Page 25 of Out of the Shadows (Angelhart Investigations)

Jack walked into Laura’s house at six that evening after spending the past hour giving a statement to the police and helping

first responders. Rick was angry with him, but Jack didn’t know what else he could have done. He hadn’t expected Aberdeen

to cause an accident.

He probably shouldn’t have sped up to follow him, but Jack didn’t think that was the reason Aberdeen had sideswiped the minivan.

Right before he arrived at Laura’s, Rick called him to say that the injured motorist would be okay, was being kept in the

hospital for observation for a head injury, which relieved Jack, and then Rick said Aberdeen’s vehicle had been recovered

off Interstate 10 near Buckeye. Every law enforcement agency in the greater Phoenix area had his name and photo and he was

wanted for felony hit-and-run, four counts—he would be held accountable for all three vehicles on the 303, as well as the

attack on Laura on Sunday.

Everyone but Charlie was in the room. Sydney had been crying, and Cody was sitting in Logan’s lap looking glum. Margo was

on the phone, and Luisa and Laura were talking in hushed voices while looking through Laura’s phone.

“What happened?” he said.

“Charlie left with the jewelry box,” Laura said.

“That man is going to kill him!” Sydney exclaimed, fresh tears running down her face.

“No,” Laura began, but Sydney interrupted her.

“Yes, Mom! I’m not stupid, I’ve heard you and Jack and Margo for the last two days. I know what’s going on. Don’t treat me

like a baby.”

Jack said, “I’m not going to let anyone kill your father. Understand?”

“But—”

“You are entitled to be upset,” Jack said. “Do not take it out on your mother. It’s not fair to her.”

Sydney’s bottom lip trembled, but she glanced at her mom. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, baby,” Laura said.

“Where did he go? Home?”

“I don’t know,” Laura said. “We were talking, then I was on the phone with Margo and he just up and left.”

“What were you talking about?” Jack asked.

Logan said, “He wants to keep the jewels. I offered to reimburse him, but he’s being stubborn.”

“Logan,” Laura said with a sigh. “I agree he should return them, but he’s right, he bought the unit, he can keep them.”

“He was being a jerk.” Then Logan kissed Cody on the top of the head. “I’m sorry, kid, I shouldn’t have said that. I’m just

mad at your dad right now.”

Cody didn’t say anything, but cuddled into his uncle.

“Specifically, what did he say?” Jack pushed.

Laura said, “I told him it was unethical to keep the jewels, that they belonged to the Thornton family. He had grand ideas,

and I hated taking him down a peg, but I had to. Just because something is legal doesn’t make it moral.”

“And he left?”

“Yes—well, I was talking to Margo, I didn’t see him leave.”

“What were you and Margo talking about? Could he have overheard?”

“I wasn’t keeping the conversation private. I had an idea—because Thornton was killed right after he received the letter about

his inheritance—that maybe Aberdeen knew about it and, um,” she glanced at Cody and said cryptically, “took matters into his

own hands.”

Luisa said, “Cody, why don’t you show me the pregnant cat? We never got to check on her earlier.”

Thank you , Laura mouthed to Luisa.

Cody climbed out of Logan’s lap and took Luisa’s hand. “She’s really a good cat, even though she might hiss at you,” he said

as they walked out.

Margo stepped into the room. “Bingo, Laura, you win the grand prize,” she said to the group. “Just got off the phone with

Mom, who finally tracked down Thornton’s partner, Victor Hedge. Thornton was killed in his home when he surprised a burglar.

The jewelry box arrived the day after he was killed, and Hedge signed for it, but he was so distraught about the murder, he

put it in John’s filing cabinet and forgot about it. Lorraine, the legal secretary, was right about Hedge starting to have

memory issues. He said he thought he had taken over the storage lease after Lorraine set it up, but then looked at his bank

records while talking to Mom and realized he hadn’t been paying for it.”

Jack considered. “Charlie heard that you think Aberdeen killed Thornton for the jewels... I know where he’s going.”

“To sell them?” Logan said.

“No. Charlie may have said he is the rightful owner, and he may believe it, but Laura, everything you’ve told me about Charlie—and

you too, Logan—is that even when he makes mistakes, he will always try to do the right thing.”

“He’s taking them to the family,” Laura said.

“Thinking that it’ll protect you. Unfortunately, Aberdeen doesn’t know this.”

“I’m on it,” Margo said. “Jack?”

“I need to stay here,” he said. “We don’t know where he’s going to go next, but if he can’t find Charlie, I think he comes

here. It’s the only place he knows, and now that the police are looking for him, he’s desperate. Take Luisa with you for backup,

just in case.”

“Roger that,” Margo said and pulled out her cell phone and called Tess. “I need the address for John Thornton’s kids.”