Another Man's Treasure (24 page)

Miranda picked her head up from Jude’s shoulder and looked at Ross.  Her eyes were pleading for answers as tears flowed down her cheeks.

“Ross, I have questions I need answers to now.”

“Sure Miranda, what are they?”

“How much danger was I in being with Hank?”

“Enough that the FBI left me assigned to you indefinitely.”

“Are Jude and I still in danger?”

“Yes, but both of you are more protected than you realize.”

“One the one tape we listened to, Hank remarked about David practically selling me?”

“Hank controlled David.  He gave him money to live on and kept the family secrets while David had to do was traffic the drugs.  Hank used you as a bargaining chip.  He was branching out from drugs to prostitution.  David was scared about the level of involvement Hank would expose you to.  David didn’t know I was there.  There was no fucking way my best friend’s girl was going to be used like that.”

“His girl?  You knew how we felt about each other in the past?”

“Honey, I know aone>

Miranda looked shocked.  All these years, Miranda thought Jude had forgotten about her and moved on.  Jude shrugged his shoulders and smiled.

“I told you, baby. I don’t do goodbye and it was worth all the pissing and moaning I got from him when I woke him up.”

“I kept an eye on you from the moment Jude called me several years ago.  It wasn’t until you got caught up with Castile that the info I could give him was limited.  I couldn’t blow my cover.  Sorry dude…I never wanted to keep you out of the loop about Castile.  I had no choice.”

Miranda kissed Jude gently on the lips.  She turned toward Ross and hugged him.  This man… Ross Guthrie? Trevor Wilkes? She owed him her life.  Jude and Ross bumped fists. 
It’s all good.

“Thank you for protecting me, Ross.  Can I ask if you have additional proof of all this besides the tapes?”

Ross never had the chance to answer Miranda.  A sound of someone clearing their throat caused them all to turn.  In the doorway stood a tall, leggy blonde dressed in tight jeans, a tee-shirt and cowboy boots, holding a manila folder.  This time it was Ross’s jaw that fell open.  There stood Francine Hedley-Marsh, in the flesh. 

Fuck me, this is one gorgeous woman.

“I think I can help with that answer, M.  Yeah, there is proof and I’m holding a piece or two in my hands.  Hey, you must be Ross Guthrie?  I’m Frannie Marsh.”

Ross stood up and took Frannie’s hand.  He hated shaking hands.  Ross made a practice not to do it…but he just had to touch
that lovely hand extended towards him. It felt like a bolt of electricity went through his body when he touched her.  Frannie held his gaze and smiled the most dazzling smile.  She was more beautiful than any picture he had seen. 

“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Marsh.”

“Oh please, it’s Francine or Frannie, if you prefer.  Miranda and I have been best friends since high school.  So this is what the Feds are hiring these days?  Shit, I am in the wrong business!  I have documents you might be interested in, Mr. Guthrie.”

“It’s Ross and yes, let’s take a look at what you got.”

Francine raised her eyebrow and laughed.

“Not until you buy me dinner.”

“Frannie!  For god’s sake!” Miranda chastised Francine and laughed.

Jude shook his head.  He had seen Ross like this just one other time.  Yeah, he was a goner. Jude could tell just by the tone of his voice that Ross was interested in Francine.  Ross looked at the kitchen counter, seeing all the preparations Miranda had made for dinner.

“Well, Francine, I think Miranda and Jude have taken ce hng all are of the dinner part for me.  Shall we eat first or have show and tell?”

After dinner, Ross picked up the manila folder Frannie had brought.  Frannie touched Ross’s hand, shook her head no and motioned him into the living room. She sat beside him on the couch and whispered quietly.

“Ross, there are some inconsistencies in the documentation.  I work at the same company as Jude, just in a different division.  I have some connections and called in a couple of favors.  David’s financial records are abnormal to say the least.  I think you and Jude should look them over and I will stay with Miranda.  I also gave you the original death certificate for my late husband Sam.  Do you have a copy of David’s death certificate?”

“Yes, I have it with his birth records, along with adoption papers and such.  Why do you want to see David’s death certificate, Francine?”

“To compare all the records with Sam’s. Something isn’t right.  I know Sam’s are accurate. I was with him from the time he was diagnosed with leukemia, all the doctor’s visits, hospital stays...you name it.  He never went to one single appointment alone and for the last 6 months of his life, I was on leave from work and with him 24/7.”

“According to the records, David died of leukemia.  That’s too fucking coincidental.  Thanks, Francine, for the heads up.  Where can I look all this over in private?”

“I will grab Jude and send him in here, and I will stay with M.  Fix this, Ross.  Miranda is my best friend.”

Francine reached for Ross’s hand and squeezed it.  He could see by the look in her eyes she was honest and sincere.  He squeezed her hand back and felt that jump in his gut. 
Fuck, this is one gorgeous woman...good heart too.
 

“Don’t worry, Francine.  Jude and I have been friends a long time.  I have been protecting that girl for the last 3 years. I got this.”

Francine smiled, got up from the couch and walked back into the kitchen.  Ross couldn’t take his eyes off her body as she walked away.  His eyes started at her cowboy boots then travelled up and locked on her firm, hard ass.  He sat and stared long after she left the room.  Jude walked in and laughed.

“Dude, stop staring at me that way.  I know my ass isn’t that fine.”

“Fuck if you aren’t right again, Delaney.  I need to grab my briefcase from the car.”

“Come with me. Frannie tells me we need some privacy to talk.  She will stay with Miranda.  Let’s go out through the study, so not to alert the ladies.”

Ross followed Jude to the back door and grabbed his briefcase, and then they settled in the study.  Ross opened the briefcase and took out several file folders, all marked
Case #CJ-RG-102
.   He opened the folder Francine gave him and thumbed through until he found Sam Marsh’s death certificate.   He located the death certificate on file for David Jones and set them side by side, comparing them. Ross’s brow furrowed.  He looked up at Jude with a raised eyebrow and motioned for Jude to look at the documents.

“Jude, I think your friend Frannie just gave me a big piece of the puzzle. Come look at this.  See here and here?  The watermarks are different.  Seeing them separately you would never notice it.  One of these certificates is false. Want to take a guess which one?”

“Holy fuck, Ross.  What does this mean?”

“It means someone faked David’s death certificate to cover up how he died, and I will bet you I know who did it.  I need those tapes, Jude.  That rotten fuck Castile is going down and going down hard.  I am going to put him away for so long, he will be everyone’s prison bitch.”

Jude watched Ross as he went through the mound of paperwork. Shaking his head and mumbling, he went to the wall safe and opened it to gather the tapes.  He set the box on the edge of the desk and watched Ross smile.

“Go get him, you big bastard. You are like watching a wild dog feeding on fresh
meat.  I am going to grab a couple beers and be right back.”

“I love this shit when it all falls together.”

Jude walked out the room as Ross grabbed his phone and made a call.  He hesitated in the hall for a split second.

“Culver?  It’s Guthrie.  We got the son of a bitch.  Yeah, tapes and all.  This bastard is going down.  Wait for my call.”

Jude continued down the hall and smiled.
I am glad he’s on my side. Fuck, he is one tough son of a bitch.

                                                                      **********

Miranda and Francine were in the kitchen cleaning up and chatting.  Mitinan>
What the hell is going on in her life? 
Francine watched her move about and knew her mind was spinning in a thousand directions.  She grabbed a bottle of wine and poured two glasses.

“Come on Miranda, this can wait.  Let’s go out on the porch and talk.  None of this mindless chatting shit
. Really talk.”

Francine walked behind Miranda and noticed Jude walking up the hall towards them.  She shrugged her shoulders at him and continued with Miranda to the porch swing.  Miranda sat and Francine handed her a glass, then sat next to her.  Miranda took a drink of the wine and a deep breath escaped her lungs.

“Frannie, what did you have in the folder that would help this mess?  Please tell me.  I need to know.”

“M...I found some financial abnormalities in David’s records.  Large sums of money coming and going.  He wasn’t that smart at hiding it.  Looks like everything Ross said about the drug running is true.  I also gave him Sam’s death certificate to compare with David’s.”

“I can’t believe David and Hank were blood brothers.  It never entered my mind about David being adopted.  He was older, but Mom told me she had a hard time conceiving.  Why did you give Ross David’s death certificate?”

“I honestly think what your mom said was true. My Mom said your parents were pretty shocked, but were thrilled when you came along.  Your Dad doted on your Mom hand and foot.  Mom said she had never seen two people more in love than your parents.  Remember when we found out about Sam and David both dying of leukemia?  Ross compared the two certificates. David’s is fake.”

Miranda had tears running down her cheeks when she laid her head on Francine’s shoulder.  Frannie put her arm around Miranda and continued to swing in silence.  Jude peered out the door and watched them for a few minutes.  Ross walked up behind Jude and looked over his shoulder.  Ross spoke in low tones, not to alert Miranda and Francine.

“She’s going to be ok, Jude.  This is some heavy shit for her right now, but I saw strength come from that girl in Cali that you just can’t believe.  Hank was a bastard and she stood her ground.”

“Did he hurt her, Ross?  Did Hank Castile abuse her?”

“That miserable excuse for a man abused everybody...mentally and physically.  I never saw any marks on her face, but there were times...”

“That son of a bitch will pay for that, mark my words.  She still has night terrors, Ross.  How many of those are due to Castile?”