So Wright (The Wrights 1)

But it wasn’t Jack’s company, it was his father’s. His family’s. And that was, ultimately, where his loyalty lay. “Arrest Alex. At work. Today.” He exhaled, suddenly exhausted. “I don’t know what to do about Miranda yet. But I need to talk to her first. And I don’t want anything happening to her at work.”

He’d promised never to confront her in front of her peers again. And while Miranda might not live up to her promises, that didn’t mean Jack could give up on his.

“You got it,” Klein said. “I’ve prepped the local police. Can have them there in the next hour. Something to think about: Wright will see Alex getting arrested. She’ll know we’re closing in on the truth. It’s not uncommon for people to run in this situation.”

He shook his head. “She won’t run. This is all she knows. Everyone who’s important to her is here.”

“All right, then. I’ll get the police over there, then head to the police station and listen in on the interrogation.” Klein collected the files Jack had barely looked at. “It goes without saying, but I can see your mind spinning, so I’m going to say it anyway. If you alert Wright to what’s going to happen, she could alert Alex. And he can get pretty far pretty fast with two hundred grand in cash. Best to keep this to yourself until Alex is in cuffs.”

Jack slumped in his chair, feeling a hundred pounds heavier. “I get it.”

For a day that had started out so well, it was going to end in the swamp.

25

Miranda was still feeling salty from her argument with Alex when she settled in on a beam with several other coworkers to eat lunch. Usually, she was the chatty one, asking them all about their families and hobbies. Since she couldn’t drum up the interest today, she prepared herself for another lunch hour of gossip about Jack’s appearance on the site and the rumors that he was there to shake things up.

It won’t take long for him to show his colors.

Alex’s assertion that Jack was using her and that he would turn on her still nagged in the back of her mind. Then Jack’s accusations about Alex stealing from Pinnacle joined the chorus in her head.

“What’s this talk about you and the boss’s son?” Jay Washington sat next to her, unpacking a foil-wrapped sandwich. “You going white-collar on us, girl?”

“Say it ain’t so.” Davis Montgomery sat on her other side, shining an apple on his filthy workpants. “You can do so much better.”

“That’s what I told Tina.” Miranda smirked at Davis. “Aren’t you glad she didn’t listen?”

The row of ten men guffawed at her barb about Davis’s wife of twelve years. That was all it took for the guys to know this subject would be met with a wall of sarcasm, and talk turned to other thi

ngs.

Jay leaned in and lowered his voice. “What was that shit with Fischer this morning?” She met his gaze and found his dark eyes serious. “If he’s bothering you, I’ll set him straight. I don’t care what his title is.”

“He’s just stressed,” she told him. “Don’t worry, I made it clear he was taking it out on the wrong person. But I’ll enlist your muscle if I need it.”

“I’m here for you, girl.”

Miranda bumped his shoulder in a silent thanks as she peeled an orange.

“What’s in your bag today?” Ben Carver wanted to know from the end of the row. Gypsy had been packing Miranda’s lunches since she’d arrived, and Miranda’s leftovers had become heavily anticipated treats for the guys.

“Meatball sub, cashews, orange, banana, trail mix, chocolate milk.”

“Meatball sub?” Jay said. “Are you serious?”

“Can I pay Gypsy to pack my lunch?” Davis asked, bringing a round of laughter.

Miranda bit into a slice of sweet orange and looked out at the city skyline. As the guys talked about work, Miranda thought about her life and all the potential changes. If Roman followed through on the investment, she’d have a new business to run. If Gypsy really bought the bar, Miranda would need to support her until she was standing on her own. If Jack made good on his promise of a long-distance relationship, she’d have to manage her priorities so they could find quality time together.

She finished her orange and reached into her bag for the sandwich. Movement below caught her eye. Two police cars pulled onto the site from the street, blocking work trucks and the flow of employees.

“What’s up with that?” Ben asked.

Pinpricks traveled the length of Miranda’s spine. Her first thought was that someone was hurt, but no ambulance sirens wailed in the distance, no rescue lights flashed along the streets.

Miranda thought back to Alex’s anger that morning just as four police officers emerged from their cars. Four. This was no casual inquiry. The prickle of nerves invaded her stomach. She shoved her things back into her lunch bag and pushed to her feet. “I’m going to see what’s happening.”

She wanted to make sure none of her welders were involved. Wanted to make sure Alex hadn’t blown up and decked someone. Or worse.