Page 91 of Cupcake of the Month
“Do you, now?” Judge Ford peered at her from over her glasses.
Silence descended in the judge’s chambers, and Jordan felt the anticipation mounting from a thousand miles away. She wiped her palms on her thighs and glanced at the bed where she and Josh had spent the night. She wished he was with her, to shoot her that sardonic look that would make her smile.
“Roger,” Ms. Bippen said. Jordan couldn’t see her face, but her tone was weighted down with defeat.
It was fascinating to watch the different shades of red covering the skin on Roger’s face as he glared at his cousin. “You said there was no way they would ever find out!”
Sherry Bippen cleared her throat. “I’ll talk to my clients about withdrawing the suit, Your Honor.”
***
Josh wandered up and down the Jacksonville airport terminal, scrutinizing every passenger who waited to check in or wandered through the lobby. It had been three hours since Jordan had dropped him off. He checked his phone again. Based on the timing of her text about her court victory, she should be arriving at any moment.
And Zach still hadn’t been found.
What if they were in the wrong place? What if his parents’ note about Jacksonville was to throw Josh off the trail, and Zach had gone to Atlanta, or Savannah, or even Gainesville for God’s sake. What if he hadn’t made it out of Macon?
Plainclothes FBI agents milled about the lobby and the departures area. Josh supposed he should be thankful for his parents’ fugitive status, or law enforcement would be far less involved, since Zach wasn’t considered to be in immediate danger.
He stopped pacing and rubbed his eyes with his fists. This was so fucking messed up.
Shonda Durst, his contact from airport security, approached him. Her brown eyes casually swept the lobby and he forceddown any expectations based on her casual pace.
“I’m just checking in, Josh. We’re keeping every camera feed monitored and all the counter agents have pictures of your brother and parents in case they get by the FBI.”
The same thing she’d told him when he had arrived that morning. He nodded, his eyes scanning the area.
“We’ll find him. Don’t you worry.” She handed him a bottle of water and continued on.
Her tone was so full of confidence that Josh willingly believed her. He went back to examining every person who walked through the silent sliding doors.
After a bit, Jordan walked in. His heart soared at the sight of her and he acted on instinct, wrapping her in his arms and taking comfort in the perfect way she fit against his body.
“Any news?” she asked.
Josh shook his head. “No, but I’m glad things worked out okay for you.”
“A revenge plot ten years in the making. Apparently Sherry’s cousin sued my brothers years ago, saying she had helped them create their apps and wanted in on the profits when they sold it.”
“Crazy what people will do, and that you got caught up in it.” Josh tightened the chain around his emotions. “You can go home now. I bet you can’t wait.”
“Josh.” Her voice had become a reverent whisper.
His body gave in to the call in her voice and he had a sudden urge to kiss her. Until his eye caught the blonde with large sunglasses and a man wearing a Yankees ballcap and sporting a beard.
And the kid with them, hair in a buzzcut and dyed blond. As if that would stop Josh from recognizing Zach. The disguises were good, but even after eight years, Josh knew Marian and Clint instantly. “Son of a bitch.”
Adrenaline propelled him forward with Jordan trailingbehind. He kept his eyes on his brother as he weaved his way through the people milling in the terminal between them. Zach’s face lit up with a glow Josh hadn’t seen since he was little. A knot formed in his throat, and raw pain raced to his core. It would tear him up to rip Zach away from his happiness.
He could only hope his brother forgave him.
Zach turned to say something to his mom and locked eyes with Josh. His eyes widened and he tugged on Marian’s hand, trying to pull her away from the ticket counter. Clint saw Josh’s approach and sprinted toward the exit.
Oh, hell no. That bastard wasn’t escaping now. Josh ran, searching for a security officer. They were across the terminal, too far away to help.
“Get the police,” he yelled to Jordan.
He caught up to his stepdad and lunged, tackling him around the waist. Clint countered with a punch to the ribs as they tumbled to the ground. Pain radiated in Josh’s shoulder when he hit the floor, but he pushed it down and scrambled to his feet as Clint did the same.
