Page 99 of Keeping it Real

“Don’t you need a warrant?”Aunt Eileen interjected.

The agent stilled briefly before aiming a pleasant smile at her aunt.“We don’t need one.But I can get one.If I do, I have to seize the phone and take it into evidence.If Finn voluntarily opens the phone and scrolls through its content with me, all I’ll need is to take a screenshot of whatever we find, and Finn can email it to me.”He looked at Finn.“Your phone wouldn’t have to leave your hand.”

Finn looked up in question at Sheridan.She had no idea what to do.

Aunt Eileen wrung her hands.“What could Jamie possibly have on his phone?”

Perhaps the reason behind him selling the bar.

Sheridan turned to Alek.His face was drawn, and his eyes narrowed as if he’d been thinking the same thing.Had Jamie gotten mixed up in something he shouldn’t have?She wasn’t sure she wanted to know.Except she and Finn couldn’t live the rest of their lives looking over their shoulder wondering.

She nodded at Alek before giving Finn’s shoulders a gentle squeeze.“Go ahead, Finn.”

Her nephew didn’t hesitate, punching in the code—double O seven twice for Jamie’s jersey number, seven.The burly Russian would have likely figured it out with a few tries.

“Thank you,” Agent Kovaluk said softly.

Sergi growled.

“Let’s start with the photos,” the agent suggested.

“Which album?”Finn turned the phone so the agent could see it.

“Your dad was organized.I like that.”

Sheridan stared at the screen over Finn’s shoulder, shocked at how Jamie, the messiest person she knew, had meticulously organized his pictures.Every photo was sorted into folders by categories: the bar, hockey, Finn, Hattie.There was even a folder with her name on it.Then there were folders for places he’d visited, friends, even his collection of hockey skates.She smiled as she shook her head at that one.

“Do you see anything unusual?”The agent directed the question to her.

“Not really.It’s all typical Jamie.”

Finn scrolled down to the bottom of the page.

“Wait!”Sheridan leaned in closer.“Does that sayMonk?”

Beside her, Alek chuckled in surprise.“He loved that show.”

“We both did,” she said.“If he met the stars from that show and never told me, I’m going to—” She stopped herself before voicing the words that spontaneously came to mind.“Can I see that, Finn?”

Sheridan took the phone and swiped the folder open, hoping for a picture of Jamie and their favorite television private eye.What she saw instead had her knees buckling.It was a carousel of photos featuring Madison.In all of them, she was with other men.The brute currently in handcuffs behind her appeared in a few of the shots with another man and Madison.

Snippets of past conversations with Jamie began to filter through her mind.

I’m not sure what’s going on with Madison.She seems so withdrawn.

I don’t think I can make her happy.

Madison won’t even consider marriage counseling.

I need to do what’s best for Finn.

Judging by the photos on his phone, Jamie had been playing private eye.He’d been spying on his wife.Sheridan shuddered with dismay, nearly dropping the phone.

Her brother had been sending out clues for months that his marriage was in trouble.Except Sheridan hadn’t listened.A tidal wave of shame washed over her.She’d tuned him out because she needed Jamie and Madison’s marriage to work to absolve her of the guilt she carried.Guilt for destroying her brother’s relationship with Alek.And now Jamie was gone, and she could never ask his forgiveness.

“Sher?”Alek steadied her with a hand on her elbow.“What is it?”

She looked into his beautiful eyes and felt a jolt of pain so savage it stole her breath.Jamie wasn’t the only one she needed absolution from.

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