Page 239 of The Billion Heirs Boxed Set

“Damned right. I didn’t have the answers because I never asked the questions. Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth and all.”

“Right,” I say, “and you, an admitted former criminal, didn’t stop to think you could be breaking the law. Not once in all that time.”

He drums his fingers on the table. “Money kind of puts stars in your eyes. Besides, no one was getting hurt.”

I shake my head. “For God’s sake. Just get to the part where you killed Hopkins. You know, where someone got hurt.”

He flushes. “I didn’t want to. I mean, his father saved my life. But someone was blackmailing me.”

“Jonathan Bridger,” I say. It’s not much of a stretch.

He nods once again. “Yeah, but I didn’t know it at the time.”

“How did you find out?” Jarvis asks.

“Joey. He told me it was Bridger. Those were his last words after we fought, after I managed to inject him with the fentanyl that was left for me to use on the guy.”

I’ve been with the FBI for years, and it still surprises me how murderers talk so nonchalantly about taking a human life. “So then what?” I prod.

“I took the body, went onto Bridger land, and tossed it into a creek. I figured if I was going down, so was Bridger. I had nothing to lose at that point.”

Again, he says it so casually, as if killing a guy and then transporting and dumping the body with the intent to frame someone else is no big deal. Shows premeditation. I hope he gets enough money for black market cigarettes in prison.

“How did Joey know Bridger was behind it?” I ask. We might have Joey’s killer, but we need this guy to give up Jonathan Bridger.

He shrugs. “I don’t know, and I didn’t ask, since I was in the middle of taking his life, lady.”

“My client is pleading guilty,” Akers says. “He’ll sign an affidavit under penalty of perjury attesting to the claims he made today. Then I expect the two of you to maybe go a little easy on him with sentencing.”

“A little easy? Uh…he killed a man,” I say to her. “Premeditated.”

“He did. But he has cooperated and you’re getting information you wouldn’t otherwise have regarding your case.”

“Our case is closed,” Jarvis says. “And the DOJ will decide on what to recommend for sentencing.”

Chubb sighs. “You know? I’ve got to say I almost feel a relief. I’m glad I’m done hiding.”

“Another one for the archives,” I say to Jarvis, closing my laptop. The two of us are done. Jonathan Bridger’s dead. The DOJ can deal with Chubb. “I have somewhere to be.”

I hop to my feet. Time to see Chance.

I want to be the one to tell him he’s cleared. That the case is over.

18

CHANCE

I’m about to open the box marked with Avery’s mother’s name when I hear Louisa calling my name. I rise quickly, replacing the bookshelf. Louisa won’t look for me in here. She knows I never set foot in this office and she only comes in to dust’ periodically. Still…I don’t want anyone to know about the secret room. At least not yet.

Her voice dims as she walks farther from the office. Good. Gives me a chance to get out. I close the hinged section of bookshelf behind me, then leave the room. I walk briskly through the house.

“Louisa?” I call, heading her way. “Here I am. What do you need?”

She turns and puts a hand to her chest. A smile is on her kind face. “Goodness. Where have you been?” She looks around as if I magically appeared. I’m a big guy and can’t sneak anywhere—except out of a secret room I didn’t know was in my own house.

“Just doing some work,” I reply. It’s not a lie, exactly.

“Special Agent Marsh is here. She’s waiting for you in the living room.”