| |
STEVE SAT IN THE HOLDING cell drumming his fingers on the table, waiting for someone to come in and tell him what came next.
The door opened, and Lynn Trueman stepped into the room.
“Ms. Trueman,” he nodded.
“Agent Williams,” she said, taking the seat opposite him.
“I’d shake your hand but...” he showed her the cuffs attached to the table.
She sighed and a hint of a smile appeared. “You know, you have some of the same traits as Mr. Ryan.”
Steve smiled and shrugged. “Did you know who he really was?”
Lynn leaned back in the seat, sending him her Mona Lisa smile, but her thoughts betrayed her. She didn’t know who he was initially, however once they established a legal relationship, he’d told her in confidence. She reached down and pulled an envelope out of her attaché case. “Mr. Ryan made provisions in the event that something along these lines occurred,” she said and slid the sealed envelope with a letter of instruction attached in Ty’s impeccable script. “Notice the date on the paperwork,” she said.
Steve blew a stream of air from his lips as he scanned the instructions and his eyes landed on the certification date. The shock hit him like an electrical jolt.
“This can’t be right,” Steve’s gaze shot to Lynn.
“I assure you, it is.”
Steve hadn’t even met him when the letter was written. The date was just days after the premier of Survival Games and Ty’s first brutal experience in the warehouse. “How the hell did that bastard know?” His gaze met hers.
“Ty put the provisions of his will, the inheritance, and the boy’s guardianship together the day after my father died. I did think it was quite odd for him to put his kid’s future in the hands of someone he hadn’t met, yet, but he insisted and said someday I would understand. The only thing he put in place after he met you was the victim’s trust and your designated cut of those funds.” She smiled. “I don’t have answers for you on how he knew the future, but I can say he was right. I do understand why he picked you,” she said. “I do have a question though.”
“Shoot.”
“Did you know who he was when you met him?”
Steve studied her and sighed. “Yes, and I didn’t turn him in. Instead, I took him up on his offer for help and because of that; he got caught in the crossfire. So, some of the charges they have against me are valid.”
“Mr. Ryan would have gone after Winslow with or without you,” she said. “He made that very clear when he sat down with me to put the victim’s fund in place.” She leaned down and pulled out another file, opening it in front of her. “I’ve kept very detailed records of your expenditures in both the victims trust as well as the children’s and I think these may help your case.” She slid the file to him.
“Why didn’t you turn him in?”
“Lawyer, client privilege,” she said, meeting his gaze. “Besides, he kind of grew on me.”
Steve smiled and nodded. “He grew on me, too.”