Read Online If We Dare to Dream by Collette Scott - Free Book Online
Authors: Collette Scott
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occasionally as if to confirm what she had previously told him, and Grady’s brows drew together in deep thought.
Ford and Ian just stared at her intently. But at least they were quiet.
The room was silent when she finished. All four seemed lost in thought. Finally Ian laid his head back against the cushion of his chair. He spoke into the ceiling. “Do you know how hard it is to reopen a closed case? I’m not a detective, but I can tell you that it’s not pleasant. Just ask Chuck.”
“All the more reason for her to put this all behind her,” Ford snapped.
“I disagree,” Hayden said.
“Her life’s a mess already. After Mom and Dad died, she decided that she’s going to mother every creep she can find. She’s already got a drug addicted ex-husband. Don’t add getting involved with a murderer to her list,” Ford insisted.
Feeling as though she had been struck, Jamie shot from her seat and leaned over the desk to glare at Ford. “I may not have been as great a success as you, Ford, but I have made a pretty decent life for myself. I have a career and until this moment thought I had a supportive family that was helping me recover from a terrible divorce.”
The room fell silent as Ford and Jamie stared angrily at one another. Neither willing to back down, the two stubbornly held their tongues. Finally, Ford shook his head. “I was in the right place at the right time, Jamie. I made money due to a housing boom. You, on the other hand, were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now it could potentially expose you to questionable situations and questionable people. I’m sorry, but I have your best interests at heart.”
She blinked in disbelief. “Best interests?”
“Her best interests would be to report what she saw and what happened to the proper authorities and let them decide what to do with the information,” Grady said firmly.
“And who would that be? Should she walk into the police station and find the detective that picked this guy up?” Ian asked.
“Or the prosecutor? That would be rich,” Ford said.
“How about the lawyer? I’ll take her to see him,” Hayden suggested. “Or how about Chuck? He’s a detective now.”
“I thought he was still healing?” Grady said. Their cousin had been in a motorcycle accident while on duty and had been confined to a wheelchair while his injuries healed.
“He’s back to work,” Ian said offhandedly. “He’s taken that detective position he wanted before, so he’s one we should consider talking to.”
Jamie sat back down in her seat and closed her eyes. As her brothers argued over what her next step was, she tried very hard to put Ford’s careless insult behind her. Though she knew that she was being overly sensitive, his words had cut her mostly because she knew deep down that he did have a very good point. She was a nurturer at heart, and she had tried to take care of Clay in the same manner she had cared for her ill parents before they died. That did not make her feel very good about herself and her life choices.
“Ford’s right,” she announced. Four dark heads turned back to her, and all four pairs of eyes shone curiously. “I’ve made a mess of everything. If I report this now, something terrible will probably happen. I should just keep my mouth shut and let the authorities come find me if they can.”
Before any of her brothers could respond, she pushed herself out of the chair and brushed between Hayden and Grady. She hurried from the room as fast as she could and closed the door behind her, biting back tears. It was a short walk to the front door, and she headed that way blindly. As much as she loved her brothers, this was not their concern and she should not have considered involving them.
But what was done was done, and now the problem would be convincing them of that.
***
Ford was at a site when he called her the next morning. It was almost as though he knew the exact moment she entered the office, for she had just
Ford and Ian just stared at her intently. But at least they were quiet.
The room was silent when she finished. All four seemed lost in thought. Finally Ian laid his head back against the cushion of his chair. He spoke into the ceiling. “Do you know how hard it is to reopen a closed case? I’m not a detective, but I can tell you that it’s not pleasant. Just ask Chuck.”
“All the more reason for her to put this all behind her,” Ford snapped.
“I disagree,” Hayden said.
“Her life’s a mess already. After Mom and Dad died, she decided that she’s going to mother every creep she can find. She’s already got a drug addicted ex-husband. Don’t add getting involved with a murderer to her list,” Ford insisted.
Feeling as though she had been struck, Jamie shot from her seat and leaned over the desk to glare at Ford. “I may not have been as great a success as you, Ford, but I have made a pretty decent life for myself. I have a career and until this moment thought I had a supportive family that was helping me recover from a terrible divorce.”
The room fell silent as Ford and Jamie stared angrily at one another. Neither willing to back down, the two stubbornly held their tongues. Finally, Ford shook his head. “I was in the right place at the right time, Jamie. I made money due to a housing boom. You, on the other hand, were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now it could potentially expose you to questionable situations and questionable people. I’m sorry, but I have your best interests at heart.”
She blinked in disbelief. “Best interests?”
“Her best interests would be to report what she saw and what happened to the proper authorities and let them decide what to do with the information,” Grady said firmly.
“And who would that be? Should she walk into the police station and find the detective that picked this guy up?” Ian asked.
“Or the prosecutor? That would be rich,” Ford said.
“How about the lawyer? I’ll take her to see him,” Hayden suggested. “Or how about Chuck? He’s a detective now.”
“I thought he was still healing?” Grady said. Their cousin had been in a motorcycle accident while on duty and had been confined to a wheelchair while his injuries healed.
“He’s back to work,” Ian said offhandedly. “He’s taken that detective position he wanted before, so he’s one we should consider talking to.”
Jamie sat back down in her seat and closed her eyes. As her brothers argued over what her next step was, she tried very hard to put Ford’s careless insult behind her. Though she knew that she was being overly sensitive, his words had cut her mostly because she knew deep down that he did have a very good point. She was a nurturer at heart, and she had tried to take care of Clay in the same manner she had cared for her ill parents before they died. That did not make her feel very good about herself and her life choices.
“Ford’s right,” she announced. Four dark heads turned back to her, and all four pairs of eyes shone curiously. “I’ve made a mess of everything. If I report this now, something terrible will probably happen. I should just keep my mouth shut and let the authorities come find me if they can.”
Before any of her brothers could respond, she pushed herself out of the chair and brushed between Hayden and Grady. She hurried from the room as fast as she could and closed the door behind her, biting back tears. It was a short walk to the front door, and she headed that way blindly. As much as she loved her brothers, this was not their concern and she should not have considered involving them.
But what was done was done, and now the problem would be convincing them of that.
***
Ford was at a site when he called her the next morning. It was almost as though he knew the exact moment she entered the office, for she had just
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