Big Easy Temptation (The Perfect Gentlemen #3)(112)

He didn’t know Dax at all. He wasn’t a typical rich boy. Yes, he’d been wild, but he’d always been a faithful friend, loyal and kind. He wasn’t shedding light on his father’s death for money or glory or so he could move up the ranks. All that mattered to him was the truth and honoring a father he loved, despite his faults.

Dax was the kind of man who loved with his whole heart.

“How did you know this is Peter Morgan’s place? The deed isn’t registered in his name,” she pointed out. She kept her eyes on the men behind her uncle. One of them was edging toward the porch.

Chad. Naturally Chad was her uncle’s man. It made her wonder if Beau had ordered Chad to date and sleep with her so he could keep an eye on her, to make sure she didn’t uncover anything she shouldn’t.

“Holland, it’s time to stop thinking with your libido,” Chad said. He’d removed his jacket, showing her the big pistol in his holster. “It’s time for you to pick family rather than some guy who screwed you over as he fucked you.”

“No,” she disagreed. “It’s time for me to figure out exactly how involved my family was in taking down Admiral Spencer.”

Gemma moved beside her. “I think we might need to interview your uncle. I’d like to know where he was the day of Admiral Spencer’s death.”

“That is none of your business,” Beau spat. “Now turn over Dax Spencer.”

“If you want to talk to Captain Spencer, you can do it at NCIS headquarters.” Maybe she could get him to back off. In her office, she could control the situation. She might even do some questioning of her own.

“Don’t pull jurisdiction with me. I’m sick of the way the Navy thinks they’re better than the rest of us,” Chad snarled.

Most PDs were more than happy to hand off to NCIS. This had nothing to do with protecting turf and everything to do with Chad’s wounded ego. She could do without it. She needed to focus on getting information out of her uncle.

And keeping him from getting his hands on Dax.

She knew it was killing Dax to not face them, but she was the only one who could confront them. She would do this for Dax and right the wrong she’d done him three years ago.

“I am going to need to know where you were on the day of the admiral’s death.” She couldn’t back down from that.

“I believe I was working that day. I’m sure I was. Holland, you don’t want to do this. Don’t push me to do something I’ve tried to avoid.” Her uncle stared at her, stony eyed. “Let me see if I can break this down. You’re lying about Peter Morgan. He’s in there and you’ve talked to him. He told you that I was the one he dealt with at the beginning of the investigation.”

“Was there really an investigation?”

“Gotta make these things look good, sweetheart,” he admitted.

Outside, in the distance, she saw a hint of movement. Connor. He must have dashed around the swamp and was now settling into position in case this blew up.

“Why would you do this? Why? You knew I was friends with that family.” The betrayal was an actual ache in her body.

If her uncle was worried, he didn’t show it. He put a hand on the wall and leaned in. “That family means nothing to me. Do you know what I get paid to put my ass on the line every day? Next to nothing. So when the big boys offer me money to take down some rich asshole, I take it. This is the way the world works. We can’t fight organized crime. All we can do is take a little piece of the pie. That’s what a smart man does.”

“Holland, you’re going to get us all killed. They won’t stop. They’ve been careful, but they won’t let you uncover the hows and whys of their plans,” Chad argued.

“Why did they want the admiral dead?” Gemma asked. Holland could feel how tense her partner was, but her voice was calm.

“It doesn’t matter to me,” Uncle Beau said. “Way I heard it, he was putting his nose where it didn’t belong. Morgan got twitchy and turned snitch. The admiral wouldn’t bend to their demands and the big boys decided to pull the plug on him.” Her uncle tried to look inside the house. “You hear that, Spencer? You want to know who killed your daddy? You come out here and I’ll tell you.”

“Or are you going to let your girlfriend do all the dirty work?” Chad taunted.

“He’s not here,” Holland explained. “I left him behind because he can’t stay calm and let me do my job. It’s just me and Gemma. Are you really going to take us on? Are you ready to kill a fellow officer?”

“I don’t want to, but I’m certainly not going to jail,” her uncle vowed. “Of course, I’m also ready to turn this all around. You see, you’ve been acting oddly lately. Hasn’t she, Chad?”

“Very odd. She used to be so sweet. I’m pretty sure those were drugs I found at her apartment the other day.” Chad sighed. “We put them in evidence. Oh, I was almost certain they belonged to the captain, but I can always change that theory. You might have been trying to harm yourself. After all, you’ve been spiraling.”

How obvious. “So you’re going to put me on a seventy-two-hour psych hold? Really? How will you deal with everyone else?”

“That’s simple,” her uncle said with a smile. “I’ll kill ’em. Starting with your partner.”