Chapter Eighteen
Keeping an eye on Presley at the coffee kiosk in the airport, Seth growled in frustration. He was on the phone with Tanner and the news wasn’t good.
“You’re kidding me, right? Please say that you’re kidding me.”
“I’m afraid I can’t,” Tanner replied heavily. “According to Jason who talked to the DEA agents, they’ve declined to intervene in this matter.”
Government-speak, which always meant bullshit.
“Declined to intervene,” Seth repeated, trying to keep his voice down. There were throngs of people everywhere and the last thing he needed was for someone to report him to security for being out of control. “What in the fuck does that even mean?”
“Listen, I know this sucks but Jason explained that the DEA has a man deep undercover in that cartel and they’re using them to get an even bigger fish based out of New York. If they bring down this group then they ruin all the work they’ve put in for the larger bust. I’m really sorry but Jason said they won’t budge.”
Pacing the small area by the newspaper stand, Seth took a few deep breaths. Being pissed about it wasn’t going to change anything except his blood pressure. When the government dug in its heels there wasn’t a thing he was going to be able to do about it.
“And they won’t protect him?”
Another heavy sigh from Tanner. “They’re not in the business of personal protection. They suggested to Jason that Eric Harbaugh hire a bodyguard.”
“If he could afford that then he could probably just pay off the cartel.”
“I’m sorry, my friend. It’s bad all around. Dare dug deeper into Harbaugh’s finances and the poor bastard is in debt from starting up his consulting firm and the ex-wife got the house in the divorce. Hell, he even cleaned out his 401K for this business venture. His assets consist of a late model Ford F-150 truck and a collection of Star Trek memorabilia, valuation unknown. Unless the head of the cartel is a Trekkie I doubt that’s going to do much good.”
No wonder Eric Harbaugh had sent an investigator after Presley and himself. He was a desperate man. He’d probably used his last three grand.
“Presley is going to have a cow when I tell her this. She identifies with this guy because of her sister and his brother. She wants to help him.”
“I feel for you,” Tanner replied, sympathy in his tone. “You know…shit, never mind.”
Seth knew what his friend had been about to say. That Seth could indeed help Eric Harbaugh.
But that wasn’t going to happen.
The money was probably already gone and spent.
“Bite your tongue,” Seth scolded. “I don’t want to get involved with another man’s problems.”
“Seems to me you’re already involved,” Tanner chuckled. “Presley makes a good point, though. The cartel just might think you have the bank money. It could put you and your family in danger.”
“That’s a low probability.”
But it was all Seth had been thinking about since Stan had spilled his story.
“You’re the most careful son of a gun I know, and you don’t leave much to chance.”
Jesus, Seth hated his life right about now.
“Let’s say that I do decide to help Eric Harbaugh find the money. And then let’s go out on a limb and say that I do actually find the cash. We can’t give it to the cartel. I have to give it back to the authorities. You know that and I know that. It won’t help him.”
“True,” Tanner conceded. “But it would help you. Don’t try and say that this hasn’t bugged you all these years. There was no closure on that case. Somehow Danny hid that money while you were chasing him and he had to be damn sneaky to do it because you were right on his tail. That has to piss you off.”
His friend had hit a little too close to home for Seth’s comfort.
“Are you working for my wife?” Seth said a little too loudly. A few passersby slowed down and frowned at his aggressive tone. “I mean, it sounds like you’re on her side.”
“I’m not on anyone’s side. I’m just playing devil’s advocate to try and get you to see all the sides to this situation. I don’t think it’s as black and white as you’d like to believe it is. Look for the money. Don’t look for the money. It’s up to you. But don’t pretend that you don’t give a shit because you do. You give a shit about your pride, if not that poor SOB with a drug cartel after him. And I know you care about Presley’s feelings, so stop acting like you don’t.”
Seth couldn’t take much more of this, and Presley was headed back to him with two large coffees in her hands. He couldn’t discuss this in front of her. Her wishes had been made clear.
“I’m hanging up. I’ll call you when we land in Billings.”
The city where Eric Harbaugh lived. They were not going to visit him or talk to him. They were going to mind their own business and stay out of it.
“Safe trip,” Tanner said, signing off. Seth tucked the phone back into pocket and accepted the steaming hot paper cup from his wife.
“Who was on the phone?”
“Tanner, just updating me on the cartel investigation.”
The java was surface of the sun hot and disturbingly dark. Just the way he liked it.
Presley’s smile punched him in the gut. “Is it all set? Have they taken Eric into protective custody?”
She was calling him “Eric” like she knew him or that he was a friend. Presley was identifying far too closely with this guy. He could be a real asshole for all they knew. A jerk and a bastard.
Shrugging casually, he didn’t want to have this conversation in an airport or on a plane.
“You know the government. Red tape and bureaucracy.”
Her smiles quickly turned to a frown. “I hope they hurry. He could be dead before they get all the paperwork filled out.”
“Hopefully the cartel wants money more than a dead body.”
It was possible once they were home and Presley had her pregnant friend and a new business to worry about she’d forget all about the situation with Harbaugh.
And bison might sprout wings and fly over Yellowstone National Park.
There had to be a compromise. One that satisfied Presley without them actually getting involved in someone else’s problems. Dangerous problems. Now that she was out of jeopardy for the second time in her life he wasn’t anxious for there to be a third.
* * * *
Presley wasn’t angry with Seth. Not truly. He was doing what he thought was the right thing to protect her and their family and for that she was grateful. He was a good man and a wonderful husband, even if he did snore like a tractor and played farting games with their son.
But right now she wasn’t happy.
Seth had a point that she was turning Eric Harbaugh’s situation into something far more personal than it needed to be. It was, however, kind of personal. His brother Danny had wanted to kill her and Seth, plus Eric thought they had the bank robbery money. They were involved whether Seth wanted to admit it or not. He wanted to walk away and go back to their lives as if nothing happened. She simply wasn’t sure she could do that. People had helped her when Nora wanted her dead but no one was coming to this man’s aid. They were going to let him die all because he’d had the bad luck to be born into the wrong family.
It wasn’t fair, and although she’d long ago realized that life played favorites it didn’t mean she had to like it. If anything, it made her want to even the playing field.
With Ben and Lulu with their grandparents and Fergus with Eliza and Alex, the house seemed eerily empty when she walked in. After being gone for almost four days, the rooms were stuffy and she opened the French doors off of the kitchen to let in some fresh air. She’d emptied the refrigerator before they left so she’d need to visit the supermarket if they wanted to eat.
Seth stood in the middle of the kitchen, leaning a hip against the island. “Are you going to talk to me?”
“I’m not mad.”
“Are you sure? Because you act mad.”
Opening the fridge, she made a mental list of everything she needed to get. Milk. Eggs. Juice. They were getting low on ketchup too and she couldn’t run out. Ben was putting it on everything these days. He’d eat a ketchup sandwich if she let him.
“I’m not mad,” she said again. “I’m just disappointed.”
“In me.”
Quietly closing the refrigerator, Presley reached for the pad and pencil on the counter to make the list.
“It’s not your fault. You just don’t understand.”
An emotion crossed his features but it was so quick she couldn’t identify it. Wasn’t sure she even wanted to, frankly. Was it impatience? Probably. Seth liked his control and order and here she was again turning his world topsy-turvy. He’d said he liked it but one look at his face told a far different tale.
“I do understand, babe. I know you see yourself in this guy and I know you want to help him but even if we found the money he couldn’t keep it. We’d have to give it back. The cartel would still be after him.”
“I know.”
She did know and she was trying desperately to figure something else out. Some way to help him that Seth would approve of and support.
“I’d like to know what happened to all that money too,” Seth went on. He talked quite a bit when she wouldn’t. “Believe me, I’ve thought about that case for years and Tanner was right, it does bug me a little, but we looked for the cash and we never found it. It’s gone. I’m sure of it.”
Except he didn’t sound sure, and she’d liked to know all that Tanner had said. He was one of the few people in Seth’s life that he listened to.
“I know, Seth. I’m not arguing.” She poked a finger in his chest. “You’re arguing. With yourself. Let me know who wins. In the meantime, I’m headed for the supermarket. I thought we’d have spaghetti for dinner.”
Throwing up his hands, Seth was obviously exasperated. “I can’t help him. There’s nothing I can do for him.”
Nothing made sense and that she understood. Her wanting to help Eric had nothing to do with logic and everything to do with emotion. This was her issue to deal with. Her past rearing its ugly head and making her crazy. She’d deal with this but right now she wasn’t sure how.
Slipping her purse over her shoulder, she palmed the car keys. “I heard you the first time and I get it. Now I’m going to the store. Is there anything specific you want?”
“No. Yes. Ice cream. Any flavor.”
When Seth Reilly started in on the ice cream he was well and truly pissed the hell off. She’d better get a whole gallon. Then later they could pretend the kids had eaten it even though they were hundreds of miles away.
Because she had to acknowledge that there was no easy answer. Not everything had a straightforward solution. Not everything could be solved with rainbows and puppy dogs. Sometimes the situation just sucked.
Presley couldn’t save the world. Hell, she couldn’t even save herself when it came down to it. She had to trust her husband. Hopefully Eric Harbaugh had someone he could trust too.