Sophie took it from him, frowning when the photograph on it swam into view. “Of course.”
“What?” Mandy asked, still lost.
“Kelly Gilmore is Sheila Archibald.”
“Oh, crap.”
“Nathan Davenport has to be dead,” Peter said. “He wouldn’t just sit by and let this happen. Kelly Gilmore has sold the fleet of cars he owns, and the house his son expects to inherit. She’s diverged his estate of ties to casinos, and she’s even put his expensive suits up on the Internet to sell to the highest bidder.”
“So, she’s a money launderer and a murderer?” Mandy asked.
“She’s … evil.”
“We have to call James,” Mandy said, pulling her phone out of her pocket. “I knew I hated that woman.”
Twenty-Six
“So, what do you think?” Mandy asked.
“I think you snuck out so you wouldn’t have to tell me you were going to Peter’s house,” James replied.
Mandy’s mouth dropped open. “What? Why are you upset? I thought you liked Peter now.”
“I do like Peter,” James said. “I’m still not thrilled with you going to his house.”
“Oh, whatever,” Mandy grumbled. She and Sophie had returned to Hardy Brothers Security twenty minutes before and had just finished relating the new information to James, Jake, Finn, Grady, and a visiting Seth.
“We’re going to talk about it later,” James warned.
Mandy wasn’t particularly worried. She figured she could distract him with nudity if it came down to it. “I can’t wait. What do you think about the information?”
“I think it’s odd, but it makes sense, too,” James said. “Davenport needed another name to do business under. He couldn’t go to a family member, because the feds would be watching those accounts. Who better to go to than a woman who has no ethics?”
“I never understood why he married her,” Seth said. “I guess I do now. This is just … flabbergasting.”
“Sheila said that she was working as a dealer at one of the casinos. Did we confirm that?” James asked.
“Yeah,” Jake said. “She’s been at the Regency for two years.”
“As a dealer?”
Jake shrugged. “That’s what it said in her personnel file.”
“She probably met him at one of the tables,” Finn said. “I’m guessing it started out as sex, and then grew to something else.”
“My dad did love the tables,” Seth said. “He would have lived there if he didn’t have to work to earn the money he threw away. He also liked the ladies.”
“Why would Davenport want someone as old as Sheila?” Grady asked.
Sophie made a face. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“Just that Davenport is a rich guy,” Grady said. “He could have a young and hot model. Why take the used one with a hundred thousand miles on it?”
Sophie’s mouth dropped open.
“What?” Grady asked, shifting to look at his brothers. “What did I say?”
“You just said that you’d toss a woman out of bed just because she got older,” Mandy said, patting him on the shoulder. “Good job.”
James reached over and grabbed her around the waist, dragging her to his lap and out of the line of fire as Sophie stalked toward Grady.
“What are you doing?” Mandy asked, surprised.
“I want you in one piece tonight,” James said. “I figure you’re going to try and distract me from the Peter conversation by stripping naked – and I think open flesh wounds might dampen the effect.”
“Oh, good job.” She kissed the tip of his nose.
James scrunched up his nose. “I’m fond of you. It’s my only weakness.”
“Just because a woman gets older, that doesn’t mean she’s not desirable,” Sophie said.
“I didn’t say that, sugar,” Grady said.
“That’s exactly what you said,” Sophie countered.
“I’ll always find you attractive,” Grady said. “Even when you’re old.”
Sophie rolled her eyes. “You’re unbelievable.”
“I’m guessing nudity isn’t in your future tonight,” James said. “Unless you’re open to letting her flog you.”
“Hey, that could be fun,” Grady shot back. “Come on, Sophie, I was just stating the obvious. A guy like Davenport gets his self-worth from the money in his pocket and the woman on his arm. I’m sure Sheila was attractive at one point, but karma has worn her down.”
“He has a point,” Jake said. “And if anyone tells Ally I took his side in this argument, I’m going to deny it and call you all liars.”
“You agree with him?”
“Um, sorry to interrupt,” Seth said, shifting nervously. “Can I use the bathroom?”
James pointed to the front of the office. “You might want to stay in there a few minutes. This is probably going to get uglier before it gets better.”
Seth shot him a thumbs-up before exiting the office. James turned back to Jake expectantly. “What are you saying?”
“I agree that a guy like Davenport would more likely get his rocks off with a young showgirl than an old dealer,” Jake said. “There has to be a reason he specifically picked Sheila.”
“And the only person who knows that is Sheila,” Finn mused. “Seth obviously doesn’t know. We need to find out how they hooked up – and what her goal is here.”
“She’s here to launder money,” Sophie said. “I think she’s hoping to do it through your business.”
Finn was taken aback. “Why do you think that?”
“It’s a legitimate business with a lot of money coming in from various jobs,” Sophie replied. “You also have money going out for a bunch of stuff. This business is primed for laundering.”
“But how would Sheila know?” Finn asked. “She would need prior knowledge of Emma’s ties to us. How could she possibly get that?”
“Well, I can answer that for you,” Maverick said, striding into the room. “Whoa, two hot chicks this time. I’m going to have to start hanging out here more often.” He pushed his laptop onto James’ desk and fixed Sophie with a flirty look. “You’re not married to one of these guys, are you?”
“No.”
“Good,” Maverick said. “Do you want to see my basement later?”
“Is that a code for something?”
“No.”
Sophie turned to Grady. “Who is this?”
“Maverick.”
“Oh,” Sophie said, looking the computer guru up and down. “Yup, pretty much how I imagined him.”
“Do you think about me a lot?” Maverick asked.
“Every night,” Sophie deadpanned.
“So, do you want to see my basement?”
“No, she doesn’t,” Grady said.
“Hey, you don’t make my decisions,” Sophie said, crossing her arms over her chest. “I might want to see his basement. I bet he likes older women.”
“I love them,” Maverick said. “They know what they’re doing, and they never fake anything.”
“See,” Sophie said.
“She’s going home with me tonight,” Grady said.
“Why?”
“Because we live together.”
“What is it with the women in this office?” Maverick asked. “You’re all taken. It’s depressing.” He turned to Mandy. “You’re still happy with him, right?”
“She’s ecstatic with me,” James said, pinching his wife’s rear. “What did you find on the drive from Sheila’s computer?”
“Well, it’s interesting,” Maverick said, flipping his laptop open. “It seems one of her favorite things to do is watch you guys.”
James frowned. “What do you mean?”
“She’s saved a bunch of news stories on all of you,” Maverick said. “She’s got the one about James shooting his way into the courthouse to save the hot blonde. She’s got the one about Grady taking down the sheriff’s aide to save the hot reporter. He’s got
the one about Finn saving the hot model from the bomb dude. I want to meet her, by the way. I bet she’d like my basement.”
“She’s pregnant,” Finn said.
Maverick looked intrigued. “Is it yours?”
“Yes.”
“Are you staying with her?”
“Of course.”
“Bummer,” Maverick mused. “I’ve read that pregnant women are all sorts of horny.”
“Nice,” Finn said.
“I guess that leaves the hot brunette who almost got killed by the old bank robber,” Maverick mused.
“No, it doesn’t,” Jake said.
Maverick rolled his eyes. “Thwarted again. Anyway, this Sheila wench is all up in your business. Besides the news stories – you guys spend a lot of time in the news, by the way – she’s also been trying to get information on your financial status.”
“Did she start doing that when she got into town?” Finn asked.
“She’s been doing it for months,” Maverick said.
“So, Davenport goes missing and Sheila can’t figure out what to do with the money,” James said. “She sees us as an easy way to launder the money, so she pretends she wants to make amends with her daughter and turns back up in town.”
“If she wants to use us, though, why wouldn’t she try harder to get along with us?”
“Maybe she thinks she is,” Mandy suggested.
“How? She’s been openly fighting with Finn,” Grady pointed out.
“She also told Emma to try and trade up and snag James,” Sophie said.
Mandy shifted on James’ lap. “You didn’t tell me that.”
“Why would I tell you that Sheila wanted Emma to seduce me?”
“You forgot the part where Sheila asked if there was a chance you were the baby’s father,” Grady said, chuckling.
Finn and James both shot Grady twin looks of disgust.
“You’re just sticking your foot in your mouth at every turn tonight, aren’t you?” Sophie said.
“She thought that you could be the baby’s father?” Mandy was mortified. “I hate this woman.”
“Don’t worry, baby,” James said. “I’m eighty-percent sure that I’m not the father. If looks could kill, James knew he’d be six-feet under. “Huh, I guess Grady’s foot-in-mouth disease is contagious tonight.”
Mandy cuffed him on the back of his head. “You’re in trouble.”
“Oh, good,” James said. “I like it when you get punitive and spank me.”
“That sounds kinky,” Maverick said.
James shifted his attention back to the young computer genius. “Was there anything else?”
“Just that she’s only got access to one account,” Maverick said.
“How do you know that?”
“Because she keeps trying to gain access to four more accounts – but she’s striking out,” Maverick said. “She keeps trying a variety of different passwords, but none of them work. Her computer logged each attempt.”
“Those must be Davenport’s other accounts,” James said.
“So, she killed him before she had access to his accounts? We’re not dealing with a brain trust here,” Jake said.
“That just makes her more dangerous,” Finn said. “I need to call Emma and tell her what Mandy and Sophie found out.”
“Oh, we already called her,” Sophie said.
Finn stilled. “What?”
“We called her from the car on our way over here,” Sophie said. “What? It’s her mother.”
“Did it occur to you, even for a second, that Emma might confront her mother with this information?” Finn asked, his jaw clenched.
“N-no,” Sophie said, unsure. “She wouldn’t, would she?”
Finn was already pulling out his phone. “This isn’t good.”
“Speaking of, where did Seth go?” Jake asked. “He’s been in the bathroom a really long time.”
“WELL, this is a pleasant surprise,” Sheila said, fixing Emma with a curious look. “What brings you here?”
Emma was tired of playing games. “I want to know about Nathan Davenport.”
Sheila pursed her lips. “I’m not sure what you mean.”
“I know you married him,” Emma said. “I know that he’s a notorious loan shark out in Vegas. I know that he’s up on racketeering charges. I also know that he’s missing.”
“Well, you seem to know a lot,” Sheila said primly. “I’m assuming Finn told you all of this … information. You know he’s out to get me, right?”
“Mom, just tell me what’s going on,” Emma pleaded. “I know you’re in trouble. Maybe I can help you. I can’t if you keep lying to me.”
“I haven’t been lying.”
“Well, you haven’t been telling the truth.”
Sheila pinched the bridge of her nose. “Fine. I’m in trouble.”
“Why don’t you tell me about it?”
“It’s a long story,” Sheila hedged.
“I have time.”
Sheila nodded. “Well, most of what I told you was the truth,” she said. “After I left here, I bounced around for a few years until I finally ended up in Vegas.”
“Why did you pick there?”
“I’d always wanted to go to Vegas,” Sheila said. “I liked the idea of the lights, and the casinos, and how hot it was. You know how much I hate snow.”
“I remember.”
“I had been working at the Regency for about six months when I met Nathan,” Sheila said. “I had no idea who he was when we met. I just knew that he was sitting at my table, and he was … interesting.
“After your father, I had trouble connecting with men,” she continued. “I didn’t trust men before I married your father. After, though, I hated all men. Somehow Nathan kind of wormed his way into my heart. He kept returning to the casino four nights a week, and he’d always sit at my table. After some time, I realized that I enjoyed talking to him.”
“That doesn’t sound so bad,” Emma said.
“It wasn’t,” Sheila said. “We started dating. It wasn’t until we’d been dating for three months that he told me what he did for a living. It was already too late. I was in love with him.”
Emma didn’t believe her for a second. “How could you not know who he was? He’s one of the lead stories on the news every night.”
“Now,” Sheila said. “He wasn’t then, and I was never really one for watching the news.”
“Even when your husband was arrested for molestation,” Emma grumbled.
“When Nathan asked me to marry him, I thought it was because he really loved me,” Sheila said. “It wasn’t, though. Two days after we got married, he was arrested. I didn’t find out until three months later that he’d started hiding money in accounts with my name on them.”
“Where is Nathan?”
“He’s dead.”
Even though she’d already suspected it, Sheila’s admission knocked Emma for a loop. “How did he die?”
“I told him I wasn’t okay with what he was doing,” Sheila said. “He didn’t react … well.”
“What did he do?”
“He beat me,” Sheila said. “He knocked me out. I didn’t wake up for almost twelve hours, and when I did, he acted like he hadn’t done anything wrong. I decided I was going to leave him. I’ve worked really hard to get my life back on track after your father. I wasn’t going to ruin it again.”
Emma waited.
“I thought he was out of the house,” Sheila said. “I was on my way down the stairs when he confronted me. He told me I wasn’t going anywhere, and then he grabbed me by my hair. We fought, and he tumbled down the stairs. He broke his neck on the floor. It was an accident.”
“So, why didn’t you call the police?”
“I panicked,” Sheila admitted. “I was afraid they wouldn’t believe it was an accident. I don’t have the best track record when it comes to law enforcement. I don’t trust them, and they don’t trust me.”
“So, w
hat did you do?”
“I buried him in the desert.”
Emma arched an eyebrow. “By yourself?”
“When a person puts their mind to something, they can do almost anything,” Sheila said. “I was desperate.”
“But wasn’t he on a tether?”
“The butler is wearing it.”
“The butler?”
“I paid him,” Sheila said. “He was loyal to Nathan, but he knew what a terrible man he was. He was just happy to keep getting paid. I just needed some time. I figured, if I could get away, things would be better. I wasn’t lying when I said I’d always wanted to reconnect with you. This was my chance to get away and start fresh.”
“Mom, you can’t hide this,” Emma said. “What happens when Nathan doesn’t show up for court?”
“That’s not my problem.”
“Your marriage is public record.”
“Yes,” Sheila said. “His marriage to Sheila Archibald is public record. I’m going to change my name.”
“To Kelly Gilmore?” Emma asked pointedly.
Sheila stilled. “How do you know that name?”
“People know that Kelly Gilmore took over Nathan Davenport’s operations in Vegas,” Emma said. “Her picture is readily available in certain circles. She looks a lot like you.”
“How could they possibly know that?”
“Criminals talk.”
Sheila furrowed her brow. “No. I was very careful.”
Emma noticed that Sheila wasn’t denying taking over Davenport’s operation. “What about the money in your suitcase?”
Sheila snapped her head up. “How could you possibly know about that?”
“We know more than you think,” Emma said.
“We?”
“All of us.”
“Well, that changes things, doesn’t it?” Sheila said.
“How?”
Emma lifted her head to the door when she heard it open. When Seth walked in, she was floored. “What is he doing here?”
“We have a problem,” Seth said.
“I figured that out on my own,” Sheila said. “We have to change our plans – and we have to do it now.”
“Great,” Seth said. “What are we going to do with her?”
“Oh, well, she’s our insurance,” Sheila said. “She’s going to make sure that we get out of here with all of our money.”
Deadly Addition (Hardy Brothers Security Book 9) Page 20
