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Joely did the walk of shame from the barn. They never got out of the loft and she managed not to bang her head. Although, she was still picking hay out of her hair. The ranch house was dark and Holt kissed her goodnight outside her room.
“Will I see you in the morning?” he asked.
“How does blueberry pancakes sound?” she asked.
“Like there’s going to be a lot of happy paniolos.”
He kissed her once last time and it was everything she could do to stop herself from begging him to stay with her tonight. But she needed to talk to her sister and find out what’s going on.
Joely opened the door to her room, figuring she’d wait an hour or so before searching for Sammy.
“Took you long enough.”
Jumping at her sister’s voice, Joely held a hand over her heart as she closed the door. Sammy flicked on the light. She had changed into jeans and a T-shirt.
“I’m so happy to see you.” Joely hugged her. “How have you been?”
“Life’s been good,” she said. “Not living on a beach and banging a hottie like that good, but I get by.”
“Well, the sex is a new development.”
“I’ve got your papers.” Sammy reached in to a tote bag, and pulled out a driver’s license and a passport. “You’re Vicky Tanner.”
Joely looked up at her sister. She used brother’s name.
Sammy shrugged. “I’m getting sentimental in my old age.”
“Thanks for these.” Joely put them back in the tote bag. “How much?”
“How about we work out a little trade. Mike tells me you’re back in business.”
“I’m not. I just did it to keep tabs on Timothy. Besides, I don’t even have a computer.”
Samantha handed her a briefcase.
“What’s this?” Joely asked. But she knew. It was probably a state-of-the-art laptop. She sat down at the vanity and stared at it.
“Open it up,” Sammy said impatiently.
She really shouldn’t, but if it would help her find out who the blackmailer was, it would be worth it. With shaking fingers, she opened the briefcase.
“I don’t believe it,” Joely said, blinking and doing a double take.
An eerie alien’s head peered up at her.
“Is this?”
“Yup. It’s your laptop. I upgraded the video card and the memory.”
Joely closed the briefcase. “You’re the one blackmailing Timothy.”
“Of course, I am. Do you think I was going to let that mother fucker get away with what he did to you?”
“So, we’re going to give him this and any copies you made, right?” Joely turned to her sister.
“Or we can get the fuck out of Dodge and keep it up until the fat bastard dies of a stroke.” Sammy clapped her hands together in glee. “Mom and Dad have a whale on a hook down in Australia. We can go there and help out for a while. Make some cash and tour the world. Hey, they surf down there. Maybe you can find another hottie that’s not so tight assed.”
“Holt isn’t... okay, yeah he’s a tight ass. But he’s a good man.”
Sammy made a face. “Bo-oring.”
“I like boring,” Joely realized. “I don’t want your crazy life.”
“You’ve gone respectable?” Sammy snorted.
“Yeah.”
“I think you’re just too into the role you’ve been playing for the past five years. You can’t stay here. You’d make it easy for Timothy’s hit squad. Unless you want to make a deal with Mr. Hojo.”
Joely shook her head. “I’m not getting involved with him.”
“You’re banging his nephew. I think you’re a little bit connected.”
“Holt doesn’t want anything to do with anything criminal.”
“His brother doesn’t have that point of view.”
“Yeah, Mike is different. How do you know Mike and Tetsuo?”
“Mr. Hojo is a client. Mike started out as a potential business partner, but he’s too much of a loose cannon. And I found out tonight that he’s backed by an organized crime family so I’ve got a nine a.m. flight. I’ve got a ticket for you too. First class to Sydney.”
Joely knew that nothing was free. She would be paying for her papers and the first-class flight through hacking and other illegal activities. Five years ago, she would have jumped at the chance. She would have been full of outrage and the need for vengeance. And she probably would have destroyed her life, like Katie did.
“Thank you, but I can’t. My life is here.”
“Your life is over. Unless you can stop Timothy.”
Joely pointed to the laptop. “Is this the only copy of the evidence?”
“Of course not.”
“I need you to get it for me.”
“No way. Have you forgotten everything Mom and Dad taught us?”
“I tried to, yeah.”
“Someone is always going to screw you over. You hand that over to Timothy, what’s to say he won’t try to kill you after all? Because he promised? Do you fucking trust that asshole?”
“No.”
“Then why would you give up all your leverage?”
She had a point. “Will you let me keep the laptop and will you promise not to blackmail Timothy ever again?”
Sammy sighed. “What’s in it for me? I’m losing a lot of money if I do that.”
Joely looked at her feet. “I can pay you. Installments. Out of every check.”
“What do you take home? A couple of grand a month? Tops? Annie, that doesn’t pay my bar tab.”
“What do you want? For the laptop. You can keep the papers.”
Sammy waved her hand. “Keep the papers. I can’t reuse them and you’re going to need them. You’re just too stupid in love with that hunky boy scout to see that.”
Was she?
Joely took a deep, shuddering breath. Yeah, for about five years now. She waited, letting Sammy name the price so they could negotiate it.
“I want a favor from you. One a year for the rest of our lives.”
“No problem, as long as it’s legal.”
Sammy hissed between her teeth. “I don’t need a lot of help in that regard. I’m looking for things that skate the line a little.”
“No can do. I’m out of that life.”
“What if it was more white hat work instead of black hat?”
She narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean?”
“What if I’m the Robin Hood of expeditors. We rob from the rich and corrupt and give to the victims and the needy.”
Joely thought about it for a bit. “I’d have to research each job to determine if it’s on the up and up. I reserve the right to deny a favor.”
“You can refuse, but you’d owe me two favors.”
“If my research turns out that it’s illegal, I’m off the hook for a favor for that year.”
They glared at each other for a few moments.
“Deal,” Sammy said, holding out her hand.
“You’re going to stop blackmailing Timothy?”
She nodded. “But I’m keeping copies in case of any fuckery on his part. However, I swear to you I won’t use it unless he renegs on his part.”
Joely shook her hand. “You got a deal.”
“I should get my things. I’d rather not sleep here. I’ll doze at my gate.”
“How are you going to get to the airport?”
“I called an Uber.”
Joely smacked her forehead. “I should have done that instead of taking the Jaguar with Mike.”
“You need to think things through a little more. Stop reacting.” She opened the door and walked out in the hall.
Joely didn’t want her to go. Not yet. She followed her into the other guest room.
“Is there something you want me to say to Mom and Dad when I see them?”
Crossing to the window, Joey looked out into the night. The stars were out and there was a fresh hint of lavender in the air. “Tell them I’m not mad anymore. Tell them I’ve found my place and that I’m happy. But let them know that I’m a civilian now. I’m out of their crazy life.”
“Yeah, I think they know the last part. But they’ll be glad to hear the first part of that. You know how to reach us, if you need us.”
Joely hugged her. “If you need me, just call.”
“I will. Once a year, at least.”
They shared a quiet laugh. Joely helped carry one of her sister’s suitcases downstairs.
She dropped it when she saw who was waiting in the foyer.
Timothy and Tetsuo looked up at the loud thud.