Page 72 of Smoke Screen
How had he never heard this before? How had he never even considered it could happen?
“You never told me that,” Phin said.
Ash shrugged. “Why would I?”
Point there. “Sometimes I feel like I’m chasing a ghost. Maybe we all are. I think he’d be proud of what we’ve done with the business.”
“For sure.”
“Anyway,” Phin shook his head, clearing the mental clutter, “sorry if I put you in a bind with your bosses.”
“I’ll work it out. The pressure is on to find the queen’s jewels. Everything is setting them off. I’ll tell them it was a calculated move on your part to keep Maddy close. They’ll buy that.”
Oh, Phin wanted to keep her close, but not for the same reason as Ash and that fried him. That the feds—his own damned brother—considered this amazing woman a suspect. Still, he’d play along and keep the peace with Ash. Make Mom happy.
“She’s a solid resource,” Phin said. “Knows those pieces inside out.”
“Good, because with each day, we risk them getting broken up. What leads are you working?”
“I’m heading over to see Rory Emlynson today. He plays golf every Saturday morning.” Phin tipped his head back, the sun’s rays hitting his cheeks. “It’s gonna be hot today. He’ll probably head home to clean up. Maybe swim in that over-the-top pool of his.”
Ash took a second, apparently pondering Phin’s plan, then nodded. “You think he’s heard anything?”
“A score this big? Even if he doesn’t have a client interested in obtaining any of the pieces, he may have intel on the heist.”
“True. Keep me posted. I have to leave this afternoon. Mom won’t be happy.”
One thing about their mother, she liked her boys close. She gave Ash space to live his life, but wanted way more of him than she got.
“Don’t let her get to you,” Phin said. “She understands.”
“I know. Ihatedisappointing her.”
Now it was Phin’s turn to clap his brother’s arm. “Don’t we all, big brother. Let’s head in. She’s probably got her nose to the glass watching.”
They both burst out laughing, which, yeah, considering how the day had started, was kinda nice. It brought Phin back to the early days before Ash had joined the FBI and they’d all sit around drinking beers, inventing imaginative swear words and beating up on each other.
Good stuff, that.
They walked back to the house side by side until Phin stepped ahead, grabbing the door and holding it open. “Elders first.”
Striding past, Ash snorted. “Don’t make me kick your ass.”
“Well,” Mom said from her spot behind the island, “sounds as if they’ve made nice.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Ash told her.
Phin shut the door behind him, glancing at Maddy, still finishing her breakfast. That crazy burst in his chest happened, and he took a second, breathed through the fact that he liked seeing her early in the morning.
Total departure for a guy who made early exits.
“Excellent,” Mom said. “Now we’ll have some peace while Ash is visiting. I want a nice family dinner tonight. No fighting. As much as that might kill y’all.”
Whoopsie.With Ash hauling ass out of here, Mom’s suddenly cheery mood would tank.
“About that,” Ash said.
Mom picked up a skillet sitting on the stove, pausing while she hit Ash withtheface. The one where she pressed her lips together and didn’t bother trying to hide her disappointment. That face? Total killer.
