Page 178 of The Billion Heirs Boxed Set

Chance runs a hand over his face. “We’ve got enough going on. We need you to make the EPA case go away. Surely there’s more than enough to pay any fines and damages from my father’s other holdings.”

“We have to sell off assets,” Shankle says. “Nothing is liquid.”

“Then sell the damned assets,” I say, my voice rising. “Do you really think any of us care if we own some hospital or paint supply company or hazardous chemical plant?”

Sadie tenses beside me.

“You okay, baby?”

She nods, and then she sniffles. “I just don’t understand the whole thing about Joey. I mean, who’s this Gene Chubb who answered the phone?”

“My associates haven’t gotten that information yet,” Shankle says. “The phone wasn’t traceable. But they’re working on it.”

Sadie nods. “Okay.”

“We’ll prove that your brother was a good guy,” I tell her.

She turns to me, meets my gaze, and then she looks across the table at Chance. “My brother’s dead, Miles. It’s more important that we prove to the world that your brother is a good guy. We need to get Chance off the hook for Joey’s death.”

My God.

This woman. I can’t believe it, but I’m falling hard. Hell, I already fell hard.

“Anything else?” Austin asks our attorney.

“That’s all I’ve got for now. I suppose we need to let Peterson back in.”

Sadie rises then. “I’ll go get him. I think… I think I’ll go sit at my desk and try to get some work done. I’m off this case, but I do have others.”

I trail my fingers over her forearm. “You could take a few days off. Don’t you have bereavement pay or something?”

She nods, sniffling again.

“Then take it, baby. Take some time. Deal with your loss. I know it’s not simple, but you’re entitled to it.”

“I’ll think about it, Miles. I’ll tell Peterson he can come back in.”

Sadie leaves the room, and all I want to do is run after her, hold her, promise her that no one will hurt her ever again.

But I need to stay here with my brothers. With our attorney. With the detective on this case.

Peterson comes back in, takes the seat he vacated earlier. “All right. What do you gentlemen have to say?”

Shankle coughs into a handkerchief and then clears his throat for the zillionth time before he rattles off the same story he just told us.

“Interesting.” Peterson scribbles some notes.

“Are you ready to let Chance Bridger off the hook?” Shankle asks.

“Why would I do that?”

I stand, my hands curled into fists. Between my need to run after Sadie and make sure she’s protected at all costs and this bizarre need to protect my newfound brother, I’m ready to fight. Fight like I had to when I was a schoolkid and my mother was married to Chris Ciancio, the Mafia dude from Hell’s Kitchen. Husband number four.

“You’re supposed to be a detective, damn it. How can you not see what’s going on here? Joey Hopkins was hauling hazardous chemicals across the border, only he didn’t know it. He probably went to the authorities, and Bridger had him taken care of.”

I wince at my own words, but even though Sadie is safe outside this conference room, I still don’t like to think of her brother as being taken care of. Reminds me again of Ciancio.

“If that’s the case, I’m sure it will come out of the investigation.” Peterson doesn’t meet my gaze.