Page 12 of The Secrets She Keeps

Oh, hell. Not theComplaints about Colesonsagain. “How so?”

“We need to find a way to keep people from coming into Hughes Heights. The riff-raff sort. I mean, those women all have jobs, I guess, but their friends aren’t the kind of people we really want walking the streets of our neighborhood. They are so lower class. I have seen their friends around everywhere lately. This week especially. Creepy-looking people I haven’t ever seen in Hughes Heights before. Even at that house up the road from theirs. And at that empty house right next toyourparents, Powell. And the press is always trying to get into Hughes Heights now. It’s all because ofthem.”

Well, technically, the press had started targeting Hughes Heights residentsaftermillionaire businessmanVictor Scott had died trying to keep Shelby Jacobson, now Shelby MacNamara—a wealthy heiress and one of Powell’s bestest friends in the whole world—as his baby-making captive. That was long before everything had started with the Colesons. Powell just didn’t point that out to Brianna.

“I wasn’t aware we had people walking the streets of our neighborhood. Are they at least using the walking paths? That is what they were put in for, after all. And the Colesons do have jobs. That really isn’t shocking, Bri. Lots of people living in Hughes Heights have jobs.Ihave a job. Two of them, actually. My parents have jobs. My brothers have jobs. Most of the people on my entire street have jobs. You should try it sometime.”

And that wentrightover Brianna’s head. Powell bit back a groan as Brianna just stared at her, a confused look on her face. “I do things. I run the HOA, and I spend time with my friends. And I manage my share of my brother’s estate.”

What was left of it. Brianna played at it. After her brother had nearly killed Cara’s cousin Ariella—the governor’swife—all of his proceeds from illegal activities had been seized. Or so Powell had overheard.

What was left of his personal estate had been equally divided, as outlined in Banks’s will—of which Mac had had the dubious pleasure of executing—between Brianna and her older sister Bethany.

Which, to give Bethany credit,shewas doing a good job of managing the Claireson estate’s assets, businesses her father had invested in or built during his lifetime. Bethany’s work probably funded Brianna’s lifestyle right now.

Powell been there when Mac had had to turn over Banks’s records to the TSP. It hadn’t been pleasant for her brother. For a while there, theSnotty Garlichad insinuated Mac had known what Banks was up to.

That Mac was involved.

That they had been friends their entire lives andMacwas the missing man involved. Someone with the nicknameMachad been mentioned in Banks Claireson’s records. It most definitely had not beenherMac.

Banks had been a client, and that was it. Mac and Banks had never been friends.

Mac—McKinley Mason Barratt—had a core of honor a billion miles thick. If he had thought a client was doing something illegal, he would have made the ethical choice. Of that, Powell was one hundred percent certain.

“So tell me what you think we are supposed to do about the Colesons? And, Bri—you are down to eight minutes now. Start talking.”

She wanted Brianna out of there before Cara showed up. The last thing she needed was to see Cara go after Brianna for Brianna saying or doing something about Cara’s family. Carawas extremely protective of her family. And she could turn into a rabid wolverine where her family was concerned.

No. Brianna had to go. Fast.

Or this was just not going to end well at all.

9

Brianna just kept droning.Powell just kept nodding. She was tired. It had been a long day. And she still had so many things she wanted to talk to Cara about.

Namely, Cara’s resignation.

Thanks to Powell’s brother Alex, and something completely boneheaded her brother had said to Cara before he even really knew her, Cara had resigned, giving her two-week notice from two days ago—citingmoralandethicaldifferences with a partner in B-3.

Alex was going around like a bear with a sore paw. Her father and mother were demanding explanations. Her motherlikedCara. Well, so did Powell. And Alex seriously needed his butt kicked.

“So what are we going to do about them?” Brianna asked impatiently.

“Bicycles?” Powell asked.

“You weren’t even paying attention to me, were you?”

Well, Powell hadn’t been. And her mother had raised her better than that. “I’m sorry, Bri. I’ve had a bit of a headacheall afternoon, and we had an intern suddenly give notice. And I need that particular intern.”

“Well, just hire another one. We have a big problem. They had weird-looking guys walking around all over their street last weekend. With a delivery truck.”

Powell checked her watch. Cara would be here soon.

And Powell intended to meet her just inside the doors. Before Cara could check the board to see what tasks the interns had all been assigned for the day.

Cara wasn’therintern, only. Powell had to share her, damn it. And that…was a problem.

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