Page 88 of The Moment They Can Never Forgive
“It’s an odd mix when you take in that cake you brought into the station last week. Baking, lab tech, safecracker, and those are only three of your job titles,” Sheriff Dans said.
Bradford merely smiled and got to work.
Leah felt suddenly tense at the thought of what they’d find. Her mind was working through options and discarding them for what to do about her and Hudson. Where could they move to, and would it unsettle her nephew? He’d had so much upheaval in his life, starting with the death of his mother.
“I’ll ask Beau,” Leah said suddenly, which had Dan’s head turning. “He’ll do it.”
“No,” Dan said.
“Yes. He’s a firefighter, so he’ll know how to protect us, and he always had a thing for Cassie.” Leah got to her feet and pulled out her cellphone. “He’s a friend.”
“That bastard is not moving into your house,” Dan said.
Leah knew his uncle and brother were watching. Bradford was still working on the safe.
“You don’t get to tell me what to do, Deputy.”
“In this, I do.” He moved closer, and she backed up to the next step. “It’s me or it’s no one.”
“Why?” She whispered the word, aware of their audience.
“Because I’m a cop, not a pansy-assed firefighter.”
“I’m telling him you said that.”
“You do that.” He looked a little mean and scary in that moment, and she knew this was the face criminals saw.
“Open,” Bradford said. “Good girl.”
“Are we sure it’s a girl?” Sheriff Dans asked.
“Absolutely,” Bradford replied, swinging the safe door open.
Dan turned away from her after a last hard look and bent down to see what was in the safe.
Leah followed, heart thumping. She stared over his shoulder.
“Well, fuck,” Sawyer whispered from behind Leah.
“Okay, I’m out now because I don’t know what this is about, and I don’t want to. Later,” Bradford said. He then started back up the stairs.
Money, Leah realized. It was full of bundles of money all stacked neatly on top of each other.
Dan shot her a look over his shoulder. Whatever he saw had him reaching for her. He then walked her back around Sawyer to the seat. Forcing her down, he pushed her head between her legs.
“You need to breathe in and out for me, Leah.”
She did as he asked and felt herself steady. “I’m good,” she whispered minutes later, straightening.
“I doubt that, but at least you don’t look like you’re going to fall over anymore.”
“Th-that’s so much money, Dan,” she said, feeling sick.
Coming back to Lyntacky was meant to give her and Hudson a quiet life. It wasn’t turning out that way, and just when she thought things were changing for her….Stupid, stupid Leah. Things never turn out for you.
“Okay, so here’s what’s happening. No one can know about this,” Sheriff Dans said. “Not even family. We clear on that?” His eyes met everyone’s in the room. They all nodded.
“Is this payment for something, do you think?” Leah asked, looking at Dan.
