JUDE: Book 2 The Justice Brothers Series (21 page)

”Í agree. My response was the same as yours. But after you see what Skylar has unearthed, at the very least, Blake has some serious ’splaining to do.”

After combing through the documents, Jared threw up his hands. “I don’t get it, Jude. How could Blake have kept this on the down-low? Someone in the firm has to have known something was off.”

“I agree, Jared. If Sky’s right, and you and I both know without even seeing the evidence that she is, Blake has to have had an accomplice and one at a very high level.”

“Are you saying it’s…Lars?”

When Jude just shrugged, Jared whistled. “Phew, if that’s so, and Hank or Carol got wind of it…”

“Yeah, it doesn’t take perverted minds like ours to conclude that if Hank or Carol discovered that they were being robbed of so much as a shekel, they’d raise holy hell.”

“Even if it was their beloved and sheltered only son?”

“Especially so.”

Jude broke their brooding silence. “She really is something, isn’t she?”

He wasn’t surprised that he didn’t have to tell Jared to whom he was referring.

“Yeah, she is. Like I haven’t been telling you that from the get-go.” He paused, then added carefully, “Since you brought her up, dude, I gotta add my two, or twenty-two cents. In addition to being the fucking smartest person I’ve ever known, Skylar is without a doubt one of the most vulnerable. A blind man can see what’s happening between you two, Jude. It’s written in her shining eyes and much as you’d deny it with your last breath, you actually have a few stars in your eyes.”

He put up his hand to stop Jude’s interruption. “I can’t blame you. Hell, if there ever was a woman who could challenge you, brother of mine, at your core, it’s the sprite. But—”

“Stuff it, Jared. I know what you are going to say. Tuck your wannabe Dr. Phil advice in your vest pocket and give me an inch of space. Maybe even trust me enough to know that I might not be as big an asshole as you think I am.”

“C’mon, Jude. You know I love and respect you as much as anyone in my life. It’s just that if you ever have the privilege, and I say that facetiously, of meeting Morton J. Hughes, you’ll be astonished that Skylar didn’t commit herself to a mental institution just to protect herself from him. Seriously bro, Sky has to be the strongest person alive to withstand that haughty authoritarian. When I found her at the DEA she had buried herself so far off the grid you needed a Kepler Planet Hunter
to find her. She literally worked incognito. Christ, it was like she’d put herself in a witness protection program.

“Precious few people knew the actual source of the stunning work she accomplished. I figured out who the mastermind was, and snapped her up. The best hiring decision I ever made. She blew my mind on a daily basis. When I knew I was coming back here I was determined to bring her with me. I’m telling you dude, her father did everything in his power to stop her and me. Ask the Judge if you don’t believe me. I listened in on the one call that the Judge agreed to take from him.

“The way Morton Hughes shredded his daughter to a man he’d never met was beyond description. He could have been field dressing a white tail deer the way he eviscerated her. All to help the Judge ‘understand’ his daughter and why he couldn’t allow her to leave his authority. First he explained how smart she was—almost as brilliant as her renowned father. Except that she needed strong guidance to ensure that her extraordinary intellect didn’t go to waste on insignificant tasks. Like solving crimes that no one else could. When the Judge wasn’t moved, Hughes went on to describe how sheltered Skylar had been. Which, according to Hughes, he’d had to do given that she was prone to defiance and what could only be considered unstable acts. Such as refusing to follow the illustrious path her renowned father had carved for her, et cetera. And he said it all in a cultured, dispassionate voice as if he weren’t describing his only daughter as a nutcase.”

Jude dragged his hand thorough his hair and huffed out a hard sigh, “Christ, Jared. If he is even half as much of the son of a bitch you’re describing, I’ll take him apart with my bare hands.”

“Let me tell you, bro, if he gets wind of your interest in Sky, he’ll come at you in more ways than you knew were possible. One guy who unexpectedly left the DEA under a cloud, told me in a drunken rant that he’d made the mistake of dating Skylar twice before his world caved in on him. He was accused of a series of infractions, a couple of which had basis, but most did not. Finally one of his superiors told him that he had committed the unpardonable sin. He’d shown an interest in Morton Hughes’s brilliant and unusual daughter.”

Chapter 23

“I’m sorry I’m late, Ms. Hughes…um, Skylar. I got a call just before I left and I…well…” Blake hesitated, then reached up and rubbed at his temple, a deep frown creasing his brow. A sheen of perspiration beaded on his upper lip and his voice was shaky.

Skylar frowned in concern. “Are you all right, Blake? You don’t look well.”

Blake grabbed for the back of the chair and gripped it. Thinking that he might fall, Skylar rose from her chair to help him. He shook his head, signaling her back and sucked in a deep breath. “No, no. It’s okay. I’m okay, Skylar. I’ve had a challenging morning. And I’ve not been myself since…” His voice trailed off as he stared blankly at the table.

Skylar reached for his arm. Standing next to him, she felt his tremor and smelled the strong odor of perspiration emanating from him. When he continued to stare at the table she pulled out his chair and said quietly, “Blake, you don’t look at all well. Please sit down.”

He hesitated and nodded in agreement. Weaving slightly, he sunk into the chair beside her.

Waiting to see that he was able to remain seated, Skylar sat down next to him. She reached for a glass of water on the table and offered it to him. When he shook his head, Skylar was firm. “Please, Blake. Drink this. I’m concerned. You look pale and seem shaky. Are you ill?”

Blake shook his head and reached for the glass, taking several deep swallows. He made a visible effort to steady himself. After a moment he met her concerned gaze. “No, I’m not sick. But if you will excuse me, I…I need to go to the restroom.”

He rose unsteadily and clung to the edge of the table for a moment. Nodding as if convincing himself that he was able to do so, he turned and walked unsteadily across the dining room toward the restroom.

After five minutes had passed and Blake still hadn’t returned, Skylar motioned for the waiter who was standing attentively off to the side of the room. He immediately came to her table as if he had been waiting for her to beckon.

Glancing at the name embroidered on his crisp white jacket, Sky said, “Excuse me, Manzo, I’m concerned about my luncheon companion. Would you please go to the men’s room and make sure that he’s all right? He indicated that he was not feeling well.”

Before she could describe Blake, the solicitous man nodded. “But of course, ,miss. I will see to Mr. Parker immediately.”

Watching him disappear through the arched doorway, Sky frowned, then reminded herself that she shouldn’t be surprised that the waiter knew Blake. Philippe’s
was one of the most expensive restaurants in the city and close to Blake’s office and the Second Chance boutique. It was likely that all the Parkers were regulars at the upscale restaurant. Ten minutes later, Blake appeared in the doorway with Manzo several watchful steps behind him. Blake was still pale and had a strained smile on his face. He stumbled slightly as he strode to the table. In seconds, Manzo was at Blake’s side, a protective hand on his arm. He bowed slightly to Skylar as if to confirm that he had the situation under control.

Manzo assisted Blake to his seat, who sunk into the chair with an audible groan. He swallowed hard and shot Skylar a contrived smile. “My apologies, Skylar. I didn’t mean to upset you. I’ve been fighting a cold, or the flu or…something.”

Seeing his glassy eyes and the sheen of sweat on his forehead—the telltale signs of prescription or designer drugs—Sky merely nodded. She focused on the visible clues, trying to discern what he had ingested.

Blake’s hand shook as he reached for his water glass. He struggled getting it to his lips, sloshing water over the top. He put the glass on the table with a sigh. He looked over at Manzo hovering next to the table, and then shot Sky an appealing glance.

Picking up on his silent plea, Skylar spoke to the solicitous waiter. “Thank you for your help, Manzo. We’ll order shortly.”

At Skylar’s pointed glance, Manzo stepped away from the table out of hearing range, although clearly reluctant to leave.

Blake was visibly shaking when he reached across the table and grasped Skylar’s hand in his clammy grip. He squeezed her hand so tightly that Sky had to quell a pained squeal. “Skylar, I need your help. I…I had to talk to you. I’m in trouble. Please, please help me.”

Before she could answer, a cold voice sent her stomach into a double flip. “There you are, Blake. I understand that you weren’t feeling well.”

Skylar looked up to see a stony-faced Marion stomping toward their table. Another waiter in a white Philippe’s jacket was at her heels. Manzo and the new dark-haired, burly waiter moved in next to the table. Ignoring Skylar who had risen to her feet, the two waiters helped Blake to stand at Marion’s unspoken command.

At that moment a welcome voice intervened. “Good afternoon. I hope I’m not too late to join the party.”

Skylar gave a sigh of relief seeing Jude striding toward the table.

Seeing the tall, muscular man advancing on them, Marion’s expression hardened further. She tossed her head and sneered at him, “What are you doing here, Jude? Need to check up on your little charge, ensure that she isn’t in over her head?”

Jude pinned a narrow gaze on the clearly angry woman. He reached for Sky’s arm, then focused coolly on Marion. “One thing you should know about my partner, Marion, is that she is never in over her head.”

While Sky appreciated his terse comment and his supportive hand on her elbow, she was close to feeling out of control, particularly when she saw Blake staring at her, tears hovering in his eyes.

“Blake isn’t feeling well, Jude. I think it would be good for us to take him home.”

Marion’s voice was crisp, cold. “That won’t be necessary, Ms. Hughes. With Manzo and George, I am more than capable of seeing that Blake is cared for.”

When Jude’s frown darkened and he stepped next to Blake, his gaze narrowing further, Marion visibly backed down. She said in a conciliatory voice, “I appreciate your offer of help, Jude and Ms. Hughes, but we can take care of Blake.” Turning to the pale man next to her, she said in a solicitous voice, “Can’t we, dear?”

When Blake nodded and ducked his head, Marion met Sky’s concerned gaze. “Blake has been on a new medication, and it seems to have had an untoward effect. When we get him back to the Boutique, we will insist that Dr. Samuels examine him.”

Squeezing Blake’s hand, Marion said solicitously, “Come, dear. Let’s go over to the shop. You can rest there while we wait for the doctor.”

Focusing a steely-eyed gaze on Blake, Jude’s voice telegraphed his authority. “Blake, when you’re feeling better, Ms. Hughes and I have a number of questions for you. Please call when you’re ready to talk to us. We can stop by the Boutique
or I can send a car to bring you to the precinct.”

Leaving that clear warning hovering between himself and the shaken man, Jude stepped back, allowing the two waiters, each holding one of Blake’s arms, to lead the man to the door.

Without a backward glance, the stiff set of her shoulders conveying her anger, Marion followed the trio out of the restaurant.

“What the hell was that about, Sky?”

Skylar leaned against him, surprised that her legs felt shaky. She hadn’t realized how tense she had been until she saw Jude loping toward them and was able to catch a deep breath. Remembering Blake’s frightened appeal, she didn’t hide her concern. “Something is wrong, Jude. Blake is sick, but it’s more than that. He is on some kind of medication, but unlikely that it’s prescription drugs like Marion claimed. Shortly after he arrived for lunch, he went to the men’s room claiming he didn’t feel well. When he didn’t return, I had to send one of the waiters to check on him. He couldn’t make it back to the table without Manzo’s help. Obviously, the waiter or the manager called Marion. She was here within minutes of him returning to the table.”

Sky sucked in a deep breath and appealed to Jude. “Blake is afraid. He told me so. He said he needed to talk to me, that he’s in trouble. I also don’t like the way that Marion miraculously appeared out of nowhere and hauled him off.”

“Hmm. Damn, Sky, we can’t arrest him. Obviously the guy was hopped up on something. Are you sure Marion wasn’t just concerned? It’s common knowledge that those three sisters hover over Blake like Horton the Elephant on his fucking egg. They always have.”

Skylar shoved aside the feeling of fire ants crawling up the back of her neck and reluctantly agreed. “You’re probably right Jude. Their weird solicitousness regarding him has been clear from the beginning. But I do want to talk with his physician to find out what medication he is on.”

Forcing herself to return to the issue that had been bedeviling her before she left to meet Blake, she met Jude’s concerned frown with one of her own. “I’ve been thinking about what the Larson, McClellan accountants told me this morning, Jude. I think we should drop in on Lars Larson.”

After hearing her out, Jude agreed. “God, yes, Squirt. Lars better don a protective cup. If your assessment is on target, and the last thing I’d ever do is question your instincts, that supercilious asshole is in trouble.”

***

At Lars Larson’s dismissive snort in response to Skylar’s probing question, Jude leaned back in his chair and shot the contemptuous man a steely glare. “I recommend you answer Ms. Hughes’s questions, Lars, unless you’d like to do so at the precinct. You may not know it, buddy, but if we prove that her suspicions are on target, you are in serious shit. In fact, you may want to consult a lawyer before you respond to her concerns.”

Fifteen minutes later, his condescending attitude long gone, the pale man shook his head and said in a plaintive voice, “As God is my witness, I never had access to what the Parker children called their personal
accounts.”