Page 134 of Fraud
“What the hell have you gotten yourself into now?” I asked, pacing back and forth as my breath hastened.
He sighed, flopping down onto the couch again. “The cops are after me,” he finally admitted. “They’ve already searched here. I figured I’m safe for a while.”
The way he said “while” didn’t sound reassuring.
“Jesus,” I hissed, “After my room in Oregon had been ransacked.”
“Myroom,” he corrected. “I switched it over to me after you moved out.”
“Why the hell did you do that?”
He shrugged. “I didn’t want you involved. I knew they were on my trail, so I hacked into the hotel’s computer system and deleted any record of you being there. Replaced it with my own name. I figured I had enough time to bail before they showed up.”
“You mean, enough time to steal some money and make a break for it?”
His fingers went to his temples. “I didn’t know what else to do. I went to her office to explain, to vouch for your innocence, but she wasn’t there, and I was running out of time.”
“So, you thought you’d just write a cryptic note and, what? Leave me to clean up your mess? Again?”
“I honestly don’t know what I was doing.”
“Story of your fucking life, Liam,” I growled.
“I guess I thought I’d be out of the country and no longer a problem for anyone.”
“So, that was your master plan? Take the stolen money and smuggle yourself out of the country, so you could live out the rest of your life as a fugitive?”
He shrugged. “Better than prison.”
My brain hurt. “And what happened to this great plan of yours? Why are you still here?”
His expression darkened. “I was ready. I had all the details mapped out, my flight booked. Hell, I’d even managed to get myself a decent-looking passport. But, thirty minutes to boarding, my phone rang.”
“And?”
“It was the nursing home,” he said. “Dad’s in bad shape. Not that you care.”
My entire demeanor changed, the anger draining out of me like a balloon. “Dad’s sick?”
He simply nodded. “Pneumonia. It doesn’t look good.”
My hands went through my hair. “Have you visited him?”
“Yeah, I was just there.”
His gaze met mine, and it was the first time in forever that I saw vulnerability in Liam’s eyes.
“I think we’re going to lose him, Killian.”
This time, when I lunged forward, it was to embrace, not punish.
My little brother fell apart in my arms as I held him tightly, never letting go.
I’d never let go.
Not now.
Not ever.
