The Burlington Manor Affair

Rex’s irritation hit a new level. Swiftly he got ahold of Jason, hands on the lapels of his jacket, and held him up against the wall. “And now Bill Amery has been shot and you are due in court as an accessory to the crime.”

Jason swallowed visibly. “I didn’t know that would happen, honestly. I was just trying to explain how I knew about—” he squirmed and forced himself to meet Rex’s stare “—our dad.”

Rex gripped his lapels tighter still, annoyed at the reference to their blood bond. “What the hell has any of this got to do with your case?”

Jason shook his head. “This isn’t meant to be an excuse. I’m just trying to explain why I was at the house.” He held up his hands. “Please, I really just wanted to see him again. Let me explain.”

Rex loosened his grip a tad. “You better speak fast. I’ve got a restraining order to file and it has your name on it.”

Again, Jason held up a hand. He looked afraid, as if daunted by what the order would mean. “I talked about it. That was my mistake. I told Mum and Charles about seeing Dad and the house and stuff and Charles got this crazy idea in his head. He wanted to go see the manor, too. I had no idea—”

“Yeah, right.”

“No, really, I had no idea they would do what they did.”

“Tell me this, who set the trap on the stairs for Carmen?” Rex had already figured it’d been Charles in the tube station in London. His build matched the assailant’s. The obvious candidate for the dangerous trap in the manor was Jason himself.

Jason’s eyes closed momentarily. When he opened them he shook his head. “Had to be Mum. I never would have let her wander around the place if I’d known, but I guess I talked too much, about Carmen’s habits, too, and the day it happened...Mrs. Amery was out shopping and Mum had been up there in the afternoon...visiting me.” There was a pleading look in his eyes. “I can scarcely believe it myself.”

Anger barreled through Rex and he released Jason, throwing him back against the wall, where he slumped. “Save your performance for the judge”

Jason shuffled upright. “It’s not a performance.”

Rex was about to turn away.

“I’m ashamed of what they did, really, and if I could go back...”

Rex scrutinized him.

Was he telling the truth? Had they taken advantage of his innocent enthusiasm to get close to his father again? For some reason, Rex wanted to believe it. Cursing silently, he realized that version of events would be easier for him to accept than if both of his half brothers turned out to be vindictive criminals out for revenge.

Bottom line, it wasn’t his job to decide. “If that’s the truth, then keep your head down and stay out of trouble—and that means stay away from Carmen Shelby, above all—then you’ll get to say your piece in court.”

Jason nodded. “I will. You have my word.”

Rex turned away quickly and strode toward his car, straightening his jacket collar as he did so. But he was irked by some odd notion that clung to his back as he went. Compassion, he guessed, compassion for the lad’s predicament if he was indeed telling the truth about his innocence. They might well have used him—and ruined his life in the process.

“Rex,” Jason called out behind him, “thank you for hearing me out.”

Goddamn it. Rex didn’t have to glance back to feel the genuine gratitude there in the younger man’s voice. That’s when he saw his own error. He’d somehow spoken to Jason as an older brother might, advising him to stay out of trouble, which was the last thing Rex had intended to do.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

CARMEN KNEW THE note on her desk was from Rex the moment she saw it. Curiosity swamped her, despite her best intentions to ignore any such maneuver on his part. Then it occurred to her that he might have delivered it himself. Her body grew warm and responsive at the suggestion of his presence nearby, possibly only minutes earlier.

Unable to resist, she picked up the envelope. On the front, her name was handwritten in anonymous capitals. She turned it over and felt the thickness. It was sealed and contained only one sheet of paper.

No pages of long heartfelt messages, then.

No, that wasn’t Rex’s style. Rex would be more clever than that. He’d go for a devastating hit, holding her attention with a carefully crafted erotic suggestion, a command that would floor her, bringing her to her knees with yearning for his mastery. The very thought of it turned her on.

Resistance was futile. The call he had on her was too strong.

Be sensible. By the look of the envelope, it was an invitation card. Some fancy racing industry event or something he was trying to impress her with. Big deal. She was a grown woman, a businesswoman who managed a successful national retail chain. This shouldn’t be hard to deal with. Ripping the envelope open, she slipped out the piece of paper inside.

The simple statement written on it was nothing she expected.

The police have reopened their investigation into your mother’s car crash. It’s important that you know why.