in all this crap.
“No. I mean, yes. I didn’t break in. I had a key. I just went in to find the paternity test. My father wanted to make sure that no one tried to take Cody. He was protecting us.”
“You keep saying you need protection. From what? Do you honestly think we’d take your child away from you?” Adam was being a bit harsh. Ben should stand up and defend Julie, but he couldn’t blame him. The Byrnes family didn’t have a vindictive bone in their bodies. If anything, they were way too nice. He had taken advantage of that niceness once. It wasn’t one of his proudest moments.
“I don’t know. I just know I love him and I would do anything for him. He’s all I have,” she sobbed, her breath catching as she tried to bring in air.
“Okay, sweetheart.” Allison put her arm around her shoulder as she glared at Adam. “It’ll be okay.”
Adam huffed.
Ben stared blankly at them all. He couldn’t believe this had gotten so out of hand. He thought Julie was the one. The one? How corny. He didn’t even know her. Lying. Breaking and entering. Wow, he sure knew how to pick a winner.
Chapter Twenty-Five
“Julie, your father asked you to find the paternity test?” Allison asked as she rubbed her friend’s hand in support. The terror and pain in Julie’s eyes was overwhelming. Allison always knew Edward instilled a sense of fear in Julie, but she never realized it was this bad. The Byrnes family would have never taken a child from his mother. The fear was completely baseless, and Edward would have known that.
“Yes, he told me to look for the paternity test and find out where it was hidden.”
“Why does he care where it’s hidden?” Adam asked.
“I don’t know. Why don’t you ask him? He’s been worried since Cody was born that the Byrnes family would find out. He wouldn’t even let me put Dale’s name on the birth certificate.” She sniffed and wiped her nose with the tissue in her hand.
“Wait, we saw him this morning and he said he just found out about Dale and Cody’s connection a few months ago,” Adam said.
“I don’t know why he’d say that.” Julie frowned at Adam. “He’s known since I found out I was pregnant.”
“Apparently lying runs in the family,” Ben hissed.
Allison could feel the anger well inside of her as she watched Julie’s eyes water again. She understood Ben was angry, but that didn’t give him the right to be a jerk. Then again, jerk was his natural demeanor.
“Well, this has been about as much fun as a prostate exam. I’m heading upstairs. I’m assuming you all can find your way out the door.” Ben motioned to the door before stomping up the stairs. Julie stared at him in disbelief.
“Are you okay?” Allison pushed a strand of hair from her friend’s eyes.
“No. I’m angry and confused.” She jumped to her feet and ran a frenzied hand over her face. “What a mess.”
“Will you and Ben be okay?” Allison asked the question as a loud thunk came from the entryway. They looked up to find Julie’s purse lying at the foot of the stairs. Women’s clothing came raining down onto the foyer floor.
“I’m thinking no.” She sniffled. “I think I finally screwed up yet another relationship.”
Julie scooped up her clothes and looked at Adam. “I’m sorry. I would have told Dale, but I didn’t think it was best for Cody or for me.”
He nodded. “Are you going to tell him?” “I suppose I have to.”
“Did you want us to tell him?” Allison asked.
“No. I’ll do it. I got myself into this mess. I’ll get myself out.” She sighed and a tear slid down her cheek.
“Do you need a ride home?” Adam asked.
“No. My car is in the garage. I’m going to head home and change and then I’ll call him. Should I come into work on Monday?”
“Why? Are you planning on being sick?” Allison joked. Maybe this wasn’t the best time for a joke, but she wanted to break the tension hanging in the room. Okay, poor timing. “If you need a little time to get yourself together, we understand.”
“No.” Julie sighed. “I mean, do I still have a job?”
Silence wrapped its claws around the room, stealing the air from Allison’s lungs. She didn’t know how to respond. She hadn’t even thought of that. Allison had no intention of letting Julie go, but what if Adam had other plans. Crap. If he let her go… well, she’d just have to talk him out of it.
“Yeah. I mean, yeah, you’ve always been like family.” Ad
am lowered his head and faced the window. He seemed conflicted, but Allison couldn’t help but embrace the relief flowing through her. No matter what, Julie had always been a good friend and Allison didn’t see that changing anytime soon.
* * *
Edward stared at the floor safe in front of him. He was pleased to find it open, but then the darn thing was empty. Empty. They must have moved the documentation. He roamed the house, ripping open doors, drawers and cabinets. It must be here somewhere. If Allison and Adam had found the bank information, they would’ve asked him about it.
He should have taken care of Allison in the stairwell. He’d known they would find those bank statements if they kept snooping around. He’d thought giving her a little scare would postpone their scavenger hunt. He’d figured it would give him enough time to find the documents before they did.
However, he’d had two weeks and didn’t find a thing. Allison and Adam managed to find it in one day. He must not have known Herb as well as he thought. He whipped through the condo again, pulling up his ill-fitting leather gloves.
He couldn’t believe he hadn’t thought to look for a floor safe. He should have known Herb would have documents hidden in an obscure location. Hindsight was always twenty/twenty after all.
He looked at the empty safe as he walked across the room. Dammit. He kicked the protruding metal. The safe rattled as pain shot down his foot. He sat down on the floor, twirling his ankle to remove the sting of stupidity.
He took in a cleansing breath. Focus. Adam and Allison had the bank statements showing that Mörder had bribed him and numerous judges to get his extortion charges and various racketeering charges dropped.
They’d been lucky over the years. Edward and the judges in Mörder’s pocket had handed Mörder positive verdicts and mistrials as directed, and no one had been the wiser. No, luck had nothing to do with it. Over the years, Edward had simply made sure that the paper trail was so convoluted, that if you looked close enough it would lead to Siberia.
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