“I know. But it’s the only way I can make this happen on my own. Please don’t tell Dad what my plan is. Let’s just let him think I got the full loan.”
Casey opened her mouth to answer when a knock on her office door interrupted her. Thank goodness. Meg’s plan wasn’t the best one, but nothing better had come to mind.
Ryan stood in the doorway beside a frowning Ben.
Casey whispered, “We need to talk about this some more, Meg.” Then she turned to their brothers. “Hey, guys. What’s up?”
“We wanted to talk to Meg about something. Glad you’re here too, Casey.” Ryan flopped down onto a chair beside Meg as Ben sat on the edge of the desk.
This couldn’t be good. She figured the parenting-by-committee thing would stop once she became a mother, but apparently not. “What’s going on, Ry?”
“When Granger took my gun from you the other day, he left prints. So I ran them. I’ve been looking into his background.”
“Dammit, Ryan! You promised you’d stop doing that to all my boyfriends.” She turned to her sister and Ben. “And you two wonder why I never told anyone Josh’s name?”
Casey ignored her and said, “What’d you find on him?”
“I’m sitting right here, you guys. Stop!”
Ryan turned to Casey. “His prints weren’t in the database, but his background check is too sterile. It’s like it’s so clean and perfect, it’s fake. Even my background report has more information than Granger’s.”
“Oh, so now it’s a crime to have a perfect background check?” Meg stood to leave. “I’m outta here.”
“Sit down and talk to us, Megan.” The command in Ben’s tone made her stop mid-stride. He’d never spoken to her like that. He was the one always on her side.
Taking her seat again, she said, “What?”
Ryan asked, “Has he told you where he’s been for the last few years? There’s virtually no banking activity except for regular deposits I can’t trace. And what do you know about his past? How did you two meet?”
She gave them the CliffsNotes version of her and Josh’s short relationship.
Ryan took a little pad of paper from his chest pocket. “What was the address of the condo and the name of the business he worked for?”
She told him, then asked, “Why are you guys doing this? Is it a crime to buy me a car? You’re the ones who made him give me the money he won’t take back.”
Ryan flipped his notebook shut. “Yeah, see, that’s what’s weird. He has a boatload of cash in his bank accounts, but no assets except his truck. He doesn’t own any real estate. Doesn’t even rent a storage unit for his things that I can find. It just doesn’t add up.”
“I’m fairly sure accessing his private information without just cause is illegal, Ryan, so either turn yourself in or cut it out!”
Her brother shrugged a big shoulder. “We want to be sure Granger is who he says he is. Did you ever meet any of his friends or people he worked with?”
“Okay, that’s it! I’m done. I have to fly to Denver and back this afternoon and then get a room ready for Josh, the apparent serial killer, all by five thirty. See you guys later.”
Megan slammed the door closed behind her and replayed Ryan’s last question in her mind. She hadn’t met a single friend or co-worker of Josh’s. If they went out with others, it had always been with her friends. Looking back, that was a little weird. She’d ask him about it when she saw him later.
Josh put his truck into park just as Megan’s new car pulled up beside him. He grabbed the bags of groceries he’d picked up and got out.
When he spotted Meg in a red dress and matching sexy, tall heels freeing Haley from her car seat, he stopped dead in his tracks.
He needed to step up his game and figure out a way to show her that she could trust him again. He wanted to get back to the place they once were. Before he’d hurt her, they’d talked about getting married. But what more could he do?
Haley hopped out and ran toward him with a big smile. That she was happy to see him sent a wave of heat to his chest.
“Hi!” She held up a plastic bag. “Me and Grandma made you cookies.”
Doubt rifle-packing Grams knew they were for him. “Thank you, Haley. We’ll have them for dessert.” He turned to Meg. “It’s just spaghetti. You didn’t have to get all dressed up for me.”
She grabbed a duffel and a bottle of wine from the front seat. “It wasn’t for you, pal. I had a meeting in Denver.” She held up his favorite vintage. “I got my loan today so we’re celebrating.”