Jonathan visibly perked up, sitting straighter, his eyes shining with delight. “I forgot all about that account. Do you think…could the money still be there after all this time? Surely the government would have found it when they froze all your other assets?”
Big Jim chuckled, and rubbed his hands together. “Nope. The account had only been open a few days when they hauled me in on their trumped-up charges. It wasn’t listed with any of my so-called assets. And I certainly didn’t tell them about it.” He rose, tall and straight, feeling invigorated. “Get out of here and use the money from the Caymans account. I don’t care what it takes, get the money and get Sharon.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll be in touch.”
Like a sniveling little cockroach, Drury scuttled out of the room as fast as his scrawny legs carried him, shutting the door behind him, leaving Big Jim alone with his thoughts. Sharon had surprised him. Despite what he’d said to Drury, he didn’t underestimate his niece. She’d proven a worthy adversary, and he wouldn’t make the same mistakes again. The odds of her being able to stay hidden were slim, regardless of the fact she’d managed to evade his searches thus far. Between the men on the streets his attorney hired, and the hackers his brother-in-law had working behind the scenes, it was only a matter of time before his sweet niece was once again within the fold of her loving family.
Then she’d learn the real cost of betrayal.
CHAPTER SIX
Antonio juggled his keys, the extra-large coffee, and the copies of the files he’d brought home to work on in one hand, and pushed open the door to his hotel room. He’d planned on driving back to Shiloh Springs after getting his assignment with the Austin office. Instead, he’d been dragged along on a call involving a hostage situation in downtown Austin, and hadn’t made it back to the FBI offices until close to ten o’clock. Fortunately, the situation diffused without any casualties, and he’d gotten a feel for the fellow agents in his temporary location. Bunking down in a hotel for the night made more sense than the hour and a half drive back to Shiloh Springs.
Tossing the files onto the bed, he sat on the edge, pulled off his cowboy boots and socks, letting his toes sink into the carpet. He hated wearing shoes, always had. He smiled at the memory of his momma constantly after him to put on some shoes. But there was something about the feel of grass and dirt beneath his feet, the squishy mud between his toes that felt natural. Maybe he’d inherited his free spirit from his biological mother. He didn’t have a lot of fond memories from when he was growing up, but he did remember she’d always loved the outdoors and nature. One of his fondest memories of her was the day she’d taken him to the riverbank and let him wade in the rushing water. Icy cold, it caught the breath in the back of his throat, and she’d laughed, splashing beside him, head thrown back and arms spread at her sides, her smiling face lifted to the sunlight. Funny, he hadn’t thought about those moments in years.
He’d just picked up the file on Big Jim Berkley when his cell phone rang. Smiling at the picture on the caller ID screen, he answered. “Hey, Brody. What’s up?”
“Antonio! Heard you’re in Austin for a while. What gives?”
Trying to get comfortable, Antonio moved around until his back rested against the headboard. One thing he disliked about working in hotel rooms—finding a comfortable place to dig in and get comfortable. He missed his apartment in Dallas, where he had everything in its place, and he could hunker down and have everything within easy reach and not have to get up and search for the stuff he needed.
“The FBI office here is short-staffed, so I’m on loan from Dallas. Means I’ll be closer to home for a while.”
“Any idea how long you’ll be sticking around?”
“Not sure. Could be a few weeks to a few months, depending on the work load outta Austin, and how long it takes to solve the case they’ve assigned me.”
Brody laughed. “They’ve already stuck you with a case? Guess they saw the word sucker written across your forehead and gave you the worst assignment they had, right?”
“Jackass.” Antonio was used to his brother’s ribbing. There’d been an on-again, off-again rivalry between them for years, but he knew when the chips were down, Brody had his back. No questions asked. That was the thing about all the Boudreaus. While they might not share blood, their bond was unbreakable and permanent. He couldn’t imagine not having all of them in his life, even though the cost of belonging to their family came at a high price.
“You plan on finding a place in Austin while you’re there, or commute back and forth to Shiloh Springs?”
“Not sure yet. I’ve got a hotel room for the next night or two, until I get my feet planted, then we’ll see. I kinda want to get a feel for how this office operates, the similarities and differences between here and Dallas. Figure out the movers and shakers, and who the wannabes are too.”
“So, you’re in Austin right now?”
Antonio heard something in Brody’s voice, though he couldn’t put his finger on what might have his big brother on edge. “Yeah, like I said, I’ve got a room.”
“Awesome. Which hotel?”
Antonio rattled off the name and room number, wondering what mischief his brother was contemplating. Working out of Dallas kept him away from Shiloh Springs more than he wanted. While it was only a few hours’ drive, he didn’t get home nearly as often as he’d like, and he’d kinda fallen out of touch with what was happening with his brothers. He’d have
