Page 65 of Not Our Daughter

“I don’t know. But I’m eager to put that thumb drive in my pocket into a computer and find out what Candace said in that email. I don’t think I’ll feel fully confident we’re getting out of this nightmare until I do.”

He’d already told Lisa about his encounter with Jack Harlen.

“Me too,” she agreed. “But it’s still so hard to believe how high up this could all go.”

Cole turned around when he heard Burns finish his phone call. He watched Burns huddle closely with Davis and another younger agent named Myers, who wore thick black glasses. They were all staring at something on a digital tablet, wide-eyed and shaking their heads. Burns gave Davis some instructions, and the taller agent quickly left the room. Myers returned to a laptop at a table.

Burns finally walked over to them.

“Let’s sit down and talk,” he said. “We have a lot to discuss.”

Cole and Lisa sat on the sofa. Jade squeezed herself in between them. She hadn’t wanted to be more than a few feet away from them since they’d been rescued. The past twenty-four hours had been understandably traumatic.

Burns moved to the front of the room and remained standing.

“I’ll admit, this is a bit surreal after thirteen years,” he began.

“For us, too,” Cole replied. “We’ve dreaded this moment for so long. But we’re honestly glad to be in this room with you right now.”

“Good. Do you know who that man was in the alley?”

“Sort of,” Cole replied. “We know he was the guy at the scene of the crime thirteen years ago. Most likely the one who killed Candace McGee. And the guy you should’ve been searching for this whole time.”

“You’re right. And I owe you both an apology.”

Cole pitched his head. He was shocked to hear Burns say that.

Burns continued. “But what I still can’t understand is why you ran instead of coming to the police or us with the truth.”

“We were protecting Jade,” Lisa said.

“How?”

Cole went on to explain exactly what Candace had told him that night and why they’d felt like they had no choice but to run—especially after sending the FBI the video through their lawyer had not produced promising results—and continue to hide all these years if they wanted to keep Jade safe and guarantee they stayed together as a family.

“That actually makes sense,” Burns admitted. “I have a daughter. She’s my whole world, even though she hates me at the moment. I would’ve probably done the same thing as you. Why were you on Sixth Street tonight?”

Cole told him everything. There was no reason to withhold information now. He wanted it all out on the table. Hailey McGee. The story about being at the bar with her sister and the older, sharply dressed businessman. Finding out about Longshore Ranch and the powerful Nelson family. The supposed plan by Candace to get her and her sister out of poverty. Their suspicion about Peter Nelson being Jade’s biological father. Tracking down Jack Harlen on Sixth Street. And then confirming that Candace had really sent an email the morning of her death. Telling the story left Cole breathless in more ways than one. It had been a wild ride. One he never wanted to take again. But he was surprised Burns did not look more shocked.

“You have the email on you?” Burns asked.

Cole pulled the thumb drive out of his pocket, handed it over. Burns walked over and gave it to Myers. The agent stuck it in his laptop and began pecking away. Burns began shaking his head again. He then grabbed the laptop, returned to them, and set it on the coffee table. All three of them leaned forward to read it.

The email included a selfie of Peter Nelson at a bar huddled up closely with what was clearly a young woman, only her face had been completely blotted out with black marker. There was a second photo of Jade as a baby but nothing that identified her. And the final photo was Peter Nelson’s law firm business card. One he must’ve given to Candace, because a personal email and phone number had been scribbled on it.

Cole read the brief email message.

I saw your political ad. Wife and two kids? It would be a shame if they found out you had another child they knew nothing about. A DNA test would confirm. I also doubt voters would approve of your sexual affairs. I’m prepared to go to the media. But this can all easily go away today. Just click the link below and wire $250,000 to the bank account listed. If you do, I promise you’ll never hear from me again. If you don’t, I’ll destroy you.

Cole exhaled, leaned back, and tried to digest it. The email provided the final piece of the puzzle to prove their innocence. He felt a strange mix of exhilaration and sadness. Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars? That number was pennies for someone like Peter Nelson. And yet he chose death anyway. Poor Candace. She had been so naive.

“Brock Gunner is the dead guy,” Burns explained. “He works for the Nelson family. After recovering his phone, we confirmed he’s been in constant contact the past twenty-four hours with a burner phone purchased yesterday in Washington, DC—one that we’ve now directly traced back to Peter Nelson. We have all of their text communication. We have a team already en route to his hotel. He will be charged with conspiracy to commit murder for the events that unfolded the past two days. And we will immediately begin digging to make the case for a conspiracy charge in Candace McGee’s death.”

Cole shook his head. “If this hadn’t happened, Nelson would’ve been our next Supreme Court Justice.”

“We dodged a bullet, thanks to you.”

“Well, dodging bullets has been my specialty lately.”

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