Alibi (Brantley Walker Off the Books #5) - Nicole Edwards Page 0,80

Michelle, for that update.” He glanced down at a tablet on his desk, then back to the camera. “We also wanted to mention that when we followed up with the Walker family just a few minutes ago, they informed us they had utilized the services of Sniper 1 Security to aid in the investigation, and they expressed their gratitude for everyone who assisted in the search for the woman. We reached out to Sniper 1 Security for a statement. They told us they regret that the family was unable to see her brought to justice but are grateful the threat to the family has been eliminated.

“And while the one-hundred-thousand-dollar reward will not be paid, the Walker family will be donating it to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.”

JJ clicked off the television and all eyes turned to him.

As much as Brantley wanted to pretend he was surprised by the news, he couldn’t. At the same time, he was unwilling to divulge any information to the rest of the team. Brantley would keep it so that he and Reese were the only ones who knew about Max Adorite’s phone call that provided them with the alibi they needed. If the investigation made it far enough, he knew they would be called in because they were in the area at the time of her death. Hence the reason they had gathered at the local coffee shop for their brief team meeting, in which Brantley relayed that they’d gotten intel that Juliet had crossed the border into Mexico. They had gone straight to the airport after, catching a flight back home.

“She’s dead,” JJ said, her eyes wide. “I know it probably makes me a bad person that I’m happy about it, but it’s true.”

Brantley figured there were a lot of people who wouldn’t lose sleep over the woman’s death. She had put Travis’s family through hell, and they’d lost far more than anyone should have because of her vendetta.

JJ flopped into a chair and exhaled heavily. “What do we do now? I mean, we’ve spent so long workin’ on this…”

“I’ve got a suggestion,” Trey said, stepping forward.

All eyes shifted to him.

“My family’s got a beach house and spring break is comin’ up. Maybe we take a couple of days, head down there, clear our heads.”

“A week,” Brantley decided.

Heads turned back toward him.

“We’ll take a week to regroup,” he repeated.

“Before we spend several in Dallas,” Reese noted.

“Dallas?” JJ frowned. “Why would we wanna do that?”

“Because we’ve got some trainin’ to do.”

JJ sighed. “Damn that Sniper 1 training.”

And just like that, the tension dissipated.

*

Travis pulled up to his house feeling different.

When he’d gotten the call this morning from the news investigator, he’d had to feign surprise when the man officially informed Travis of Juliet Prince’s death. It hadn’t been difficult since it was the first time he’d actually heard it.

Sure, he had suspected since Brantley and his team had returned from Port Isabel without Juliet and he had seen nothing of her arrest on the news. Yes, he’d taken that to mean she had been dealt with accordingly, but he hadn’t had confirmation.

However, his relief had not been pretend. If it made him a monster that he was glad the bitch was dead, so be it. He wouldn’t want it any other way. The woman deserved far worse than a bullet between the eyes.

Travis pushed the button to kill the engine. Grabbing his cell phone and the smart key, he climbed out of the SUV. If he was lucky, his phone would not ring for at least eight hours, preferably ten.

As it was, he had spent the majority of the day at the resort with Gage taking phone calls from family and friends, all following up on what they’d heard. He couldn’t count how many times he confirmed that she was no longer a threat. Even though he’d repeated it, it hadn’t really sunk in until just now, as he was walking into his house.

His empty, quiet house.

Kate and Avery were at his parents’ with Ethan and Beau’s daughter, Kiera. They had promised to help Lorrie with the baby in return for chocolate chip cookies, popcorn, and another showing of Frozen.

Kade was at Kaleb’s playing with Mason, Kellan, Barrett, and Gabriel. Travis figured if Kaleb and Zoey were brave enough to request one more boy in their midst, who was he to deny them?

Haden was with Jessie and Braydon, spending the night with Rhett, Zachary, and Waylon. From what he’d heard, Brendon and