Page 107 of His Forgotten Colton Fiancee
“I thought the recordingof the anonymous tipster sounded familiar. I just couldn’t pinpoint how you did it. Tell her. Quinn deserves the truth,” West snapped.
Her partner, her best friend, hung his head. “I found the stairs two months ago when I rummaged through the closet for last year’s invoices to see if I could drum up more business from former corporate clients. You never go in there, you just shove the boxesinside, Quinn. I was going to tell you...”
“But you didn’t,” she said slowly.
“I didn’t do it to hurt you.” Austin finally looked at her. “Yeah, I planted the jacket and everything and called it in to the police. Hell, if Devin wanted to offer that much, why not take it? It would save the business. Six figures goes a long way in paying food bills.”
Devlin Harrington’s reward for thecapture of Demi Colton. Money, it was always about money. She’d thought Austin was different, like West. Neither cared much about being rich.
Turned out she’d been wrong, just as she’d been so wrong about FBI agent West Brand. West Brand, who had been there for her through everything.
“You would frame my sister, my only sister, for money?” she asked Austin.
“Everyone knows she’s guilty.You cared more about her than us, than our business! And she never gave a damn about you!” Now Austin shouted, her mild, cheerful partner who never raised his voice. How shrill he was, the anger leeching through his cutting words.
“She’s family,” Quinn whispered. “I care about her, and I cared about you, Austin.”
“Oh right. You were letting everything go, Quinn. After you got all starry-eyedabout him.” Austin pointed to West. “I was the only one saving us. All of this, it’s here because of me because I found new accounts that brought in money. The business should belong solely to me. You would have left me anyway, moving out with Big Shot FBI Man here, and I didn’t have the cash to buy you out.”
Quinn hugged herself, feeling herself come apart. Everything fell apart, burningslowly to ashes before her eyes. “Get out of my sight.”
West beckoned to the patrol officer coming through the front door. She couldn’t bear it. Quinn wanted to shut out the drone of the cop reading Austin his rights, her former best friend pleading that he hadn’t meant to hurt anyone...
The officer led Austin away toward the patrol car. Quinn watched them leave, her chest hollow.
Brayden lingered, shuffling his feet. Finally he looked at them. “Reston’s dead.”
Her throat closed up. Reston was the link between finding evidence of the Larson brothers and Tia’s death. Tia deserved justice.
“Killed himself with a homemade shank.” Brayden rolled his shoulders. “The feds were about to get a confession out of him, since the DA offered him a sweetheart deal.”
“Was itreally suicide?” West asked.
“They’re ruling it suicide.” Sympathy filled Brayden’s gaze as he looked at her. “I’m glad you’re back, Quinn.”
When everyone else left, West stayed at her side. “Are you okay, Quinn?” he asked quietly.
“Not really.” Emotion clogged her throat. “What will happen to him?”
“He’ll be questioned and charged with obstruction of justice. If he’s a first-timeoffender, judge will go easy on him.”
“He was my bestie,” she whispered. “Why would he do such a thing? Austin loved Good Eats, he’s always been there for me, and I never let him down. Why?”
A warm palm cupped her cheek. West lifted her face to regard his solemn expression. “Because people do things out of desperation, honey. Austin knew if your business closed shop, he’d be out of a joband the investment he put into the business.”
“The business was floundering, but not that bad,” she protested.
West stroked a thumb over her cold cheek. “Probably didn’t matter to him. With the reward money, he could buy you out and control everything.”
“Being in charge while I was recovering went to his head. He was the sales force behind Good Eats, and I was the cook. It worked outwell. I never imagined he resented it.” Quinn pressed two fingers to her temple. Could she trust anyone anymore?
Her only sister, on the run, suspected of killing men. Her best friend, framing her sister and wanting to snatch Good Eats from her. West was the only one at her side who stood by her. She’d told Gemma that love wasn’t something you forced.
But love also meant being honest.
He kept touching her, gentling her with his reassuring touch. “Quinn, is it too late to repair what we had? I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
She clasped his hand and pulled it away from her face. No more distractions. “I love you as well, but I have to know I can trust you. No more secrets.”
