Reaper's Salvation: A Last Riders Trilogy by Jamie Begley (read a book TXT) 📗

she can’t remember? How much do you remember at that age? Does the FBI know which artifact Allerton claims was stolen?”

“No, unfortunately, we don’t. Which is another concern of ours.”

“Concern? I didn’t see an ounce of concern for Ginny in that office.”

“What are you suggesting?” Agent Collins asked stiffly. “I’m getting tired of you insinuating Mrs. James is in some type of danger. Mr. Allerton has been nothing but gracious in this situation. When the FBI contacted Mr. Allerton, he’d already known about Evangeline being alive; her parents told him. While he hasn’t been very forthcoming with specific details about the artifact, my superiors understand Mr. Allerton’s wariness. He has to take into account the safety of his guests if treasure hunters learn of the value of the lost artifact. We also have to take into consider its disappearance correlated with Mrs. James departure from the island, along with the fact she never returned. When we explained to Evangeline what Mr. Allerton had told us, she agreed to meet with Mr. Allerton to clear up this unfortunate incident. She was given the choice to return to Sherguevil Island or remain on US soil. She chose the former.”

“And to convince Ginny to choose Sherguevil Island, the FBI gave The Last Riders a get-out-jail-free card.”

“We did,” Agent Collins acknowledged with a withering stare, “which directly benefited you.”

Reaper wanted to ream the agent a new asshole but couldn’t because that part was at least the fucking truth. The agent took advantage of the self-flagellation Reaper was experiencing to press on with his agenda. “The easiest way to get Mrs. James homebound is to take the test. With her guilt out of the mix, Mr. Allerton will be forced to reveal more details about the artifact. If the facts Mrs. James has shared are true, I don’t see any reason we can’t wrap this up in the next couple of days.”

Reaper considered the woman he thought he knew. Every day with Ginny, he found out something new. All The Last Riders, including him, thought she was the girl next-door.

Reaper silently laughed, planning to shove that discovery down Shade’s and Rider’s throats if he ever saw them again. Ginny was no more the girl next-door than he was. She was a shot of tequila when you were expecting a chardonnay. The little worm at the end was a punch to the gut with another secret uncovered.

“What if she doesn’t pass?”

Ginny’s eyes broke away at his question.

“In the best-case scenario, Mr. Allerton will accept your offer to find him another artifact at a comparable price.”

“He said it was priceless,” Reaper reminded him.

“Then we’ll have to cross that bridge when we come to it. I don’t understand your attitude. None of the information Mrs. James has given the FBI would place her life in danger. Mr. Allerton is one of the most well-regarded philanthropists in the world. There isn’t a blemish on his record. In fact, his whole life has been, and continues to be, an open book. While yours, on the other hand … well”—the agent was even more reproving—“we’ll leave it at that.” Assuming they were done talking, Agent Collins resumed walking toward their waiting Moke.

The fucker was stupid enough to turn his back on him after dissing him like he was one of his trainees.

Ginny hastily stepped in front of him, pressing her hands against his chest to hold him back. “Please don’t,” she begged.

He burned his eyes into her pleading ones. “I wasn’t going to fuck him up too badly.”

“I don’t want him hurt at all.”

“I’ve had about enough with these condescending assholes.”

“You get used to it.” She blithely placed her arm through his, urging him toward the awaiting vehicle.

“Never in a million years.”

“That’s because you’re one of the condescending assholes.”

Chapter Eighteen

“I wonder when they’ll bring the clothes. I’m bored.”

Reaper glowered at Ginny as she wandered around the small living room. “You want to fuck?”

Ginny stopped in her tracks. “No. Besides, it doesn’t look like you want to, anyway. Why are you so angry with me?”

“I don’t know,” he said crossly. “Could be I don’t appreciate being referred to as a condescending asshole, or it could be a number of things I can’t talk about without being worried another condescending asshole is listening in.”

Ginny pointedly stared at the glass jar of broken electronic parts sitting on the low coffee table. “How? You’ve smashed them all.”

He rolled his eyes at her. “Like they didn’t use the opportunity with us gone to replace them in new hidey spots.”

“We can look if you want to. It would give us something to do. And it could be fun. We can see which one of us can find more.”

“Is this a game to you?”

Sitting down next to him, she patted him on his thigh. “Of course not.”

Aggrieved, he moved her hand away, nixing her attempt to placate him.

“I don’t understand why you’re angry with me.”

Reaper reached for the small notepad and pen sitting beside the phone. Clicking the end of the pen, he wrote out what he wanted to say.

You deliberately bought the DNA test?

Ginny nodded her answer.

You knew it would flag you?

Again, she nodded.

He wasn’t getting the simple answer. Tapping the pad with the pen, he then handed them to her.

I knew Allerton would cover all the bases. I bought the DNA kit that says “other agencies,” including law enforcement, are able to use the information.

Reaper took the pen and paper back to scrawl down his next question.

When did you tell Hammer?

Ginny took them back. After I took the sample and sent it back.

“You just saved him an ass beating,” he said out loud.

“Don’t be mad.”

Reaper scooted away when she tried to touch him again. Flicking through the television channels, he heard her scribbling on the notepad. When she tried to hand it to him, he ignored her. Ginny was not going to be denied, so she raised the pad so it blocked his sight of the television. Angrily, he snatched it from