Page 4 of Fallout

“Do the right thing.”For once.

Jasper held back that last part. He didn’t need to rub it in the guy’s face that he’d done the wrong thing so long ago, and now it was coming back to bite him—whether he’d done it by choice or been coerced.

“I’ll see what I can remember.” George made a face. “My memory isn’t what it used to be.”

Jasper didn’t like the sound of that. “And in the meantime? Can you protect yourself if this guy comes around to tie up loose ends?”

George bristled.

“We can keep you safe.” Samantha kept her voice soft. “We won’t let anything happen to you.”

There were other options. Jasper dug a business card out of his wallet. “Or you can call Vanguard. Hire protection of your own.”

A good idea, at least until George made up his mind about what he remembered.

“You think I have the liquid assets to cover what they charge?” George huffed. “All my money is going to my lawyer.”

Jasper tapped two fingers on the business card. “Tell them to put it on my tab.” He set another card beside it with his information on it. “Don’t let this guy take what you have left. You can make something of the rest of your life. It’s not over yet.”

George stared at his glass.

Jasper headed to the front door, and he and Detective Jesse strode down the drive.

“You think he’ll call?”

Jasper glanced over to gauge how Samantha felt before he answered. His gaze snagged on the hill in the distance and the signpost on the corner. Then, the hydrant.

He stopped.

Turned back to look up the street in the other direction.

“What is it?”

“Uh, nothing.” Why did this street look familiar? It had niggled at him when he’d first shown up, but the reason he’d come here had been his top priority. Work was always the priority. It had to be. It was the only way he could feel like part of a brotherhood again. “I think I… I think I used to live on this street.”

But that would mean…

Jasper rubbed the ache in his chest and set off walking toward what felt familiar. The whole area pulled at him like a thorny vine wrapped around his heart. He had to see it.

Detective Jesse stayed quiet. He almost forgot she was there.

Then he saw the fence. That spot where they used to… Yep, it was still loose. Jasper was a whole lot bigger than he’d been at eight, but he managed to get into the backyard.

Detective Jesse followed. “I’m guessing this isn’t about the case.”

The tree house was still there, the yard as big as a park. The back of the house had patio furniture and a huge grill, which they’d never had. The senator didnotgrill.

Jasper stared up at the tree house. “It’s smaller than I remember.”

She said something, but memories rang loud in his head as he climbed the ladder, so he didn’t hear her.

“Come on, Jas. Dad won’t be back for hours. We can play all day.”

He followed Caleb up the ladder into the tree house. His little brother, just eleven months younger, needed a little help. He was still weak.

When they were inside, Caleb said, “Close the hatch.”

Jasper secured it shut so the nanny wouldn’t be able to get in. When he turned, Caleb had a pocketknife. “Where did you get that?”