Love Inspired Suspense April 2021--Box Set 2 of 2 by Laura Scott (free e reader .TXT) 📕

because it’s possible they didn’t know anything about it. They were minors at the time, and those decisions might have been made without their knowledge by a parent.”

“Did you contact the parents?” Colt asked.

Mae sighed. “John Rells’s father has dementia and his mom has passed on. Carter Wagoner’s parents had no comment.” Mae rolled her eyes. “We’ve contacted six more players and families who used that address over the past ten years. ‘I have no comment’ is the running theme. It’s not like we can bring any heat on them to talk. They’re not facing any major charges, and I imagine Reggie Leeway is their lawyer and he’s let them know not to comment.”

“Who did the elusive James Kreger purchase the land from?” Colt asked.

Mae wiped her mouth. “Willard Blake. Owned it for over thirty years. Probably used it as hunting land. But when he got sick, he sold it. Talked to his niece, but she can’t say much about the sale other than it happened. He passed not long after.”

“Loyalty goes a long way,” Colt said. “Coaches are kings, and these players and families will feel as though they owe them. Who knows how big this thing truly is?”

Georgia wondered the same thing. Big enough that people were dying for it. Families may have been threatened to keep their mouths shut, and if they had gotten wind of Dandy’s death and Georgia’s attacks, they’d believe whoever threatened them would make good on it.

“Any word from the NCAA on Coach Jackson?”

“They’re investigating but haven’t made a ruling.” Rhett finished his sweet tea and tapped his fingers on the table. “I’m going to follow up again. Don’t want them getting lax.”

Halfway through their meal, Colt leaned in. “I’m going to go rattle a few cages.”

What was one more rattle when Georgia had already shaken the cage and gotten it rocking? “Wait.” She was scared, intimidated and terrified, but these guys were not going to know it. Even if she was bluffing, they needed to know she wasn’t backing down. Jared and Dandy would receive justice. Time to fake being brave. “I’ll go with you.”

United front.

Colt frowned. “I don’t know. If one of them is your attacker, fueling the fire probably isn’t wise.”

“One of them shot you, and you’re not backing down.”

“It’s my job.”

“Well, I don’t want them to think they’ve succeeded in scaring me—even if they have.”

Colt held her stare, then conceded. “Understood. Put on a brave face, but leave the rattling of cages to me.”

“Fine.”

“I mean it, Georgia. No ruffling feathers. You’ve already got someone molting.” He smirked, but his eyes meant business.

What’s the worst that could happen? She could make them even madder and they could attack her again. Can I live with that? She was living with it now and she trusted Colt to do his job, though she feared he’d get hurt again. God is my source of strength and my shield. He’s my strong tower, and He’s my safe place. She repeated the good thoughts to replace the negative ones all the way to the men’s table.

As they approached, the laughter and conversation died down and a mixture of contempt, confusion and annoyance crossed their expressions.

“Hello again,” Colt said. “Enjoying lunch?”

“We are,” Coach Flanigan said. “Y’all?”

“Definitely. Hey, curious. Which one of y’all owns 4214 Pine Road?”

Coach’s eyebrows lifted, Sunny stared at his plate and Terry Helms laughed. “Property ownership is public record, Colt. Not very good investigator skills going for you there.”

Colt’s jaw ticked. “See, the thing is one of you are hiding behind James Kreger. Just wondering which one of you it is.”

“Financials are a little more difficult to crack into,” Terry said over the rim of his sweet tea.

“And you’d know,” Georgia blurted. His verbal swing at Colt fired her up. “You are the bank president. I imagine if we dug hard enough, we’d see that the land was purchased with a loan at your bank. You’re a booster. You have everything to lose, Terry, if we find out you’ve been committing fraud and funneling money and false loans through dummy names. You’d be out a job and that nice big house, speed boats—plural—great cars and all the time you spend at the country club are going to fade away.”

Well, she hadn’t meant to go that far. She dared a peek at Colt. The big vein in his neck was protruding.

Terry’s smug smile faded, and a heavy dose of fear filmed his gray eyes. Good. It was high time someone other than Georgia felt afraid. “And if we find out you killed Jared and Dandy and attempted to murder me—you’ll spend the rest of your life in a prison cell. Not a country club.”

“Whoa, now.” He raised his palms in surrender. “I didn’t kill or try to kill anyone.”

“But you are involved in illegal recruiting.”

Colt pinched the bridge of his nose. She was stopping. Right now.

“I’m not,” he insisted. “So I suggest you lower your voice and stop making accusations, Miss Maxwell. Or the only one who’s going to regret it is you, when I sue you for defamation of character.”

Colt stepped in front of Georgia. “I suggest you watch your threat, Mr. Helms. And we’ll be seein’ you. All of you.” He placed his hand firmly on Georgia’s lower back and all but shoved her out the front door.

Outside, he threw his hands in the air. “Georgia. Did we not just talk about how to approach those men?”

“He hit you below the belt, Colt. All the fear...it turned to anger and I lost it. I’m sorry.”

“Are you?”

“Mostly.” She tried a smile, but it didn’t hit its mark.

Colt scowled and massaged the back of his neck. “Quit worrying about me. I can take care of myself. If you can’t follow my lead, I’m taking you off the case as a consultant. This isn’t an episode of Castle.”

“I kicked a beehive. Again. I really am sorry.”

Colt glanced toward the restaurant. “I hate how it went down, but sometimes you have to be willing to feel