Dark Legacy by Jen Talty (reading books for 4 year olds .txt) 📗

comment about getting caught, and Ned’s response was something to the effect of being out. That he was done, and he never wanted to see Dwight again. Dwight mentioned that could be arranged.”

“Even more interesting.”

“I’m not done yet.”

Jackson held up his hand and stepped into the waiting room. “I’m listening.” He rolled his neck.

“Jacob’s buddy, actually more like a friend of his dad’s, Jeromy Rimes, was working on some sort of sex club ring back in the day. Guess who was on the long list of suspects.”

“Shit. Both of them?”

“Neither was until this incident, but they were more concerned about underage sex trafficking intel that was coming their way. They tailed Ned and Dwight for a good couple of months and found nothing.”

“Did they ever close that sex ring?”

“Not really,” Katie said. “They’ve busted different married men parties that have orgies. It’s an ongoing battle. They focus on the ones that deal in underage girls and boys and often ignore swingers and such.”

“Makes sense.” Jackson paced in the waiting room, rubbing his temple as a picture formed in his brain. “What kind of similarities are there between what Clayton was involved in and what Shannon’s uncle was?” he asked as quietly as possible.

“I didn’t do much poking around on that. Yet. I take it you want me to keep working this, even though it has nothing to do with our little adoption case.”

“Actually, I think it does.”

“That’s a bold statement. Care to elaborate?”

“It’s pretty complicated,” Jackson said. “For now, can you start a file on Shannon’s father and start digging?”

“Truth be told, I already did.”

“Thanks.”

“My pleasure. I’ll touch base with you in a couple of hours.”

He tucked his cell into his back pocket and stepped back into Shannon’s office.

She’d sprawled out on the sofa with her forearm over her eyes.

He sat on the edge of the couch, resting his hand on her thigh.

She twitched, peeking an eye out from behind her elbow. “What did Katie have to say?”

This was going to be harsh, and he wasn’t sure she was ready for him to go down this road, but it was time. “We need to talk, and it’s not going to be easy.”

She bolted to a sitting position. “I’ve got a client coming in less than an hour, and I still have to deal with the fallout from two dead patients.”

He palmed her cheek and searched her light blue orbs for all answers to the dark questions that had been slowly forming in his mind for the last couple of days. His birth mother’s story had been typical. Nothing out of the ordinary. A teenage girl in trouble and she waited too long, so the choice was taken out of her hands. She tried to take care of him but being a drug addict compounded the issue. When things got too tough, she left him.

His five sisters all had similar stories, except for the youngest.

Her birth mother had been raped by her stepbrother. When his sister found out about the circumstances of her existence, it had messed with her head.

To be the product of rape could fuck with a kid in ways that no therapist could turn around.

“We can do this later, if you like. But it’s important.” He shifted, facing her dead-on. “I don’t want to stress you out more because I get you’ve got a lot on your plate right now, but I think it’s important we start this conversation as soon as possible.”

“Is it about my daughter?”

Fuck. This was going to be harder than he’d thought. “I don’t have any more information about her yet. However, I’m forming some connections that I don’t like.”

“And what’s that?” She folded her arms across her chest and tilted her head, completely closing herself off.

He shouldn’t be surprised. She was one of the strongest people he’d ever met. But shutting down emotions often took the toughest and shattered them into tiny little pieces.

“There are a lot of things about Belinda and Clayton’s murders, and what Clayton was involved in, and what a retired cop believes your uncle Ned and maybe your father were—”

“Stop talking.” She stood, smoothing her hands down her slacks.

“I don’t mean to be disrespectful, and I don’t want to cause you any pain.”

She nodded. “My mother just pulled in.” She pointed toward the open door that led to the waiting room. “Whatever you’re uncovering, don’t ever go to my mother or my sisters with any of it.”

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“Nice to see you, too, mother,” Shannon said, letting out a long breath. Her mind spun with everything that Jackson had tossed at her in a matter of seconds.

Not to mention her patients.

“I’m going to get going.” Jackson squeezed her forearm. “I’ll see you tonight.”

Her mother folded her arms and tapped her open-toed shoe. “I didn’t realize someone was here.” She looked Jackson up and down. “I’m surprised you’re one of my daughter’s patients.”

“I’m not,” Jackson said. “Although, if I was in need of a good therapist, I’d choose Shannon.” He smiled that sweet, kind smile of his that made her go all weak in the knees and made her want to forget who she was and where she’d come from.

“Perhaps you had a hand in what happened last night with Tara.” Her mother glared with condemnation in her eyes.

“Is something wrong with my sister?” Shannon clutched her pendant. “What happened? Is she okay? Where is she?”

“Vegas. With Kevin,” her mother said with disdain. “She’s ruining Bonnie’s wedding. You should have seen poor Bonnie this morning when she found out that your little sister ran off to get married. And in Vegas of all places.” Her mother visibly shivered. “They didn’t name that place Sin City for no reason.”

Jackson mouthed, “I need to go.” He leaned in and kissed Shannon’s cheek. “I’m really sorry, but I have an appointment, and this is family business. It was good to see you again, Melinda.”

Before Shannon could even bat an eyelash, Jackson was out the door and