Forgotten Sins (Sin Brothers, #1)(60)

“Soft.” She sighed it. “All three of you have used that term.” It didn’t make any sense. “Maybe you’re all wrong. Whatever shaped you, whatever you think about women… maybe you’re all wrong.” Fog filled the windows, so she reached forward and flipped on the defrost. “I can be pretty tough.”

“I know.” He nodded. “There’s no doubt you’re a tough little thing.”

Why did that not sound like he was agreeing? “You don’t know anything about me.”

Matt had a deep chuckle. “I know everything about you.”

“Is that so? Like what?”

He inhaled. “I’ve read your records, sweetheart. Your hospital reports, your school reports, all the social worker reports. Your school transcripts, any e-mail you’ve ever sent. The court documents when Arthur and Claire Bomont began adoption proceedings.”

What? He’d investigated her? “The adoption proceedings didn’t go through.”

Matt eyed the rearview mirror, his shoulders relaxing as he took another turn. “I know. Claire died, and it took Arthur almost six more months to press forward.”

Surprise had Josie’s hands clutching together. “Six more months? What do you mean he pressed forward?”

Matt flashed her a glance, eyebrows raised. “Ah. Well, he tried to continue adopting you. Wrote letters, even wrote the governor to help. But the officials wouldn’t let a widower, a single man, keep you.”

Warmth, surprise, sadness all flushed through Josie that Arthur had still wanted to keep her, that he’d made an effort to get her back. “I thought he forgot me.” Maybe she should look him up—he was the closest thing she had to a father.

“No. He wanted you, sweetheart.” Matt rubbed his chin, one hand casual on the steering wheel. “Arthur remarried about a decade ago. The woman had three kids, and he seems to have made a good life. I have his contact information if you want it.”

“Maybe.” She needed to think about it and get her life in order first. “So you know all about my childhood. Shane has memories of you as boys at some camp. A military camp.”

Matt’s knuckles tightened on the wheel. “Yeah. We attended military camp.” He increased the speed of the windshield wipers with a flick of his wrist. “What did Shane tell you?”

“Everything.” Could she get information out of Shane’s big brother?

“Ah.” Matt turned on the lights as the forest sped by around them. They were heading into nowhere land. “I see.”

Okay. So he wasn’t going to bite and reveal everything. “Where are we going?”

Matt shrugged. “We rented a cabin for the duration. It’s safe and we can keep an eye on who approaches it.”

“I think I’d rather go to my house.” Enough hiding. “I mean, this whole thing was about me and not Shane, right?” She’d been thinking about it. Apparently Billy had done something or known something that had gotten him killed. Taking another look at those accounting records was a good idea. “My house was bugged because of a client, not Shane’s past.”

“It’s starting to look that way.” Matt turned onto a barely visible dirt road. “Any idea which client? Or why?”

“Maybe. The numbers for a few of the accounts weren’t adding up, but I haven’t figured out where the money has gone. I need to look again.”

“You think someone was skimming? Or laundering money?”

“I don’t know.” The words clicked out before she could weigh the question. “I guess it’s possible Billy was stealing to support his drug habit.” And she should check the other twenty accounts she’d taken over from Billy. Chances were he’d done a good job of hiding the theft but had probably also goofed up on the other files. Negligence and malfeasance from the drug addict. The Toyota bounced along rough potholes. “We’re in the middle of nowhere.”

“That’s the idea.”

Should she be afraid? For some reason, Matt exuded safety and comfort. “You know, I’m still married to Shane.”

“I know.”

“That makes you my brother.”

Matt stiffened. His eyes closed briefly, and he lifted his head to reopen them. “Yes. I guess it does.”

Ah, so much like Shane. The need to protect was ingrained. “I always wanted a brother.” She ignored Matt’s loud exhale. “Alone in the foster homes, sometimes scared, always lonely. I prayed so hard for brothers.” It was the truth. So many times she’d hoped a brother would show up to protect her. Love her. Just be hers.

“You’re killing me.” Matt’s voice dropped to a rumble that sounded just like Shane.

“I know,” she whispered. The second they’d all shown up when she needed help had cinched it for her. She wanted a family—no matter how damaged it might be. “But I’m not letting him go this time. You might as well get on board now.” Realizing the truth, admitting it out loud, filled her with determination. “I’ve wanted a family my entire life. Now I’ve got one.” Whoever they were, whatever they’d done, they were hers. Right or wrong, she was keeping them. “That includes you, Matt.”

The sound he gave may have been a groan. A strangled groan. “You don’t know what you’re saying.”