Merrimack got out of the former before Lizzie even stopped her truck.

“Shit,” Lane muttered. “I’ve got to deal with this.”

“I love you,” Lizzie said as Jeff got out so Lane could do the same.

“I love you, too.” He leaned back in. “I was hoping we could go to Indiana tonight.”

“I’m happy to be here or there. Whatever works.”

For a moment, he stared into her eyes, drawing strength from her support. And then he kissed her, closed the door and jacked his slacks up.

When he turned around, he had his poker face on. “I am so happy to see you again, Detective.”

Merrimack smiled in that way he did and offered his palm as he approached. “Are you?”

“You here for dinner? And who’s your friend?”

A plainclothes guy who had pencil neck written all over him shuffled up. “Pete Childe. I’m an investigator.”

“And I’ve got some paperwork for you, Mr. Baldwine,” Merrimack said.

“You know Jeff Stern.” Lane stepped back for the introduction. “Now, let’s check out your grocery list. You remember the eggs and butter?”

As Jeff walked back into the house, Lane passed his eyes over the warrant, even though he didn’t know what one was supposed to look like. But come on, it was essentially a coupon for legally trespassing, and there were seals and signatures.

And the thing stated expressly that it was limited to security footage for a period covering the day before through the day after his father’s death.

“So I’m not sure you’re aware of this,” Merrimack said as Lane got to the last page. “But your front door was wide open. I knocked and knocked. Eventually, a maid came down. I also called you a number of times.”

“Phone’s in the car.” Lane walked over to the Porsche and got the thing out of the console. “So, let’s get this done, shall we?”

“Lead on.”

Lane took the detective and Pete around the side of the mansion and out to the back—and it was the longest walk of his life. Under his poker face, beneath his composure, he was screaming like he was standing at the side of the road as two cars came tearing toward each other on black ice—and yet no matter how loud he yelled, the drivers couldn’t, or wouldn’t, heed his warning.

But in the back of his mind, since the moment he’d sent Merrimack away, he’d known this reckoning had been coming.

At the business center’s rear door, he entered the code and escorted them inside.

“The security for the whole estate is run out of the computers here.” He went left down the corridor to where the utilities rooms were. “This is where the motherboard, or whatever you call it, is.”

Stopping in front of a steel door that had no signage on it, he entered another code, and after a clunking sound indicated the dead bolt was free, he opened the heavy panel wide.

As the automatic overhead lights came on, he meant to keep talking. Keep moving. But a sudden mental connection shorted him out.

“Mr. Baldwine?”

He shook himself and looked back at the detective. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Is something wrong?”

“Ah, no.” He stepped to the side, getting out of the way and indicating the workstation with its bank of monitors and keyboards and rolling chairs. “Have at it.”

Pete went Captain Kirk at the set-up, sitting behind the collection of technology like he knew what any of it meant. “So I’ll need access to the footage. Can you get me in?”

Lane shook his head to clear it. “I’m sorry?”

“I need a log-in and a password to the network.”

“I don’t have that.”

Merrimack smiled like he’d expected this. “You better get us one. Now.”

“Give me a moment, will you?”

Stepping back out into the hall, he went a distance away and palmed his phone. As he stared at the glossy screen, all he could do was shake his head.

Because now he knew what his brother had been doing during the visitation. Damn it.

Taking a deep breath, Lane dialed the Red & Black caretaker’s cottage. One ring … two rings … three rings …

“Hello?”

As Edward’s voice came over the line, Lane closed his eyes. “Edward.”

“Little brother, how are you?”

“I’ve been better. The police are here with me at the business center. They have a warrant for the security footage.” When there was only silence, he muttered, “Did you hear what I said?”

“Yes. And?”

For a split second, he wanted to tell Edward to grab as much cash as he could, find a car, and get the fuck out of town. He wanted to yell. He wanted to curse.

And he wanted the truth.

But he also needed the lie that everything was okay and his brother hadn’t traded a figural prison for a literal one, all in the name of revenge.

Lane cleared his throat. “They need to get into the network so they can copy the files.”

“Give them my sign-on details.”

What the fuck did you do, Edward? Edward, they’re going to find out if you tampered with—

“Having any luck, Mr. Baldwine?”

As Merrimack leaned out of the security room, Lane said into his phone, “Text them to me, okay?”

“You called me on a rotary phone, remember?” Edward’s voice was as smooth as always as he recited the details. “You got that?”

“Yes.”

“They know where to find me if they have any questions. Is that Merrimack with you? He came out and paid me a visit the other day.”

“Yes, he’s the detective.”

There was a short pause. “It’s all going to be okay, little brother. Stop worrying.”

And then the call was ended on Edward’s side.

Lane lowered his phone. “I have what you need.”

Merrimack smiled once again. “I had every faith you’d comply with the order. Was that your brother Edward?”

“Yes.”

Merrimack nodded. “Nice guy. Sorry to see him in that condition. Did he tell you I’ve been out to see him?”

“He did.”

“You know, he doesn’t really look like you.”

Lane stepped around the detective to enter the security monitoring room. “He used to.”