Page 4 of Echoes of Temptation
“Damnit Knox,” I glare. “How deep did you dig into my shit?”
“Deeper than you knew was possible,” he smiles.
“Nosy fucker,” I smile back. “Since you’re so keen to invade my personal space why don’t you research Madeline Burton and tell me if she’s done anything that will have me denying this client.”
Knox grabs his phone and gets busy. It won’t take him long where as it would have taken me several hours to dig up enough information to make a decision. If it appears that Madeline could have made an enemy because of something she’s done to piss someone off, I’ll skip this one. Regardless of the money. It’s not as if I need it.
“Madeline Burton, twenty-nine, is a special education teacher at South Harborbrook elementary school. She graduated college top in her class and lives on South 9th Street apartment five B. As of this moment, she’s out of school because of winter break and is staying with her parents.”
“Records?” I ask.
“It looks like she’s made multiple trips to the local precinct in the past year alone,” he says. “Give me just a second to tap into their system so I can grab her file. I should have brought my laptop.”
“Why do I even try?” Steel sighs.
“Got it,” Knox says, ignoring Steel. “Okay, so it looks like she’s filed a handful of reports about someone sending threatening letters. There are five different letters in evidence. I’ll grab the images and send them to you, King. According to this police report, they have no witnesses and no evidence, not evenfingerprints, so they’ve labeled the case as inactive. This was dated five months ago. She hasn’t been back since.”
“Family,” I say, filing away all the information he’s mentioned so far.
“It looks like she was adopted at three days old by Ben and Joyce Burton. Her birth mother died while giving birth and she had no other family. It was a closed adoption which means that as soon as they signed the papers it was official and no one could take the baby away.”
“The parents?” I ask.
“Ben got pulled over for driving while intoxicated when he was seventeen years old,” Knox says. “Apart from that, nothing is sticking out about either parent. She looks clean, King. But according to these letters, someone truly believes that she stole from them and owes them a large some of money.”
Fuck.
“He’s gonna take it,” Ghost smiles.
I make a decision right here and right now.
“This will be my last case,” I tell the room. “I’m done. I just want to spend the rest of my life relaxing with my family and making sure you fuckers stay alive.”
“The killer is putting down his gun,” Jax cheers.
“Guns, Jax,” I smile. “With an s. What type of killer only has a single gun?”
Send me your address. I’ll be there first thing in the morning.
I hesitate before sending out the response. I really don’t want to take this job. I fucking hate babysitting clients.
With a resounding sigh, I hit send.
“I want the biggest steak, Pops,” I yell out.
I ignore Steel and Blaze arguing over who is going to try and kick my ass for rights to the biggest steak as I sit down on thefloor with Hope and Knox. I’m going to spend as much time with my family as I can before I have to leave them again.
Chapter Three
Maddy
“I can’t believe you hired a hitman, daddy,” I complain for the tenth time. “What if he kills us as soon as he walks in the door?”
“That’s not how it works, Cookie,” he tells me calmly. “I searched for days before finding the right person. This man has morals. He only goes after the truly guilty people.”
“But the person sending these letters is saying that I’m the one who is guilty,” I remind him. “There’s no proof that I didn’t do what they’re accusing me of.”
“Someone is framing you, Cookie,” daddy tells me. “This man will help us find out who.”