Page 65 of Smoke Screen
He waved it off. “I don’t know. It was a fun fantasy more than anything. I like music, though. Hopping in my jeep, tunes blasting, fresh air. It’s a great stress-buster.”
“I bet.”
“Maybe,” he said, “when this mess dies down, we’ll go for a drive. I can show you around Steele Ridge.”
She nodded. “I’d like that.”
Maybe a little too much.
12
At 9:15 Saturday morning,Phin stopped in the kitchen to grab a cup of Mom’s coffee before heading to the Theater. Mug in one hand, he pressed the other against the pad, waited for the lock to disengage, and entered the room where his brothers, including Ash, sat around the conference table.
Phin halted, his coffee splashing over the rim of the mug, scalding his fingers. “Ow.”
Damn, that was hot. He moved the mug to his other hand and shook out his fingers, thankful he’d managed not to spill any on his clean clothes.
“Way to make an entrance,” Rohan cracked.
Lacking a handy paper towel, he marched to the table, snatched a napkin from the tray in the center, wiped his hand and the mug before setting it in front of his normal chair.
Not a lot surprised Phin anymore, but Ash being here? Right now? In the middle of a big case?
Stunner.
However, Ashhadmentioned he’d promised Mom a visit. He hadn’t expected it today. Not with Ash up to his rear in this Thompson Center theft. And, uh, did the guys tell him that Maddy was in residence?
By the tightlipped look, Ash knew.
“Morning,” Zeke said. “We were just discussing our visitor. President Thompson called me bright and early.”
Yep. Ash knew. Phin took his seat beside Cruz, across from Rohan and Ash.
“Actually,” Ash said, his voice flat in that snotty way he sometimes used to his advantage, “we were discussing yourtotallack of judgment regarding your weekend visitor.”
Excellent start to a Saturday morning. Phin met Ash’s gaze. Part of being the baby of the family meant learning how to stand up to his oldest brother. He wasn’t a toddler anymore and as much as he’d looked up to Ash over the years, he refused to be scolded.
“Easy there,” Phin said. “Last I heard, you don’t get to decide who I invite over.”
“It has nothing to do with me deciding and everything to do with you inserting yourself in the middle of a federal investigation.”
“In case you forgot, President Thompson hired BARS to recover his assets. Because, hey, the FBI can’t seem to get the job done.”
Cruz let out a sigh that should have blown the windows out. “Here we go.”
“No,” Zeke said. “We don’t. We’re not arguing over this. Our client knows she’s here. It’s done. You two fighting won’t help.”
Ash held out his hand. “Did any of you think how this could be a conflict of interest? She’s under investigation. We’re digging into her financials as we speak and you brought her under Mom’s roof? What the hell?”
“Please,” Phin said. “Now this is about Mom? That’s crap, Ash. This is about you and your career.”
The times when Phin actually shocked Ash were few. This was definitely one of them, because big brother’s jaw flopped open and a strangling noise erupted.
Bile caught in Phin’s throat. The nasty taste of shame. If Ash’s shock was a victory, it sure felt like a loss.
“Me?”Ash said. “What do I have to do with it? You brought her here.”
“Forget it.”
