Mediterranean Tycoons. Jacqueline Baird

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СКАЧАТЬ Alan, she couldn’t really ask what evidence he might already have on her brother. Not if she expected a genuine answer.

      For the first time, Jill felt an edge of uncertainty. Late last night, Alan had told her and Mom that he was innocent. But what if he’d lied to them? He’d always been so honest. So kind and generous. But everyone had their limits. In this rotten economy, the construction industry had been hit hard. Meeting their payroll and other bills had become difficult. Could Alan have become desperate enough to start pilfering timber? Jill knew he’d do almost anything to keep Mom safe. But did that include theft and lying to cover it up?

      She hauled in a deep breath, her mind a jumble of unease. No, Alan wouldn’t do such a thing. Would he?

      She didn’t like the pang of suspicion that nibbled at her mind. Maybe it was time she went down to the sawmill office and took a look at the books herself. It’d been months since she’d worked there, and she had to know what was going on. If for no other reason than to help reassure her agitated mother that her only son wasn’t going to lose their family business and end up in prison.

      * * *

      Brent gazed at Jill with regret. A blaze of compassion sliced through his heart, but he ignored the urge to blurt out the truth. He couldn’t compromise this case. There was too much to lose. Including his livelihood. He liked Jill Russell. A lot. But he also had a job to do. And that must come first. “I’m sorry about this situation, Jill. I truly am. But the gossip didn’t come from me.”

      “So, what are we supposed to do now?” she asked.

      He caught the twinge of hurt in her voice and hated it. For some reason, he felt protective of this woman and longed to shield her from this problem. “Anything you like.”

      “You really can’t tell me something more?”

      “Not right now. As soon as I can, I promise to give you a call.” Brent met her gaze, trying to concentrate. The naked fear in her eyes haunted him, along with the sweet fragrance of her hair. He took a deep inhale, drawn to this woman in spite of the warning sirens going off inside his head. After her kindness to him and Evie yesterday afternoon, he wasn’t being much help. Of course Jill was worried about her brother and the sawmill. It was only natural. And Brent blamed himself.

      “How long will the investigation take?” she asked.

      “I don’t know.”

      It would be unprofessional for him to tell her that timber theft was difficult to prove and the conviction rate was low. That was good for the thieves and bad for the victims of the crime, which in this case were the taxpayers.

      She stood, bracing one hand against the armrest of her chair. She looked shaky and he reached out to clasp her arm and steady her. She flinched and he let go, wishing he could offer her more reassurance. That he could say something to put her at ease. But he couldn’t. Not yet, anyway.

      He accompanied her to the door. “Thanks for stopping by.”

      “Thanks for seeing me,” she said.

      “Anytime. My door is always open to you.” And he meant it. He owed her that much.

      She stepped out. He planned to follow her to the outer reception area, but she held up a hand. “I know the way. I’ll see myself out.”

      As she walked down the hallway, he stared after her, thinking she had the longest legs he’d ever seen on a woman. Wishing he could call her back. Yearning to tell her all the facts. But his job prohibited it. Too much was riding on this case and he couldn’t jeopardize it by confiding in her.

      Instead, Brent returned to his desk. Reaching for his keyboard, he rapped out a quick email to his staff members. First thing in the morning, he’d hold a quick meeting with all his employees to discuss the importance of confidentiality. No doubt one of his people had seen the investigation request he’d filed with the LEI, or overheard a conversation he’d had with his timber assistant about the stolen trees. Not once had Brent mentioned the Russell Sawmill in connection with the theft, but conjecture was bound to occur. Someone had assumed Alan Russell was to blame for the theft, and word had soon spread.

      That wasn’t what was troubling Brent right now. He’d done his best to alleviate Jill’s concerns. But the truth was, Alan had already come forward to seek Brent’s help. Eight weeks earlier, the man had walked into Brent’s office and claimed he was being blackmailed by Frank Casewell, his mill manager. According to Alan, Frank was stealing the timber late at night and processing it at the sawmill to sell on the black market. If Alan turned Frank in, Frank had threatened to burn the sawmill to the ground. Which was something Frank had supposedly admitted to doing to another sawmill three years earlier in Missoula, Montana. No doubt Frank had threatened Alan in order to frighten him into keeping his mouth shut. But it hadn’t worked. Alan had fretted over the problem for two months, but he’d finally come forward, anxious to help convict Frank and protect his family’s business.

      Now they needed proof. Evidence that would allow them to arrest Frank. If they could catch him and his accomplices in the act of stealing timber, they’d get a conviction. Otherwise, it was Alan’s word against Frank’s word.

      Since he’d been working for the Forest Service in Montana at the time, Brent knew about the sawmill that had been burned three years earlier. A good friend of his had died in that fire and he was eager to obtain any evidence that would convict the culprit of murder. The fact that Alan had brought the matter to the authorities spoke highly of his integrity. But he’d still waited two months. Brent didn’t trust Alan either. Not completely. Until he had more evidence one way or the other, Brent planned to proceed with caution. He didn’t want the situation to get out of hand, but neither would he let down his guard until he had evidence to convict Frank.

      Brent had already contacted the US Attorney’s office on Alan’s behalf. They were now working together to set up a sting operation to catch the guilty party. Unfortunately, Brent couldn’t tell Jill all of that. And neither could Alan. If he talked with anyone about the case, including his family, the deal with the US Attorney’s office was void. They couldn’t take the risk of letting others in on the plan as it might jeopardize them snagging Frank and his band of thieves. It was that simple and that serious. So they must wait on the LEI’s investigation.

      And it was unfortunate for him that he’d lost Jill’s trust by denying her any more information. He’d wanted to put her at ease and keep her as a friend. Brent had been thinking of tracking her down and asking if she might help him with Evie. All he knew was that Jill was trained in special education and Evie had responded to her like no one else.

      Under the circumstances, that plan seemed futile now. No doubt Jill wouldn’t take kindly to him asking her to work with his little girl. After all, he was the evil forest ranger. For most loggers, being the ranger was a similitude for being the Big Bad Wolf.

      The enemy. Someone they could never trust.

      Heaving a disgruntled sigh, Brent stood and walked down the dingy hallway to the watercooler. The modest offices of this forest district weren’t fancy, but it was Brent’s first ranger assignment. There were fewer than four hundred rangers nationwide, so it was an honor to get this job. Previously, he’d been a fire specialist at another national forest in Montana. He loved it here in Idaho and wanted so much to succeed. And he didn’t want to alienate the pretty sawmill owner in the process.

      The spout gurgled as he filled a plastic cup with clear liquid and downed it in three quick gulps. The cup made a low popping sound as he crumpled it in his hand СКАЧАТЬ