“Don’t call the police, Marj,” Colin said. “Please.”
“Why shouldn’t I? He pepper-sprayed Bryce and Joe. That’s assault.”
“They barged into my office,” Booker said.
“Yeah? Well, you kidnapped me and—”
“That was his brother and sister,” Colin said. “You know that.”
“Are you trying to tell me that Dominic and Alex are the bad guys?”
“No,” Colin said. “They were acting on your father’s orders.”
“My dead father’s orders?”
“You think Brad Steel can’t control people from the grave? Come on. He put systems in place. They were telling the truth.”
“Just who is the bad guy here, then?”
“There isn’t one. Not now, at least.”
“Sorry. Not buying.”
“Let us come in,” Colin said. “I came to talk to Jade, but it might be good for you to hear everything from Cade.”
“I’m willing to work with you, Colin,” Booker said, “but I’m not setting foot in the Steel house.”
Just as well. Jade was in her bedroom resting.
“Then we’ll talk out here,” I said. “Pull up a chair.”
The front deck wrapped around both sides of the house. I gestured to the Adirondack chairs to the side.
“Can you get Jade?” Colin asked.
“Sorry. She had a scare at the hospital today, and she’s resting.”
“All right,” Colin said. “Go ahead, Cade. Tell her what we’re going to do.”
He opened his mouth when Joe’s truck came rumbling up the drive.
“Shit,” Booker said.
“Hold on,” I said. “If you’re willing to tell me, you should tell Joe and Bryce.”
“They let that bastard take me.”
“They were nine!” I said.
“I’ve been talking to him about that,” Colin said.
Joe and Bryce exited the truck, and both came running toward the front deck, their guns in their hands.
“Cade Booker,” Joe said. “We’ve been looking all over for you. I ought to shoot your brains out.”
“He’s armed, Joe,” I said.
“I’ll have his brains splattered on the deck before he can draw his weapon.”