But staying in Virginia didn’t have to be about Jackson. The Alexanders had shown her the beauty of community and putting down roots. Not everyone at their family gatherings had been blood relatives but they were still a part of the clan. Maybe she couldn’t find the perfect family she’d always wanted.
But if she was strong enough, maybe she could create one.
* * * * *
“I WOULDN’T HAVE believed it if I hadn’t seen the evidence for myself. I still don’t want to believe it. But there it is.”
Jackson closed his eyes and tried to tune it all out. His brother was still talking but nothing else he was saying really mattered did it? Not when it all circled around to the same thing.
The woman he loved was a thief.
“I wish I didn’t have to be the one to show you this.” Elliott sat on the couch next to him. He didn’t say anything else.
They both looked up when Nick came in the room. Jackson tensed. Irrational as it was, he especially didn’t want to see Nick right now. He didn’t feel like hearing what an idiot he was for believing she’d loved him.
“I brought you some water.” Nick put the glass down on the coffee table and then sat down behind the piano. He played a string of broken notes.
Jackson took a big gulp of the drink, then coughed violently as it burned all the way down. “What the hell was that?”
“It’s water. Tonic water.”
Jackson raised an eyebrow.
“Okay, I might have added a bit of vodka,” Nick conceded. “I figured you could use it.”
Jackson took another sip. Then drained the entire glass. His brother could be an ass but he could also be useful at times. He definitely knew how to nurse him through heartache.
He’d done it before.
“We don’t really have to do this now.” Elliott picked up the folders he’d brought with him. They’d been sitting on the table mocking him ever since they’d gotten there.
In those folders was more evidence of what a fool he’d been. Pages and pages of transactions, Elliott had said. Evidence of all the scams Ridley had been a part of.
Just the thought made him sick.
“When would be a good time, big brother? When’s a good time to learn the woman you love was using you. I need another drink.”
He could already feel a warm buzz. His brother had added a little more than a pinch of vodka but he was okay with it. If he’d ever needed a little liquid amnesia, it was now.
Nick appeared with another glass and Jackson startled. “Shit, you move fast. Or I’m more drunk than I thought.”
“I already had it ready. I know the drill.”
Jackson took a deep swallow. “Yeah, you do. You helped me numb out after Crystal died. What is it about me that makes the women I love want to hurt me, Nick?”
“Is this really the best idea? Do you have to get him drunk?” Eli muttered.
“You have a better idea?” Nick took a deep swallow of his own drink.
“Jack, don’t do this to yourself.” Eli took the glass out of his hand and finished it for him.
“Crystal wanted to leave me. Did you know that? We fought that night.” Jackson fell back against the arm of the couch with a groan. “I told her to go. Pushed her out the door into the rain. I didn’t protect her.”
“Jackson. Her accident was not your fault. It was nobody’s fault.” Eli said. There was no mistaking the pity in his brother’s voice. It was there in both of their eyes. The condemnation.
“Just tell me, Eli. I need to know. Maybe it’ll make it hurt less.”
“All right. The FBI has pending case files for four other women that they suspect were helping David Finemore in a range of fraud schemes." He held up the papers in his hand. “These are just a few of the names I found. Our boy was busy. But I noticed something interesting about his credit history.”
“More interesting than wire fraud and just being an all-around douchebag?” Nick asked.
Jackson snorted.
“Yeah. According to David’s driver’s license, he’s twenty-nine. So he should have a good decade of credit history. But he doesn’t. There’s a period three years ago where he had no activity at all for about six months. I have a theory as to why.”
His cell phone rang and he pulled it out and looked at the screen. “Hold on. I have to take this.”
Jackson blinked several times. He was starting to feel numb and wasn’t sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing.
“Really? No, no, that’s good. Send it over.” Elliott hung up.
“Who was that?” Nick asked.
Elliott ran a hand over his face. “I had one of my guys check even further back into David’s history. I had a hunch and it looks like I was right.”
“What did he find?” Jackson asked dispiritedly. It was taking everything within him to act as though he cared. Truthfully, he just wanted them to leave him alone in his misery.
It didn’t really matter to him how David had committed his crimes. Ridley had gotten hooked up with him and it had ruined her life. Now his life. But there was nothing he could do about it. He eyed the empty glass on the coffee table.
Eli pulled out his laptop and powered it up. A few clicks later, he sat back on the couch. “See for yourself. He just sent it to me.”
Nick got up and stood behind the couch. “Who is that on the left.”