Brody (Texas Boudreau Brotherhood #3) - Kathy Ivan Page 0,46

you keeping up the payments?”

Greg stood, pushing his chair all the way back against the wall, his movements awkward and stiff. “I’ve kept making those payments for the last couple of years, ever since they moved to Florida. We expected the property to sell right away, but when it didn’t, I couldn’t bring myself to stop paying for the insurance. Just because I didn’t want to live there, didn’t mean it wasn’t worth something. It’s a prime piece of real estate, and I’m really surprised it hasn’t sold. Also, I figured if a buyer knew the place was insured, it might be more appealing toward a sale.”

“How much is the place insured for?”

“Whatever amount Dad had on there. I didn’t change it or raise it, I simply continued making the payments.” He stopped pacing, and closed his eyes, concentrating hard. “If I remember right, I think the whole place is covered for about a million and a quarter.”

Brody jotted down the figure, next to his notes about Greg making the payments. This was another angle he’d have to look into, because it put a different spin on motive. He got a little tingle on the back of his neck, the one he got whenever his instincts started kicking it, and figured he might be onto something. Money made people do crazy things.

“Wasn’t it hard to keep up those payments, Greg? Insurance, especially that amount, isn’t cheap.”

Greg ran a hand through his hair, leaving it sticking up on top like a rooster’s coxcomb. “I guess. Never really thought about it. They’d send the bill and I’d pay it all in one lump sum. Took it out of savings and didn’t worry about it until the next year, when it came due.” His body stiffened and he stared at Brody, his face a mask of horror. “You don’t think I did this? Brody, that farm was my home. My father’s place. His father’s before him.”

“I’m not accusing you of anything. Calm down. I have to cover all my bases. Insurance fraud is huge. You’d be surprised how many people think they can get away with burning down their place, covering it with huge insurance policies. But that’s only one angle here, and easily disproven. It won’t take long to rule out money as a motive.”

“Good. I’m still trying to wrap my head around somebody burning down the barn. I know it wasn’t much to look at, but it had been standing for decades. Like the house. It doesn’t make sense. Do you think maybe kids did it? You know, a dare or something?”

“Right now, I’m looking into anything and everything. I won’t stop until I know how it happened and who did it.” Brody’s voice came out harsher than he intended, and he watched the color drain from Greg’s face. He plopped back into the chair he’d vacated earlier, looking like the weight of the world pressed down on him and he was suffocating under the pressure.

“You okay?”

Gregg shook himself, his whole body jerking. “Yeah. We about done here? This has all been a bit much—I guess it affected me more than I thought it would. I need to head home, unless you’ve got more questions?”

“That’ll do for now, Greg. If I need anything else, I’ll give you a call.”

Brody watched Greg slowly rise from the chair and start down the hall. He turned back once, and gave a half-hearted wave, and then disappeared out the front door. With a sigh, he followed, knowing Greg had forgotten his car was still at the Big House. Shock would do that to a person.

With a quick wave to Sally Anne, he caught up with Greg standing on the sidewalk, and drove him back to his family’s ranch, then watched him head back to San Antonio. That little niggle of instinct told him there was something else, something more, behind the Summers’ fire, and he was close. Facts and figures raced through his head, spinning and swirling, beginning to coalesce into a picture—one he hoped was wrong. Because if his instincts were on point, more than one family would suffer as a result.

Sometimes he really hated being right.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Beth stood on the front porch, and watched the white sedan driving toward the Big House. Camilla called from Houston earlier, after picking up her rental car, letting Beth know she was on her way. Camilla had been crying, anxious and upset about Evan’s escape. She’d gotten a call from the FBI, questioning her about her brother’s