Family Sins(87)

“But you aren’t in charge of all that! I am,” Blake said. “I handle the investments. How did you do that without me knowing?”

Jack lifted his chin in a defiant gesture.

“How do you think I did it? I forged your damn signature, you idiot. I would have put the money back. But then Leigh and her hillbilly husband blocked the project when they made sure the last two pieces of land we needed were unavailable, and with the annual audits less than three months away, there was no way to cover up a ten million dollar shortfall without major embarrassment.”

Charles’s shock morphed from fear to disbelief and then anger.

“You murdered a man because you were going to be embarrassed? We have billions. It would have been a simple matter of moving money around!” he cried.

Jack glared. “But I would still have been removed as CEO of Wayne Industries. It was the principle of the thing!” he shouted.

“I’ve heard enough,” Riordan said, and led Jack Wayne away.

Blake started to take a step, and then staggered.

Charles caught his father by the elbow and quickly guided him out of the lobby to his car. “Get in, Dad.”

Blake obeyed without comment.

Charles drove all the way back to the mansion in silence. He couldn’t look at his father, knowing there were tears on his face. That wasn’t how their world worked.

“We’re here,” he said, as he parked beneath the portico.

Blake fumbled with the door handle before he finally got it open, and then he followed Charles inside.

Frances was carrying a fresh bouquet of flowers to the table in the foyer as they entered.

“Oh, Mr. Blake, Mr. Charles, did Cook know you were coming home for lunch?”

“We didn’t come home to eat,” Charles said. “Are my aunts here?”

Frances nodded.

“Would you please ask them to join Dad and me in the library?”

“Yes, of course. Do you want anything to eat or drink?”

“Not now, Frances, but thank you,” Charles said, and led his father down the hall and into the library.

Blake sat in the nearest chair as Charles headed to the bar. A minute later Blake took the shot of whiskey Charles offered him and downed it neat.

“What are we going to do?” Charles asked.

Blake didn’t respond. He didn’t even act like he’d heard him.

Charles tried not to panic. It wasn’t like his dad to be so indecisive. “All right. We’ll talk about it when your sisters arrive,” he said.

Blake leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes.

A few minutes later Charles heard footsteps on the stairs and promptly poured Aunt Fiona a shot of whiskey, neat, and Aunt Nita a glass of wine. They were going to need it.

Fiona was fresh from a massage and still in her dressing gown as she sauntered into the library.

Nita was still in a state of defiance, and was experimenting with makeup and hair color. She looked ghastly to Charles, but since he was still pissed off at her, he was secretly pleased that she looked like a tramp.

“What’s going on?” Fiona asked, and then frowned when Charles handed her the whiskey.

Nita took the wine without comment, but her senses were on alert. Blake looked like shit, and the air was so charged with energy she could feel it. “Blake? What’s happening?” she asked.

“Dad doesn’t feel well,” Charles said. “Uncle Jack has been arrested for that man’s murder. The authorities have video proof of him going into the lake house to get the rifle, then bringing it back and cleaning it later.”

Fiona moaned and covered her face.

Nita frowned.

“There was video equipment set up at the lake house?” she asked.

Charles shrugged. “It seems so.”

“Did you know?” she asked.

Charles rolled his eyes. “Hardly.”

Nita downed her wine like it was water and then set the glass down so hard it shattered.

“You know he did that,” she muttered.

Charles’s shoulders slumped. She was talking about Andrew, saying that Andrew had been the one who turned their uncle in. “Yes.”

“Well, shit,” Nita said. “Why didn’t he try to blackmail us with it? He knows we would have paid.”

“Maybe he was afraid it would shorten his life,” Charles muttered, thinking of the people recently targeted by the family.

Nita sighed. “Who knew the slick bastard had a streak of honesty? But more to the point, where does this leave us?”

“I don’t know, but I need you to see to Dad. I have to go call the lawyer and let him know Uncle Jack has been arrested.”

The sisters looked at each other and then at their brother.

“What’s wrong with him?” Fiona said.

“He just quit talking,” Charles said, and headed to the office to make the call.

*

It was late in the evening.

The Pharaoh brothers were gone. Jesse was feeding the chickens, and Bowie was at the barn when Constable Riordan drove up to the Youngblood home.

Leigh was in the kitchen making supper, and Talia was in the living room, stretched out on the sofa and looking out the window. “Leigh! Someone just drove up!” she called.

Leigh wiped her hands and turned down the fire on the chicken she was frying. She saw the vehicle through the window and recognized the constable’s car.