Chapter Eleven Abra
I locate the folder that I took from Erickson’s desk and hand it to Rey. She flips through the folder before speaking.
“Erickson told me he had a private investigator researching the other bidders. He’s broken the bidders into two groups.
The first group consists of those he doesn’t consider a threat.
Meaning they don’t have the money to compete against him.
Three of the four are in that group. The only one he’s concerned about is Jasper Benoit. ”
“Who is Jasper Benoit?” Hex asks.
“A bastard,” Rey responds.
“Dirty crook,” Cicero adds.
“Someone my father approved us,” Cleo says.
Hex scowls. “If your father approved of him, then he is a bastard. But who is he?”
“He’s a defense lawyer,” Rey says. “He prefers his clients to be guilty, but only if they’re loaded. He offered me a job after I passed the bar exam, but I turned him down when my brothers gave me the dirt on him.”
“Does he have the money to outbid you?” Hex asks Cleo.
Cleo shakes her head. “He has money, but he isn’t a threat. Or at least I don’t think he is. Did Erickson consider him one?”
Rey nods her head. “Benoit and Erickson are on equal financial footing, but Erickson’s private investigator told Erickson that he believed Benoit wasn’t acting on his own behalf.
He thinks Benoit is working for someone.
Erickson is afraid that whoever that person is has more funds.
Erickson instructed his private investigator to keep digging. ”
“I’ll see what I can find,” Pirate offers.
“Huh,” Rey says, drawing everyone’s attention. However, she doesn’t seem to notice as her eyes busily move over the paper in her hands.
“Want to share with the class?” I ask her.
Rey jolts and looks at me before looking around the table.
“Sorry. There’s a note in the file that I find interesting.
The detective mentions that Charles De Villiers had a stepson.
His wife, Sarah, was the boy’s mother. His name is Ryan Sinclair.
The detective asked Erickson if he wanted him to locate the man, but Erickson confirmed that Ryan Sinclair was out of the picture. ”
“You should find Ryan,” comes a voice from behind us. I turn to see the woman we rescued from Erickson’s house, along with Rey, coming down the stairs.
“You speak English?” Rey asks.
The woman nods. “I’m sorry about lying to you, but I didn’t know if I could trust you.”
Rey stands and hugs the woman. “You don’t need to apologize. I’m grateful that you didn’t tell him about the plate.”
“What plate?” Hex asks.
Rey explains how she withheld a plate from the breakfast tray and broke it in two so she could fashion two knives. Hex guffaws at her action while my brothers nod in appreciation for her willingness to fight her way out.
Brigitte offers Rey a small smile. “I wasn’t sure what you were going to do with it, but I had hoped you would escape.”
“Would you like to sit down and have something to eat?” Cleo asks, directing Conor to bring her a chair and Danny to bring food.
Brigette sits and smiles at everyone. “My name is Brigette Marcone. I worked as a nurse for Charles de Villiers before he passed away. I started as Sarah’s nurse. Charles kept me on after she passed. He probably knew he wouldn’t last much longer than her.”
“You made Erickson believe that you couldn’t speak English,” Rey says, grinning at the woman.
She smiles back. “I did. He used to come to the house to visit Mr. De Villiers. I didn’t like him, so I only spoke French in his presence. Mr. De Villiers never let on that I knew English. I don’t think he trusted Mr. Erickson, either. He had reasons for not trusting him.”
“Do you know why he visited your employer?” Cleo asks.
Brigette nods. “At first, he ingratiated himself by asking Mr. Charles to talk about his family and himself. Then his questions became pointed. Mr. Charles realized that Erickson was fishing for the location of the family treasure.”
Cicero sucks in a breath. “You know about the treasure?”
Brigette shrugs. “I know there is a treasure, but I don’t know where it is or what it is. I only know that that is part of the key. Where did you get it?” Brigette nods at the Harlequin figurine. “Mr. Ryan searched the house for it before Mr. Charles died, but he couldn’t find it.”
“Erickson had it,” I say. “I broke into his house a few nights ago and stole it from him.”
“Good,” Brigette says. “Poor Mr. Ryan was distraught. He had just reunited with his stepfather.”
“Wait, if this Ryan person was Charles’ stepson, why didn’t he inherit the house? Why did Charles not leave a will?”
“Oh no, he left a will. Everything was to go to Mr. Ryan.”
“So, where is the will?” Rey asks.
“I don’t know,” Brigette says.
We’re silent for several minutes as we all consider what we’ve learned.
“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to cause you problems, but what is going to happen to me?” Brigette asks. “Mr. Erickson said he would report me to ICE and have me sent to Ecuador. I don’t want to go to Ecuador.”
“Are you here on a Visa?” Hex asks.
“Yes. A work Visa. Now that I don’t have a job…”
“You’re a home care specialist, right?” Olivia asks. Brigette nods. “We know of someone who needs a home care specialist,” Olivia continues, looking at Lake.
Lake returns her questioning look with one of puzzlement until his face clears and he beams at her. “You’re right. I know just the patient who could use your help. How would you feel about nursing a crotchety old man who is also the Chief of his tribe?”
“Tribe?” Brigette asks.
“I’ll explain on the way,” Olivia assures her. “Don’t listen to Lake; Coyote is a wonderful man. Let’s grab your suitcase, and we can stop for more things on the way. You should tell your brother and let him know we’re coming.”
Lake takes out his phone and makes the call. After he explains the situation, he pauses before ending the call. “What does she look like? Does anyone know who she is?”
Hex and I watch Lake as he paces the floor, listening to his brother. After a few minutes, he hangs up. “Toff said there is a white woman who has been harassing several families. She claims to be the leader of the Brotherhood of the Third Reich.”
“Fuck, that’s probably Pamela Clark,” Hex says. “Puma called and told me she left Las Vegas. He didn’t know where she went. I guess we know now. Okay, Pirate, Spark was supposed to send you photos of her and the other members. Make sure we all get them. Is she still near the tribe?”
Lake shakes his head. “No. She took off when several members of the tribe threatened her.”
“We need to be on the lookout for her,” Hex orders.
“Who is she?” I ask.
“Puma said she’s married to the leader of the Brotherhood of the Third Reich.
Turns out their leader is Rattler and Viper’s uncle.
He and Pamela have a son who has been pretending to be Rattler.
He and Pamela were working at the casino and stole a bunch of money.
Puma wants her badly. The bastards are heavy into human trafficking.
If any of the Brotherhood escaped arrest, we should grab them and question them. ”
I nod as Brigette and Olivia come down the stairs.
“I’ve spoken to my brother, Toff,” Lake says to them.
“The doctors aren’t ready to release Coyote yet, which isn’t a surprise.
I’m sure he’s made his displeasure known.
However, Toff said you can stay with him and Annette.
Coyote’s house is still a crime scene, but he thinks they’ll release it tomorrow.
He’s hoping you and Annette can get the place ready for Coyote.
She’s studying to become a doctor, so she’ll help you get the equipment and supplies you’ll need. Annette is excited to have you.”
Brigette smiles at me and the others. “You’ve all been so kind. Thank you for rescuing me and giving me this opportunity.”
“We’re happy to help,” Hex assures her.
Cicero holds up a finger to gain her attention. “I have one more question. You mentioned Ryan Sinclair. Do you know how to reach him?”
“No, I’m sorry. I don’t. I haven’t seen him since the funeral.
He was distraught when his stepfather died.
He lost his mother and his stepfather within two years of each other.
He also almost lost his wife. She was very sick.
I understand he sold everything he had to pay for her treatments.
This is why he and Mr. Charles argued. Mr. Charles had given Ryan a family heirloom.
Ryan sold it. It took Mr. Charles two years to forgive him. ”