Read Online Dirty Rotten Scoundrel by Liliana Hart - Free Book Online

usual Jack cut right to the heart of the matter. Despite it all, I did still love them. They were my parents, and blood was supposed to be thicker than water. But there was no blood either. Just lies.
    “Sometimes that psychology degree comes in handy,” I said, trying to lighten the mood.
    He kissed the back of my neck softly. “I love you. Just remember that.”
    “I do. Every day. And I’m amazed by it. Humbled by it.”
    I cleared my throat and moved to the next box. My hand was steadier as I sliced through the tape. The box rattled as I moved it and piqued my curiosity.
    “Flash drives. What do you want to bet we’re not going to like whatever we find on them?” The box was filled with silver flash drives, neatly labeled with a series of numbers, almost like binary coding found in a library.
    “If your parents were as careful as I think they were, they’ll all be encrypted. I’ve got some skills in that area, but I’d be slow and I wou ldn’t want to trigger any deletions if I made a mistake. Carver would be able to help us if I asked. He’s a freaking genius with computers.”
    Ben Carver was a close friend of Jack’s and one of the few FBI agents who could be in the same vicinity as me without questioning me for illegal activity. He’d helped us on cases before and he was a good guy. But I didn’t know if I’d be comfortable, even with someone like Ben, knowing what might be on those flash drives.
    “I’ll think about it.”
    There was one box left and I grabbed for the coffee cup Jack had sat on the table. I took a sip and realized it had gone cold. I went to the sink and poured it out and then got myself a fresh cup.
    “I need to tell you something.” I turned back to face Jack. What I had to say deserved to be said face to face.
    His brows raised. “Do I need to sit down for this?”
    “It probably wouldn’t hurt.”
    He pulled out one of the dining chairs and took a seat, leaning his arms on the table. “Are you finally going to tell me what’s been bothering you?”
    Quick . Like a Band-Aid, I thought.
    “I saw my father yesterday.”
    “I beg your pardon?” He looked more concerned than alarmed, and I wondered if he thought I was having some sort of psychotic episode.
    “I’m serious. He was there when I walked into the house yesterday. Just walked right out of the dark like a fucking ghost. But he was real enough.” I took the silver ring he’d given me out of my pocket and tossed it on the table, and we both watched it bounce a couple of times before it spun to a stop.
    “My mother’s wedding ring. She would have been wearing it when they went over the side of the mountain. But obviously it wasn’t them in the car. He’s alive. And he’s here in Bloody Mary.”
    Jack was silent for a long while. He picked the ring up and held it between his thumb and forefinger and then stared at me out of hurt and angry eyes. “What the fuck, Jaye? Why didn’t you tell me?”
    I knew the signs of Jack’s temper. He’d gotten a hold of it since his misspent youth, and he had a much longer fuse now , so it was slower to burn.
    “I’m telling you now.” My own temper was frayed at the edges , and the night’s lack of sleep caused a vicious headache to pound behind my eyes. “I just had to get a handle on it.”
    “ By yourself. Because God forbid you lean on anyone or take any help from anyone. And while you were getting a handle on it a known felon and possible murderer is walking the streets.”
    “He took me by surprise. And he’s my father.”
    “And I’m the goddamned Sheriff. I had a right to know. And it doesn’t matter that he’s your father. I have a duty to bring him in. The law is the law.”
    “Easy how quickly you become the sheriff instead of my partner,” I said, going cold inside. “And I’m not trying to break the law. I just needed a few fucking hours to wrap my head around the fact that the man I buried two years ago is alive and well. So fuck you and