“My mother never mentioned counterfeiting,” Forrest admitted. The girls, he’d known all about. Even though he’d been gone from home before Galen’s trips to California had started, there had always been a steady flow of young women through the doors of the nightclub.
“This counterfeit money was what he was laundering,” Roger said. “Withers found enough on Galen to choke a horse, and the bank was happy to press charges against him. Since it was a California bank, they sent state marshals out here to escort him out there to stand trial. They had enough evidence to put him behind bars. However, his counterpart, the person who was actually printing the money, hasn’t been found. That might be who has stepped forward now and is petitioning his release. They haven’t found where it was being printed, either,” Roger explained.
Which is the reason Galen’s so set upon returning to Minnesota. Forrest stopped shy of saying that aloud. More things were making sense than ever before. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, his gut told him his mother was involved. Whoever had broken into the Plantation had been looking for something specific and his mother’s nonchalant concern over that event told him more than he wanted to know.
“We’ll know who and where very soon,” Ty said. “The Federal Reserve is now involved.”
“Federal Reserve or not,” Roger said, “we’ll make sure Galen Reynolds never returns to Minnesota.”
Forrest stood. “That’s where you’re wrong. We won’t make sure Galen doesn’t return. I will.”
“Now, son—”
“I mean it, Roger,” Forrest said sternly. “I don’t want you involved in this.”
“Want or not,” Roger said, “we’re involved.”
Forrest turned and met the man’s gaze with one just as stony, just as cold. “Then back out. You may think you know how evil Galen is, but believe me when I say you don’t. Only someone who’s lived with him can know that.” Spinning around, he headed for the door, stopping prior to opening it. “And believe me, this time around, a dozen watchmen won’t be enough to keep your girls safe.”
A ball of raging fury was trapped inside Forrest as he exited the resort, and burned hotter when he sensed he was being watched. The curtain was pulled aside on the first window and there, not attempting to hide, was Twyla.
Their gazes locked and for a split second, Forrest was torn between heading for his car and going back inside to see how Twyla had fared against her sister. The fire in his guts burned all the way to his heels. Norma Rose may have gotten bruised by Galen all those years ago, but the stakes were higher this time. Twyla couldn’t keep her nose clean. She loved hidden treasures, and if she caught wind of counterfeiting...
This was one secret he’d keep from her. If it killed him, he’d keep it from her. Forrest lifted a hand and gave her a salute before spinning around and heading for his car.
Chapter Eight
During his drive home, Forrest forced his mind to shift away from Twyla and back to last fall. He had to focus in order to keep her safe. While remodeling the Plantation, he’d been in every room, every nook, cranny and alcove. There hadn’t been anything to indicate counterfeiting. No press or paper or ink, yet they had to be there, and finding the evidence was his only hope of keeping Galen behind bars.
He rehashed every conversation he’d had with his mother and became more convinced he was barking up the right tree. The only remark she’d made about the break-in was that there was no need to report it, that it must have been someone Galen had done business with. That said she knew more. If he only understood how and why. She didn’t love Galen, but she’d never left his side, either. Even now, she insisted upon living in California to be near him.
Questions continued to twist his mind as he parked and climbed out of the roadster behind the Plantation.
Unlike Nightingale’s resort, the Plantation was busy on Sundays. Entire families came to bowl a few games, and parents found a bit of solitude and respite in the coolness of the building while their children ran half-wild through the amusement park next door. Others rented the few sailboats Forrest had restored and spent the day on the water.
Jacob and Martha were more than capable of running the place, but Forrest rarely left them alone. An instinctual sense always had him on guard, as if he knew someone from Galen’s past was lurking nearby. All that had faded today, in the instant he’d considered taking Twyla flying. He hadn’t let his guard down since he’d arrived home last fall, and he wasn’t impressed he’d allowed it to happen today.