Splintered Oak (Winsor Series Book 3) (7 page)

I Issy ran towards me and hugged with all her might. I would have hugged her back, but fury and shock seemed to leave me paralyzed.

“W
elcome home!”

She hadn’t changed
.

Still beautiful, still charismatic to the point you just wanted to be next to her, and still selfish enough to move out without so much as a text.

I folded my arms, my scowl ruining our big reunion. “How could you move out? Do you have any idea who I’m living with? No? Well, I’ll fill you in. Twins from the darkest places below the earth!”

Issy stared at me and burst out laughing.
“Oh my goodness, Naomi, is this confident, strong woman really you? Wow, your looks aren’t the only thing that have changed.”

I expected her to be angry or at least argue back, but instead she seemed proud of me. I could feel my anger subsiding as she hugged me again. Staying mad at Issy was impossible.

She led us to a large leather sofa. Its softness surprised me and I couldn’t help but run my hands longingly over the armrest. This would be a perfect place to curl up with a good book. I sighed thinking of the couch in the apartment, so covered with stuff I doubted I would ever sit there again.

“What happened?” I finally asked, looking around the place. The couch was not the only thing directly out of a magazine. The entire room looked as if it belonged in the heart of New York City. “Why did my new roommates call you Isadora? Are you engaged?”

Issy shuttered when I said her given name. “Do you follow celebrity news at all, Naomi?”

I huffed a little and looked around, thinking
Issy’s place definitely looked celebrity worthy. “Do you really even need to ask?”

That brought a slight smile to Issy’s lips. “Well, since you are completely in the dark, I’ll give you the short version. I got involve
d with a high profile guy and our relationship made several of the papers. He’s the one who called me Isadora. We are no longer together, but the papers like to speculate.”

Her explanation did nothing to ease my confusion.

Issy squeezed my hand. “It doesn’t matter now, anyway. But I am sorry you had to find out like this. I truly thought Avery would still be there, but she told me yesterday the school offered her early entrance into married housing. I guess she is getting married in August and then Parker will be moving in. She had wanted to meet you, but couldn’t turn down the offer.” She shook her head. “I’m actually surprised. There is usually a huge waiting list for those apartments.”

The name Senator Banks came to mind as did the twin Issy wannabes. “I think your notoriety made our apartment the ‘p
lace to be.’” Sarcasm seeped from my voice.

“Oh come on, Naomi, our apartment was always the place to be. You ju
st hid out too much to notice.” She was teasing me, but I didn’t find it funny. Instead her comment sparked a little fire.

“Well, I’m not hiding anymore, and I’m not going to sit here and pretend it’s okay you didn’t call me. Now, I’m stuck with Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb, with no hope of a transfer anytime soon. I may as well forget school this summe
r.” My burst was short lived, the hopelessness of the situation descending on me again.

“I really am sorry. I promise you. I would have called if I could.” Issy truly looked remorseful, which was a new thing for her, and I wasn’t quite sure how to process it. “But, I may be able to help. I’ve been slowly getting my list of contacts back and maybe I can find someone looking for a roommate. You and I both know the housing department is useless.”

“Issy, I can’t afford two places, and I can’t give up a campus apartment. I’m stuck.”

“Where there’s a will, there’s a
room. Give me just a minute.” She jumped up, determined, and disappeared to the back of the condo.

I stood wearily, looking around, and found myself drawn to a large framed picture on the end table. Issy and a very handsome man stood on the beach, arms encircling one another. Issy had on a long white sundress while he wore slacks and a white linen shirt. Engraved along the frame were the words, “But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.”

I stared at the picture closely and my breath caught. I knew the verse. It was from Psalms somewhere. I looked around, searching for any more evidence to confirm or deny what I was thinking.

Was it possible? Had Issy
—the self professed party girl without a conscience—married a Christian?

7
. PATHS COLIDE

JAKE

My adrenaline surged as I plowed a path toward the basket, knocking Grant over in the process. The swish of the net was almost as enjoyable as seeing Grant sprawled on the floor.

Our weekly basketball games were not only useful for prying, but also a great way to get some contact on him. Truthfully, moments like this were the only things keeping me from attacking the guy.

“Sorry man,” I offered, holding out my hand to his. He scowled at me, but took it anyway, stretching his back when he stood.

“You do know this a friendly game of one-on-one, right?” He rubbed his hip, which had taken the brunt of the fall.

I smirked and tossed the basketball in for another perfect shot. “Friendly or not, that’s another win for me.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Grant walked over to the bench where our gym bags and water sat.

I followed him, tossing the ball around my torso and spinning it on my finger.
Man, I love basketball
.

“So, any news from the Feds?” I attempted to sound casual. Grant had told me he had a friend in the FBI who was doing him a favor and looking into the
failed merger paperwork. Grant had hoped to get some kind of human trafficking charge put on the Marshes or at least on Summers.

I knew it was a pipe dream. The contract hadn’t even been signed, and Issy’s name was not even mentioned, just implied. I also seriously doubted the validity of it. I had met Robbie, and he was not a man who needed a contract to get a girl.

Grant finished guzzling his water and sat down on the bench, looking a little defeated. “Yeah, it’s not good. Even with Issy’s and my testimony, it’s still hearsay and circumstantial. We need something else.”

“So let’s get something. Stop sitting on our rears and let’s find some dirt on Summers. You had seven years working for the guy.” So far, I had only been able to give Robbie a few tidbits of info
rmation on how Andrew Summers operated, but it wasn’t much, and Robbie was getting impatient. He only sent me trading information once this week.

“Jake, I’m not looking for trouble. Revenge is never a good thing. I just want justice and to keep Issy safe. Stirring things up will jeopardize both of those things. Besides, Andrew was alway
s ethical when I worked for him. That was part of the problem. I never saw it coming.”

I sat next to him, irritated. This guy was the worst type of goody two shoes. Pious was the word that often came to mind. “Well maybe that’s because he knew how ‘holier than thou’ you are. Surely he had someone else who did his dirty work while you sat on your cloud of conviction.”

Grant smirked.

I’m sure he thought I wa
s kidding. I wasn’t

“You know, that’s a good point. There was one guy he used when we got too swamped. He was out of the New York office. I doubt we’d get much out of him, though. We never got along that well.”

“What’s his name?” I pressed, knowing I was close to getting some kind of valuable information to pass onto Robbie.

“John Henny, why?”

“Just curious. I’ve met a lot of hot shots in my field. I thought I might’ve heard of him, but the name doesn’t register.”

Grant sighed and picked up his bag. “Doesn’t matter. I’m letting this one go. Neither one has tried to contact her, and we’ve been visible for a few weeks now. Maybe they’ve accepted they lost and we can all move on. I’m certainly ready to.”

“So that’s it? You’re going to let Andrew Summers get away with ruining our lives?” I stood toe to toe with him. “In case you missed it, my life cannot just go on. I have no job and my court date is just a few weeks away. I need this.”

Grant’s sympathetic stare only angered me more. “What you need is a little faith. There’s a whole lot more freedom in love than there ever is in hate.”

He placed his hand on my shoulder and I pushed it off immediately. “Don’t try and convert me, Grant. I gave up on God a long time ago. You and Issy go ahead and play your little game, but rest assured, you’ll tire of it one day. People always do.”

That sympathetic look returned to Grant’s face and it took everything in me not to hit it off of him.

“Well, if it really was a game people play, then you’re right. I’m sure they do tire of it. Issy and I aren’t playing a game. We whole-heartedly believe and follow Christ. It’s the only thing getting us through all of this.”

I faced off with him
, my fury getting the best of me. “Don’t you dare tell me what Issy believes. That girl has gone through more fads than boyfriends, and you and I both know there are more of those to come as soon as she tires of you.”

Grant’s hands
were on my shirt before I ever saw him move. Smugly, I noted the sympathetic look was long gone from his infuriated face.

“This is a warning, Jake. If you ever say something like that again, I won’t be so gentle. Issy is my wife. You may not like the fact that we’re married now, but it isn’t going to change, so you better get used to it.”

He flung me aside, letting go of the death grip he had on me, before grabbing his bag in one swift move. I could see the tension in his back as he retreated, but felt vindicated somehow.

I reached down and picked up my phone, dialing the direct line to Robbie.

“Jake, I hope you have something good for me today,” he answered casually. The steadiness of his mannerisms unnerved me, especially since I couldn’t seem to keep my emotions at bay for even one basketball game.

“We need a different approach. Grant is a dead end. The guy’s cleaner than Clorox. But, Summers has another guy in New York
, John Henny, that seems to be his henchman for the dirty work. I can try and make contact, see what I can get from him.”

There was a long pause on the line as I heard Robbie’s steady breathing in the phone. Finally, he spoke, his voice eerily calm. “Jake, do you really think I don’t know the names of every person who has ever worked fo
r Andrew Summers? You had one simple task. Find out details from Grant. I don’t care what it takes, I want to know his every move. Do you understand, or do we need to revisit the conditions of our deal?”

I kne
w a threat when I heard one, and my stubborn pride shot up. “Why Grant?”

His silence felt deafening.

“Do you want to get to Andrew Summers where it will hurt him the most?” he finally asked.

“You know I do.”

“Then stay on Grant. Their interests are connected.”

“What’s t
hat supposed to mean?” I jumped to my feet. “What are you not telling me? Listen, if Grant is still involved with Summers, I need to know. Issy’s married to the guy!”

“I am well aware of Isadora’s marital status.”

Had I not been listening so well, I would have missed the hitch in his voice. Robbie’s calm demeanor was fading. “Jake, are you aware that Grant’s father still works for Summers?”

“No, I didn’t
know he ever did.” My mind swirled with conspiracy theories. Was I right? Was Grant part of the scheme to begin with? The accusation made sense. The man had come into a ridiculously large amount of money. 

“Do some homework, Jake, and get back to me. I’ve got no patience for my time being wasted.”

Our conversation ended in a click.

I sat back dow
n in a haze of confusion. I had no idea who the bad guy was in this scenario. All I knew was Issy was in way over her head, and now it seemed I was as well.

An hour later, I was being escorted up to Issy’s sixth floor condo by the stiff security guard who still had yet to look at me with anything but contempt. I crossed my arms, and concentrated on keeping my anger in check. The flames sparked by Grant had only grown fiercer with time as I contemplated Robbie’s words.

The elevator doors swung open and I stepped out, barely acknowledging the guard as he closed them behind me. I looked around for Issy, but instead spotted a stunning figure holding Issy’s wedding photo.

She looked up at me with
a jerk, and I suddenly forgot every reason for being there. She was the kind of beauty that stood out in a room, so striking I had to force myself not to blatantly stare at her. The orange in her shirt practically glowed against her olive skin, which was flawless from head to toe.

Captivated, I strolled over to her, sweeping my eyes over every inch.
Her beautiful curves stood out even under modest clothing. I had to consciously stop my hand from reaching out to touch the mass of long mahogany curls spilling down over her shoulders.

Instead,
I extended my hand to her with my I-want-to-get-to-know-you-better smile. “I’m Jake, Issy’s cousin. I don’t think we’ve met before.”

Her dark brown eyes widened. Surprise soon turned to amusement as she shook my hand.

I felt as if I knew her from somewhere, and silently hoped I hadn’t made an idiot of myself.

“Nice to meet you, Jake,” she said with a grin, exposing perfectly straight teeth against remarkably pouty lips. 

I stood there like a love-struck teenager, my hand holding hers, until she politely pried her fingers from mine. Leaning casually against the chair, I attempted to work my charm, determined to get her phone number.

“So, are you here to see Issy or Grant?”
I used the seductive voice that always seemed to melt a girl’s defenses, while letting her know I was very interested.

She bit her lip
, and I realized she was trying not to laugh.

I furrowed my brow and stood straight. No way was she blowing me off. “At least give me your name.” I moved closer and put my hand over my heart.

“Oh, I think you can come up with it if you try hard enough.”

A sinking feeling came over me. Had we already been together? I’d been known to forget a face and certainly a name before, but I felt sure I would never forget those legs.

“Oh good, Jake, you’re here. Maybe you can help us.” Issy’s voice was an unwelcome intrusion. “Naomi’s new roommates are horrible. I’m trying to find her a place to stay until the housing office can move her.”

I took a step back and reassessed the woman in front of me who was now doubled over in laughter. “Naomi?” I squawked, my mind reeling.

She stopped laughing long enough to answer. “Yep, it’s me. I’m sorry, Jake, but that was priceless! Wow, I’ve never seen you in action before. Does that move really work on women?” The amazement in her voice made me sound as if I had just delivered the worst pick up line on the planet.

I ignored her question and looked at her with fresh eyes. “Wow, you look so different,” I blurted out without thinking.

She rolled her eyes and threw up her hands. “I know, I know. The ugly duckling is now a swan. Sheesh, when is everyone going to get over it?”

I examined her, remembering the girl who had spent her freshman year hiding behind schoolbooks, baggy clothes and glasses. “A swan I can definitely see, Naomi, but you were never ugly.”

Her face softened and then the first genuine smile graced her lips. “Thanks.”

“Well, come here,” I motioned, extending my arms out to hug her. I had always liked Naomi. She was quiet and reserved, but every once in a while, there was this spark that came through if you just pushed the right buttons. Betsy hated when I teased her. Despite Naomi’s boyish style, Betsy had always been jealous of her. But then again, Betsy was notoriously jealous of every female, which was why our relationship only lasted a few weeks.  

Naomi hesitated, but finally stepped in to hug me. The fresh scent of honeysuckle clouded my senses, and I had to back away before my body reacted to her close proximity.

She turned her attention to Issy. “So, what did you come up with?”

Issy slumped down on the sofa and scowled. “Nothing yet, but I’m not giving up.”

I vaguely remembered Issy’s comment about the roommate situation and thoughts of Avery immediately came to
my mind, along with a pain so severe I had to grip the chair.

“Where’s Avery?” I asked
, fighting the anxiety creeping up my legs.

“She’s getting--” Naomi suddenly quit talking, and I glanced at her and Issy for some explanation.

Issy gave me a strained smile. “She moved out a few weeks ago.”

“Why? Is she leaving Winsor?” My heart constricted. I hadn’t seen Avery on campus since school let out. Watching her study or catch a quick nap in the quad was the only thing that kept me sane while Issy was missing. The hope that one day we would get another chance was always a tangible thought in my mind.

“I don’t know, Jake, but it doesn’t matter, does it?” She sent me a silent warning while Naomi looked completely lost.

“No, it doesn’t,” I agreed, unwilling to admit I still held a torch for Issy’s old roommate. A very heavy, flaming torch.

“Anyway, we just need to find something temporary--”

“And free,” Naomi grumbled.

“Until the school can move her to a different room,” Issy continued as if Naomi hadn’t spoken.