Operation Homecoming. Justine Davis

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СКАЧАТЬ on the phone with Teague,” Rafe said.

      Hayley seemed to hone in quickly on that. “Any news?”

      “He’s onto something, yeah,” Liam answered. “I think he needed to know how far Quinn wants him to go.”

      Hayley’s gaze shifted to Rafe. “You okay with that? You did the heavy lifting on this, after all.”

      Rafe gave her a one-shoulder shrug. “As long as payment is extracted, I don’t care who the tool is.”

      “As long as it’s Foxworth,” Liam added.

      “Assumed,” Rafe agreed.

      Walker glanced at Amy, who seemed as in the dark as he was. Yet something about their manner kept him from asking. He doubted he would get an answer, anyway, although Amy might. Nobody here was going to trust him.

      And from their point of view, they were right, he told himself. Being Hayley’s brother wasn’t going to win him points here. Being the brother who had abandoned her was more likely to make him a pariah. It was obvious they all liked and respected her, counted her as one of them. And he was glad of that. Even if she never forgave him, he was glad of that.

      Cutter’s head came up, and he trotted briskly toward the stairs. A moment later Walker heard footsteps coming down. Quinn appeared, tucking a phone into his pocket. He seemed to pause for a split second when he spotted Walker. Maybe he’ll just throw me out, he thought.

      Hayley went to him and gave him a hug. The big man’s arm went around her protectively. And as far as Walker could see, the only person here Quinn would think she needed protecting from was him.

      But Quinn didn’t linger on him. He looked at Hayley. “So?”

      “Yes, we have an inquiry, at the least.”

      Walker frowned. He didn’t like that whatever Amy had wanted to discuss with Hayley, it was enough to get Quinn and his foundation involved. He didn’t like the idea that her problem was that serious.

      Quinn looked at Amy. “Your boss?”

      She looked hesitant, even reluctant.

      “Might be just as likely we can exonerate him,” Quinn said. “We always try, if someone’s not certain.”

      Her expression cleared. “Oh. Yes. I’d much prefer that.”

      Quinn nodded, then looked at Rafe and Liam. “This is sort of a family thing, if you two have other things to do.”

      “Hey!” Liam protested. “We’re family!”

      “Unless,” Rafe put in quietly, “Amy would prefer it.”

      Liam subsided at that, looking a bit embarrassed.

      “It’s just that there isn’t much,” Amy said. “I’m not sure it’s worth your time.”

      “Liam was right. Family,” Rafe said, “isn’t just blood.”

      The man’s gaze flicked to Walker, and Walker read the look as clearly as if the man had spoken. And blood isn’t always family.

      No, there was no welcome for the prodigal brother here. No open arms, no homecoming celebration.

      Just the silent suggestion that he shouldn’t have come home at all.

Chapter 8

      “I’m not at all sure there’s anything to this,” Amy said.

      Quinn smiled at her. “Only one way to find out.”

      “But I don’t want you to...mobilize Foxworth when maybe I’m just being... I mean, I’ve always thought my boss was a good guy, and...”

      “And he may be,” Quinn said. “Look, Amy, we’re here, we’re not busy at the moment, so let us put your mind at ease if nothing else.”

      “But if he finds out I’m poking around, I could lose my job. They’re not that thick on the ground these days.”

      “That’s why you let us do it. If we find anything, he’ll never connect you to the search. And you can call it off at any time, if you really want to.”

      She looked out the expansive windows of the upstairs meeting room. They took up nearly the whole wall, and looked out over the meadow. The meadow where just three months ago Hayley and this man had taken the pledge she knew in her heart would carry them forever together. Still in the throes of winter then, it was now dotted with splashes of color, wildflowers and a stand of daffodils here and there. She wondered if they were naturalized, or if Hayley had planted them in that artful way. It had been such a beautiful day, as if winter itself had blessed their union by holding back for the ceremony.

      She’d come to accept that some people—herself apparently included—just didn’t have that kind of luck when it came to love. Of course, Hayley had risked her life to win in that game, a situation where she knew she herself would have been a crumpled mass of jelly. But Hayley had always been braver than she.

      She managed not to glance at the man who was standing beside the window, looking out toward the evergreens and the big maple where, Hayley had told her, the eagles who had made that amazing salute often perched. He’d shaved, at least. And he was still lean, strong, with that easy grace to his movements that had always entranced her.

      And before her mind could career down that unwanted path, she pulled herself back to the matter at hand. Quinn was waiting, probably wondering why on earth his brilliant, decisive wife put up with such a fool for a friend. Or assuming she’d been pondering her decision, and not wasting her thoughts and his time on his scapegrace brother-in-law.

      “All right,” she said finally.

      Quinn nodded, as if she had answered when he’d first asked. He opened a drawer in the big table and took out a legal pad and a pen.

      “Give us everything you remember from the documents. Names, dates, addresses, anything. Writing it will help you clarify it in your mind.”

      “All right,” she said again.

      “There’s only one more thing you need to decide before we dig in here,” Quinn said.

      “What?”

      He looked at Walker, who had turned back from the window. “Do you want him here?”

      Amy thought she saw a wince flicker across his face. And for an instant she felt a pang of sympathy. But then the memories flooded back. No, no sympathy here, she told herself firmly.

      “I’m not sure it matters,” she said, looking back at Quinn. “After all, he’ll be gone again soon, I’m sure.”

      The wince was definite then.

      “I’ll just go...play with the dog or something,” he said.

      “I’m still not sure he’s decided about you yet,” СКАЧАТЬ