Page 123 of Moonlit Colorado

The first document was a list of dozens of names. Kip Knightly and Dirk Lancaster were both on it.

“My brother’s name is here,” Dane murmured when he saw. He was sitting on the couch beside me, while Ollie continued to play on the floor, and Piper looked on curiously.

“Not clear yet what this list means,” I said.

“True, but it’s not good. Open the rest of the files.”

The others were spreadsheets. Probably the books for the escort ring. Here I was, a bookkeeper, seeing the secret financials for a criminal organization. One that could implicate Dane’s family and other powerful people. It would take time to go over all of this.

There was a lot of information here. Account numbers, transfers of money. Physical addresses.

“A lot of these are addresses of Knightly Global properties,” Dane said. “Fucking hell.”

“You’re not having second thoughts, are you?” I whispered. “About sharing this with police.”

“Absolutely not. We’re going to expose the truth. Whatever happens, happens.”

“Good.” But anxiety tingled in the back of my mind like an itch I couldn’t scratch. Nina had died for this information, and now my best friend had it on her computer. I didn’t want Piper or Ollie to be in danger because of this.

I asked Piper to make a copy and send it to my email. Then I told her to delete any traces from her computer. As for the data storage card, I kept that as well. Dane and I agreed we would take a closer look at everything ourselves before turning it over to law enforcement.

I gave Piper and Ollie hugs on our way out the door. My friend was nervous about what all of this meant, and so was I. “Don’t mention this to anyone,” I said. “Not even Teller. Let Dane and me handle it.”

“Okay, but if I get even the slightest hint that you’re not safe…”

“Then you can join the long line of people determined to protect me,” I teased.

I didn’t need protection from hardships. I’d been through plenty and survived. But I also didn’t resent the fact that Piper and my brothers and so many other people in my life cared about me. It was a privilege. I saw that now.

I had Dane beside me, though. A guy who wasn’t justmysuperhero. He made me feel like a hero too.

We were going to figure this out. Together.

THIRTY-SIX

Dane

I parkedthe Range Rover with the valet, and Grace and I headed in to the lobby hand-in-hand. First time we’d been back to the hotel in weeks. And unlike before, we were together now.

I wanted to get her upstairs, snuggle with her in my bed—ourbed—and sleep away everything that had happened today.

It would all be back tomorrow. A tangled mess that might finally destroy what was left of the Knightly family. I still wasn’t sure how Kip was involved with Nina’s murder or the escort ring. But when the news got out, it would cause a huge scandal. It was going to affect my mother’s name and reputation, and Mom wouldn’t even have a chance to speak for herself.

And my father? Was it possiblehehad something to do with any of this? I didn’t want to believe that. But I had to acknowledge it was possible.

Maybe it was a blessing that Mom wouldn’t know. There would be fallout for the company. Maybe for the ski resort too, since Knightly Global owned it. I had no idea what to expect. How far the Knightly name would fall.

For tonight, I just needed Grace in my arms. A reminder that some good might come from all of this.

So courageous, this woman. The best thing in my life.

Tobin stepped out from behind the reception desk. “Mr. Knightly, Ms. O’Neal. Welcome back.”

I put my hand on Grace’s lower shoulder and nodded hello to my hotel manager. “Working late again, I see.”

“Thought I’d stick around after I got word you were returning. Your suite is ready.”

“Thank you, Tobin.”

---