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No. That was too dangerous. She didn’t want to involve her brother that much. “Jonathan—”
He didn’t let her continue. “Also, once we have any evidence, I think it might be wise for you to come forward. They’ll arrest you, of course, but I’ll bail you out, and if we get something on Jackson, we might be able to strike a deal. Kyle knows a stellar military defense lawyer.”
Amber shook her head. This was too much. She thought Jonathan might give her advice or call someone for her. This was so much more. This was risking his own freedom.
“They might come after you for helping me…”
He looked at her with sadness in his eyes. “How many times did you take the blame for me and our brothers? It’s time for me to pay you back.”
Chapter 34
West Virginia, one month later…
Jackson’s house looked just like him: large and imposing.
So this is where the drug money goes.
Her stomach in knots, her palms sweaty, she fought a battle inside her head. Despite her earlier bravado and her decision to come back and clear her name, her confidence and her bravery were gone. She wasn’t sure this was the right decision. In fact, she’d started to think this was the biggest mistake she’d ever make. This pathetic attempt of hers might just ruin her life forever.
And she might never see Owen again.
She got out of the car. Her heart thumping, she shifted her shirt. The wire attached to her skin was scratching her.
“Jonathan, please don’t let me down,” she whispered.
Of course, she had no way of knowing if her brother could hear her. She had to assume he could. They’d checked the connection, after all.
Deep breath in, long breath out. She marched towards the house. Jackson was currently on a leave, which was a stroke of luck. Though she would’ve found a way to get to Afghanistan if he hadn’t been, but that would’ve made this so much harder.
She had no doubt that news of Bryan’s murder and her involvement had rushed through the base like a swarm of hungry rats. There had probably been newspaper articles and even TV coverage. A crazed woman killing her boyfriend on a military base was a newsworthy event.
Well, to hell with them. To hell with everyone. To hell with Jackson. That’s what Owen would have told her. To hell with them all.
Her anger gave her strength. Yes, good. She needed that.
All she needed was to talk to Jackson. She knew he was divorced and lived alone. After some surveillance, she and Jonathan also knew he didn’t usually go anywhere or have any visitors during lunchtime.
She stood before Jackson’s door and could hear his voice booming through it. Bastard. He was always loud, his presence always palpable. Amber applied her knuckles against the door vigorously.
He opened the door after a few moments, his phone pressed between his ear and his shoulder. The foyer behind him was large, with a big staircase leading upstairs. He filled the whole room, and Amber felt as if she were back in the torture room. There were no instruments of torture in the modern, clearly expensive house. But the man was more dangerous to her than all of them combined.
“Just get your ass down here and show me your game,” he said in his thundering voice. Then he erupted into laughter so loud Jonathan’s eardrums must have popped from where he sat listening through the wire.
“I’ll call you back,” Jackson barked into the phone and shoved it into the pocket of his jeans.
He looked like a predator sighting the weakest animal in the herd, and an icy trickle of sweat snaked down her spine.
“Well, well, look what the cat dragged in,” he said slowly and stood to the side.
“Major,” she said as way of greeting and walked inside.
He shut the door with finality.
“Aren’t you hiding?” he said. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to save you from the capital punishment that you deserve.”
He raised his eyebrows, clearly amused, and came closer to her. Then he took his cell phone out.
