Page 78 of Romeo

“He did.So long as Riley leaves the state and ceases all investigations into the murder of your grandfather, he’ll leave it be.”

“I’m not stopping,” Riley says.

“He will press charges, Riley,” Jules tells me.“And now that he knows we’ll be looking, he’ll tie up every loose end that might lead to anything dirty he’s trying to hide.He’ll go to Dodger, too.And if he’s the one who sent someone after my grandfather, he could do the same to you.To all of you.”

“Then we’ll deal with it.I’ve never toed the line to bullies,” I say.“And I’m not starting now.”

“But—” Jules starts.

“No.I promised you we’d get answers, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

Jules’s frustrated expression only makes me care even more.She’s so willing to throw her own future away to ensure someone else doesn’t suffer.

Just as she did when she didn’t tell her grandfather the truth.

Just as she did when she told me to leave her to die and chase the killer.

Just as she’s doing now.

“I thought you’d feel that way,” Beckett says as she pulls out her phone.After firing off a text message, she sets it back down.“So, how can I help?”

“Keep Riley out of jail by convincing him to walk away,” Jules says.

“Can’t do.See, I’m not a huge fan of bullies either, and your brother strikes me as someone who wasn’t told no enough as a kid.No offense to your grandfather, Jules.”Her phone dings, so she checks it.A wide smile spreads across her face.“Perfect timing.I pulled some strings just to see what might fall out of Odie’s piñata and managed to get my hands on a lawsuit that was filed against Odie Landers about three years ago.”She offers me the phone, so I take it and read through the email.

“Stalking?”I ask, scanning the listed charges.

“Yes.The wife of a private investigator who was found dead two weeks prior.According to her, Odie kept showing up outside the house and insisting he was friends with her husband.She’d never seen him before or heard her husband talk about him, so she refused to let him in.It got nasty when he tried to break in, and she pulled a gun on him.After that, she filed the restraining order, and Odie Landers did what he could to bury it.”

“How did you get your hands on this so fast?”Tucker asks when I hand him the phone.

“Right before I hopped on the plane, I sent out feelers.I like to know who I’m dealing with before I deal with them.”Another savage smile graces her face.“This hit my inbox when I touched down, so I had my assistant verify it.That’s what she just sent over.”

“What was the name of the private investigator?”Jules asks.

I read the name listed in the order.“Robert Ventura.”

She turns to me.“He was one of the private investigators my grandfather used.Do you think that’s who was following Dodger?Was he following Odie too?”

“The timestamp on the photos we found were only a few months before your grandfather was killed.Ventura died three years ago.”

“Oh.Right.”Her expression falls just slightly.

“That doesn’t mean he wasn’t using someone else you know.Do you have more names?”Tucker questions.

“Two more.There were three he rotated between.”

“Get me those names, and I’ll track them down,” he replies.

“Okay.Um, the first is Vincent Tripp.Two P’s,” she adds.“And the other is Jesse Gilbert.”

“Great.”Tucker finishes writing the note down on his notepad then turns to his computer.

“I forwarded you that email too,” Beckett says to Tucker as she takes her phone back and slips it back into her purse.

“Thanks, Wren.Have I told you that you’re the best?”He grins at her, and she rolls her eyes.

“You Hunts think your charm works on everyone.Immune, remember?”She points to herself then turns her full focus onto Jules.“Anyway.It’s also nice to officially meet you, Jules.And to see that you are nothing like your brother.”

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