Chapter 36
JORDAN
The kiss stays with me the entire flight.
Sitting on the Bennets’ private jet with nothing else to distract me, I find it hard to think of anything else but the way Libby held me, the sexy way she led in that kiss, the softness of her lips, the feel of her hair in my fingers, the way I almost lost myself in it completely.
The way I wanted so much more.
A part of me wanted to give in, even just for the moment. To believe that Libby is going to fully trust me eventually, and for now, this is enough.
But I have to remind myself that what I want now is not worth sacrificing forever.
I get a text from Mitchell halfway through the flight.
Mitchell
I’m waiting and time’s running out. We letting this play out?
I bet Bryce is getting super antsy. I got in contact with Mitchell weeks ago, and he made the claim well before that.
If Bryce is out of money and back in Texas, he knows the walls are closing in.
Will he really send the stuff he has on Baylee to the FBI if we don’t pay up?
He needs the money. Turning Baylee in gets him nothing.
Maybe if I tip him further into desperate territory, he’ll make a mistake.
Jordan
I need more time. Bryce cleaned me out, and my new wife might be plenty flush, but getting $500K without her knowing isn’t easy.
Mitchell
Tomorrow morning or I tell your wife.
Jordan
What’s the rush? You want the money, don’t you?
I can get it.
If you push this, my wife is going to find out anyway, and then what’s the point for me? I might as well tell her.
Mitchell’s answer takes several minutes, probably consulting with Bryce.
Mitchell
How long?
Jordan
Should have it by Monday morning.
It’s another several minutes before he responds to that.
Mitchell
Fine. Don’t push it further or this is coming out.
Jordan
Got it.
Caleb Gallagher picks me up from the airport, and we head straight to the FBI offices in Houston. Caleb’s friend, Special Agent Porter, meets us and takes us back to a conference room.
“What brings me down here on a Sunday night, Caleb?” he asks.
“We might have a way to lure Bryce Hayes into FBI custody,” Caleb says.
Agent Porter glances between us, his gaze lingering on me, then motions for us to take seats at the table.
“What do you got?” he asks, sitting a few seats down from us.
He’s average height, a slim guy who looks like he stays in shape, and has dark brown hair.
Caleb has told me he’s part of the FBI’s white-collar division, but I bet he’d do well undercover.
He’s the kind of guy who’s easy to forget.
“Intel that puts Bryce Hayes in Houston right now,” Caleb says.
Agent Porter sits up straighter. “And how did you come by that?”
Caleb smirks. “Happened upon it,” he says noncommittally. Agent Porter gives a little grunt. Caleb gestures to me. “I’m sure you know who Jordan Atkinson is?”
Agent Porter nods at me. “Good to meet you in person. Caleb mentioned you wanted to get a peek at the records we have of Bryce’s bank accounts to verify some people claiming to be scammed by him.”
“Yeah,” I say. “But digging into that got us onto something else. One of the new ‘victims’ is trying to blackmail me out of $500,000. It was weak, so my wife called Caleb to figure out what’s going on.” I look over at him, letting him pick up the story, since he’s the one who traced all this.
“This guy, Mitchell Hurst, is in contact with Bryce. He agreed to pressure Jordan in exchange for a cut of the $500,000. My guess is Bryce is trying to get some cash under the radar, without tipping anyone off he’s here, but he’s got something he can pressure Jordan with if it comes down to it.
” Caleb looks over at me. We’ve already agreed that he’ll tell Agent Porter what Bryce has and how Caleb verified it, but I nod my permission again anyway.
“He has documentation that makes it look like Baylee Atkinson was working with him to defraud the people of Redhaven. $500,000 from Jordan, especially now that he’s married to Libby Bennet, is likely just the beginning for Bryce.
” He flips open his laptop and shows Agent Porter the files he told Libby and me about this morning.
Agent Porter leans over and gives a quiet “hmm” as he looks over the documents. “Probably wants this to get out of the country, and then he’ll bleed you once he’s safe,” he muses.
“If you make sure my sister stays out of this, I can get Bryce to meet up with me for the payoff. She didn’t do any of this.” I wave to the laptop. “And I’m more than ready for Bryce to stop screwing with my sister’s life. And mine.”
Agent Porter looks over at Caleb. “You got anything to prove Bryce is behind all this?” He points to the documents on the screen.
I open my mouth to swear to Baylee’s innocence, but Agent Porter goes on before I can say anything.
“I believe you that she had nothing to do with it. You don’t even have to say it.
Bryce Hayes is a piece of work, and it’s just his style to frame someone else for his dirty deeds.
But I can’t just take your word for it.”
“I’m confident I can prove he’s the one that opened the accounts,” Caleb says. I don’t know if he has any new information, but he sounds a lot surer than he did when he spoke to me and Libby earlier.
“Tell me more about the blackmail, and let’s make a plan,” Agent Porter says.