Page 175 of The Billion Heirs Boxed Set

Peterson opens his mouth to speak—

But the door opens, and Mr. Shankle walks back in.

At the academy, we took a course in body language and facial expression. We learned how certain emotions present themselves on a person’s face and in their mannerisms.

Shankle must be a damned good attorney, because I sure can’t read him right now.

“Ready to continue?” Peterson asks.

“Oh, yes.” Mr. Shankle takes his seat. “I think you will be interested in what I have to say.”

“And what’s that?”

“Before we speak further, I’m going to have to ask you to leave the conference room, Mr. Peterson. I’d like to speak to my clients in private.”

Peterson stands, which surprises me. I expected him to fight that. Instead—

“Very well. Hopkins, you’re with me.”

Now I see what he’s after. He doesn’t want me involved in whatever Shankle has to say to the Bridger’s.

“Why the hell does she have to leave?” Miles says.

“Because she’s a detective on this case.”

“You need to recuse yourself, baby,” Miles says to me. “You and I both know that.”

It’s not what I want to do, but it really is necessary in this case, not just because of my involvement with Miles Bridger but because the victim is my brother. I have major conflicts of interest.

“If you recuse yourself,” Peterson says, “I can’t guarantee you’re going to have a job.”

Miles stands then. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” He stalks toward Peterson, his hand raised, finger pointed in his face. “She’s the sister of a victim and she has a clear conflict of interest. There’s no basis for losing a job. Right, Shankle?”

“Miles,” Mr. Shankle says. “As your attorney, I advise you to stop right there.”

“You’d best listen to your attorney there, Bridger.” Peterson is visibly sweating at his hairline.

He should be. Miles Bridger is an imposing presence.

Mr. Shankle continues, “Like my client said, I hope you know you just threatened this woman’s job based on her recusal when she has a clear conflict of interest in this case. I’m not sure what your sheriff would have to say about that.”

Peterson says nothing. He just slinks out the door without asking me to leave with him again.

Miles takes his seat and grabs my hand. “What have you got?”

“I’m glad you’re here, Ms. Hopkins,” Mr. Shankle says, “because this definitely concerns you as well as the Bridgers.”

It’s amazing that my life is intertwining with Miles’s, but I never expected it to go down like this.

23

MILES

We sit in silence as Shankle recounts what he found out from his associate.

“Apparently you were on the right track,” Shankle says, looking at me. “Joseph Hopkins was involved with the EPA. But not in the way you might think.”

Sadie’s eyes widen. “So he wasn’t a trucker? He wasn’t hauling freight?”