Before Teddy spoke, Dani saw the answer on her face.
“It’s complicated, Sin.”
“They put a bomb in my chest.”
“And they’re going to pay for it.”
“Tell me how.”
Teddy sighed and Dani felt anger boiling up inside her chest.
“It’s not like we can drag these people to jail, Sin. We have a longer game to play.”
He looked at Dani.
Teddy rushed to explain. “This has given us real leverage, Sin. This has put me in a position to make some real changes. I can make the world a better place.”
He closed his eyes.
She grabbed his hands. “This is bigger than just you and me, Sin. This is bigger than our family. There is an election coming up. Dangerous forces are in play and we need all the leverage we can get. I know this is hard to hear but this is how the world works.”
Choo-Choo opened his eyes and looked at Dani. “I’m done.”
Teddy got to her feet. “Don’t punish Mom and Dad for the decisions I have to make. Don’t cut Grandfather out of your life over this. We are still your family.”
She started to resist when Dani put a hand on her shoulder but realized the futility.
At the door, she turned back one more time.
“We are still your family, Sinclair. You will always be a Charbaneaux.”
He smiled sadly. “That’s really the hell of it, isn’t it?” He laid back against the pillow and closed his eyes once more.
Booker waited in the outer room of the recovery area while Dani escorted Senator Meeks back to the Paper Sister who would drive her home. He had a large manila envelope in his hands.
“This belongs to you, Dani.”
A passport, credit cards, driver’s license. All in the name Anna Adkins.
“Tom…”
“I won’t hold you to what you said. You don’t owe me anything. This identity is good. You can make a clean break.”
“Is that what you’re going to do? Are you going to change your name? Take off to a whole new life?”
He shrugged. “Well, all my money is now in Tyson Compton’s bank accounts, so I have to make a few changes.”
Dani considered him. “You don’t look like a Tyson Compton.”
He shrugged. “It’s no more real to me than Tom Booker. It’s just another name. Do you think you’ll like being Anna Adkins?”
Dani glanced at her picture in the passport book and then dropped it back into the envelope.
“Nah. I was born Dani Britton and I’m going to die that way. I just have to find a way to keep that from happening for a while.”
A WORD FROM THE AUTHOR:
Thank you to my family and friends who have hung tough with me during this weird journey. I need to make a special shout out to Debra Burge, who does her best to make me look competent. All mistakes are my own. Also, Cara Hedrick, thanks for being the absolute worst (and best!)
Stay tuned for more Dani Britton novels and more. Stay in touch at www.SGRedling.com and follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter at SG Redling.
ALSO BY S.G. REDLING
FLOWERTOWN
DAMOCLES
BAGGAGE
AT RISK
THE DANI BRATTON SERIES:
THE WIDOW FILE
REDEMPTION KEY
THE NAHAN SERIES:
OURSELVES
THE REACHES
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
S.G. Redling is a fifteen year veteran of morning radio, a language geek, wine enthusiast, and so-so gardener. She lives in her home state of West Virginia.
Follow her on Facebook:
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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5321964.S_G_Redling
For more information about the Auhor, including extra reading material, visit www.SGRedling.com
Trigger Page 24
