Page 32 of Defending Love

Chapter Thirty-One

Eli

I turned to Damien. “Would you be willing to submit a fingerprint sample?”

“Of course.” He pointed toward the hallway. “I touched the things in Dad’s safe. I’ve told you that.”

“It’s just routine.”

“Bullshit,” Damien said. “You fucking suspect me. I’m the one paying you.”

“Damien.” Dani stepped closer. “If Guardian can eliminate our fingerprints, it could help them find who else was in the safe.”

He lifted his palms to his temples. “You said whoever stole the journals didn’t get in the safe. So what fingerprints are you trying to find?”

Dani looked at me, asking permission. If only she’d done that earlier. I nodded. At this point, I wasn’t certain what to think.

“Damien, we found one other thing in Dad’s safe.”

“What?”

“It was a letter written by Dad.”

His blue eyes narrowed. “Let me see it.”

“We don’t have it,” I replied. “I sent it to the main Guardian office. They ran it for prints. Derek’s prints weren’t on it.”

“Then he didn’t write it.”

Dani and I nodded.

“Whose were?”

“Possibly yours,” Dani said. “If you give a sample, we’ll know for sure or eliminate you as a possibility.”

“Fine,” he said. “Take my prints. I don’t have a fucking clue what you’re talking about. There wasn’t a letter when we cleared out the safe.”

Dani replied, “It was in a manila envelope under the felt on the bottom of the safe.”

Damien sat back in the chair. “Fuck, I can’t remember if we looked there. I’d have to ask Stephen.” He looked back up to both of us. “If it wasn’t there, that means that someone put it in between the time we all went down when Dad was shot to when you found it. Has anyone else been in the house?”

“The people who took the journals,” I said.

“But they didn’t take the things in the safe. They came to you, knowing you had.”

Dani nodded as she took a seat. “It’s a circle. It doesn’t make sense.”

“Unless,” I said, “those people planted the letter.”

Dani met my gaze. “Why come to us about the contents of the safe? They brought attention to themselves.”

I shrugged. “Maybe they thought you’d tell them what you found. They were confirming that we had the letter.”

She shook her head. “It doesn’t make sense.”

“What did it say?” Damien asked.

“The handwriting looked like Dad’s,” Dani began. “But two handwriting experts from Guardian say it was forged.” She took a breath. “I only read it once, but it said something about ‘if we found the note, Dad’s worst nightmare came true.” She turned to me.

One of the skills of my profession was photographic memory.

“It said,” I went on, “If this is ever found, my worst nightmare came true. I pray it was only me that he came after and that those I love are safe. The decision wasn’t easy, but given the circumstances, I would do it again.

No price is too high to save that which was built.

Don’t question. Don’t let the truth come out.

I’ll take it to my grave; let it rest there.

Please, to those who know, keep your word, for the sake of my family and legacy. ”

Damien slumped back in his chair. “Fuck.”

“The thing is,” Dani said, “if Dad didn’t write it, who did and why?”

“Someone,” Damien said, “wants us to question. If those fake FBI agents planted it, and then went to you, they must have wanted to know that you found it.”

Dani looked my direction. “We didn’t confirm or deny what we found. They wanted to see it, and you told them no.”

My eyes opened wider. “There’s one other way for them to confirm that we found it. If someone checks the safe and it’s missing.”

Her blue gaze sparkled. “Have you checked your new surveillance devices?”

“No,” I said, turning toward my makeshift office.

Dani and Damien were on my tail as I went into the small bedroom and brought to life my desktop that Larry had set up.

A few clicks and I had the program. I only set up the camera yesterday.

Truthfully, the FBI guys could have gone back Friday night after talking to us.

If that were the case, my camera was too late.

“The camera in the office picked up on motion yesterday afternoon,” I said.

Dani and Damien came into the room, peering over my shoulder. We all stared at the screen as a small light-brown dog ran in circles on the floor. I’d only seen the dog once. I turned to Dani. “Is that Hoosier?”

With her eyes as wide as saucers, she nodded.

A woman’s voice could be heard before she could be seen.

Carol, Marsha’s neighbor, spoke to the dog as she pulled back the picture frame and entered the correct code.

She lifted the felt liner and placed it back.

After relocking the safe and returning the picture frame, she turned to the dog.

“That’s good. I’ll let him know they have it. Come on, Hoosier. Let’s go home.”

“Him,” Dani said, turning to her brother.

“Not fucking me.”

“Who?” When neither one responded, I asked, “What do you know about Carol?”

Damien shook his head. “Nothing.”

Dani pursed her lips. “Her last name is Webster. Her husband passed away before she moved next door to Mom and Dad. Why she knew the combination to the safe, no clue.” Her blue eyes opened wider.

“Carol was the one to tell us about the people taking things from Mom’s house.

Why would she do that if she is working with them? ”

Damien spoke. “Eli, can you find Carol’s phone and see who she called last night? Was there a time stamp on that video?”

“I’ll do my best.”

Damien looked at his watch. “I need to get home to Ella and Dylan. Call me as soon as you learn anything.” He and Dani walked toward the front door.

I followed, interested in what might be said.

“I’m sorry,” Dani said as she reached for her brother’s hand. “I never thought you were capable of hurting Dad.”

“There was some interesting circumstantial evidence.”

“Eli said to follow his gut. I followed mine. Mine said you couldn’t do that.”

“I couldn’t, but I’m starting to believe he’s not far off with the murder-for-hire theory.” Damien kissed her cheek. “Stay safe.”

She turned, seeing me standing in the hallway. “I’m safe.”

Damien pointed at me. “Thirty minutes ago, I was ready to fire your ass.”

“You can fire me right now. I’m not leaving Dani.”

“Until you know she’s safe?” he added.

“I’m not leaving period.”

Damien looked at Dani and back to me with a shake of his head before exiting through the door. Once he was gone, Dani secured the lock and turned, her knowing grin on display. “I told you it wasn’t him.”

“I’m eighty percent certain you’re right.”

“Only eighty?” She came in my direction, and I met her halfway, my hands going to her waist and hers going to my shoulders. “You’re not leaving?”

“No.”

“You told Damien that.”

“I did.” I kissed her nose. “I’m fucking in love with you. I’m not going to fight it.”

“You’re in love with me?”

“Yes.”

“I think I could be in love with you.”

“You think?” I asked.

“Well, you were going to shoot my brother.”

“No, I would only have shot if it hadn’t been Damien at the door, but our FBI guys.”

Dani took a step back, reaching out and holding my hand. “I never thought of that.”

I tugged her back until she was flush against me.

“That’s why I’m here. You don’t need to worry.

I’ve got it covered.” I looked down at my suit.

“I’m going to change back into my blue jeans and save this suit for tomorrow’s executive board meeting.

Then, I’m going to find out all I can about Carol Webster. ”

“I’m going to do more homework on Preston Ayers. If Dad didn’t like him, I can’t in good faith agree to have him on our board.”

“Hey,” I said, “if you’re not currently a member of the executive board, how do you get a say?”

“I have Mom’s proxy.”

“What does she think about Ayers?”

Dani nodded. “I’m going to find out.”