Feeling more than a little sick, I went through the other folders, making my way backwards, starting with Ethan Wright. Each person had the same last file with that “Most Important” list.
It wasn’t until I got to Frank Kramer’s folder that I realized exactly what Jamie was doing. On Kramer’s Most Important list was one name: Juanita Kramer. His wife. Unbeknownst to me, and obviously Asher because he’d never mentioned it, Frank Kramer had been abusing his wife.
For years, it seemed.
Jamie had police reports and photographs of Juanita after Frank had put her in the hospital. The charges never stuck, however, which Jamie attributed to Foster Steadman’s influence. Unlike the other lists, Juanita’s name was crossed off. Reading Jamie’s notes, I knew why. It would seem Jamie had discovered the most important thing in Frank’s life was his wife, Juanita. In fact, Jamie seemed certain that Frank was dangerously obsessed with her. She’d filed several reports against him over the years. Jealous attacks, locking her in a room for five days, and a plethora of other domestic abuse reports. No one had helped her.
The injustice of it made my blood boil.
According to Jamie’s entries and via talks with her family, they’d tried to help Juanita run away, but Frank always found her. Jamie was determined to help Juanita get away. Reading between the lines, he’d used his own connections from prison to help her disappear. He admitted in writing what he might not have admitted to me. Yes, it served him that he wanted to take away the thing Frank coveted most, but Jamie was also glad he could assist in Juanita’s escape.
His latest notes detailed that Frank was searching for her, but he wasn’t even close to finding her.
Closing his file, I felt a complicated mix of emotions. As much as I was pissed at Jamie—unforgiving, hurt, and furious, and worried just how far prison and injustice had pushed him—I was also proud of him for helping Juanita Kramer. It gave me hope that he hadn’t completely lost touch with the Jamie I’d loved.
Reading these files, I realized what Jamie’s goal was. In order not to incriminate himself, he’d researched his targets to discover what was most important in their lives. And he’d decided to take it away.
“Because that’s what they did to you,” I muttered.
I still didn’t understand my part in all this, other than that Jamie thought I was sleeping with Asher.
As for Ethan Wright, Jamie suspected the cop was taking bribes. However, he didn’t have evidence. Wright had no personal ties either, so Jamie deduced his career—and the power trip he got from it—was the most important thing in his life. Take away his career, and he had nothing.
Elena Marshall, the cashier, had no deep, dark secrets. Jamie had searched her financial records, her personal life, and there was nothing on her. Yet, her daughter had a criminal record a mile long. Jamie had the daughter written on Elena’s list, but there was a question mark next to her name.
I narrowed my eyes on the screen.
Don’t you dare, Jamie McKenna.
I would not let him drag an innocent person into this mess.
Finally, I clicked on Foster Steadman’s file.
There were photographs and videos in that file I wished I could unsee. I was right: Jamie had sent this stuff to Rita Steadman. Her name was crossed off Foster’s Most Important list.
The last two on the list weren’t: Asher Steadman. Career.
I didn’t know how Jamie intended to take those things away from Foster Steadman, but there was no way I’d let him hurt a hair on Asher’s head.
The lock turning in the door made my heart jolt.
Shit.
Before I could think how to react, Jamie strode into the room and came to an abrupt halt when he saw me sitting at his desk. Giving nothing away, he pushed against the door and it slammed so loudly, I flinched.
Then he turned the lock.
Sweat collected beneath my arms as I stood. My knees shook.
This is Jamie, I reminded myself. He won’t really hurt me.
Will he?
His eyes flicked to the laptop as he moved toward me, throwing his keys in a bowl on a side table. He dumped the brown paper bag of groceries on the couch. Heart thundering, I found I couldn’t move as he strode casually across the living room and stopped by my side. His gaze shifted to me as he reached out and closed the laptop.