And you were in danger when Sean learned that he had a son. In fact, that would anger Paxton—that Sean betrayed you.”
“Dillon, that’s ridiculous. I didn’t even know Sean when he dated Jesse’s mother.”
“Again, I repeat, you’re not in his head, and if you’re not in his head, you’re not going to find Sean.”
“But why did he take him? Why did he set him up?”
“It’s obvious, Lucy. He set Sean up so you would see Sean as he sees Sean. A criminal unworthy of your love. I think Paxton sought Jimmy Hunt out. He might not have known everything about him, but he knew that the Hunts and the Rogans were in a war. He heard about what Sean did—from Hunt’s perspective. That Sean had hacked in and ‘stolen’ his money. That Kane killed his son. Paxton would use that anger and vendetta to get Hunt to go along with this plan. Find a way to frame Sean for murder to put him somehow under Paxton’s thumb. But mostly, so you would doubt him. And what better way to doubt him than to have Sean accused of killing a prostitute. A prostitute who was an informant for Sean, one who had a history with Sean, one who Hunt hated because she betrayed him. A win-win for Hunt.”
“Why would Paxton think I would believe that Sean had killed her?”
“Evidence. The gun in his plane. The fact that he was the last person to see her alive. Even being in Houston helped him because you don’t have friends and family there, people who might listen to you. Michael Thompson was incarcerated a year ago for killing the council member. That’s when Paxton came up with this idea. He’s always been about the long game. His hatred of Sean has festered for years. He misses you and blames Sean.”
Megan said, “But isn’t Lucy in danger from Paxton? If she betrays him in some way—”
“No,” Dillon said. “Paxton’s obsession is sick, but it’s not going to turn to hate. Lucy could tell him she hates his guts, and he would understand and forgive her. I don’t think anyone really understands how deep this goes for him. How important Lucy is to him and his mission. To him, Lucy is a hero. She killed Adam Scott. Thus, she can do or think no wrong. He doesn’t blame her for marrying Sean; he thinks Sean manipulated her, that he’ll hurt her, that he puts her in danger simply by the fact that he is a Rogan.”
“And that’s why he kidnapped Kane?”
“I’ve been thinking about that,” Dillon said. “I think including Kane and Brad was part of his agreement with Hunt. He wants Sean, he gives Hunt the men who killed his family. But my guess there is that he didn’t use his men for those jobs; he gave Hunt the money, but it’s up to Hunt to follow through. Which is why Kane escaped, and Jack has been working with him to find Hunt. Hunt most likely escaped to Mexico—it’s where he’s most comfortable.”
“No,” Lucy said.
“You think he’s elsewhere?”
Megan said, “Brad Donnelly overhead a conversation between Elise and Jimmy and Jimmy stated that he was still in Texas but would meet her in Mexico tomorrow.”
Lucy said, “I think he’s dead.”
And she feared Sean was, too.
“Why?”
“Because I do know Jonathan, even better than you, Dillon. I may not have understood his obsession with me until now, but I know him, and there’s no way he would let that man live, knowing what he did. Hunt’s son was too much like the man who killed his daughter; he’d never let him walk away.”
“Well. You might be right.”
She was right. “But what does that mean for Sean?”
Dillon shook his head. “I don’t know, Lucy. I don’t know.”
Chapter Forty-seven
MONTGOMERY, TEXAS
LATE SATURDAY NIGHT
After Paxton killed Hunt, he’d lost the desire to talk to Sean. It was like a switch, and he wasn’t himself.
And not in a good way.
Sean began to wonder if Paxton had snapped. When he lost everything two and a half years ago—everything except his wealth—he broke. His obsession with Lucy and Lucy’s resemblance to his dead daughter took over all reason.
Colton seemed to sense the change in Paxton and without commenting and waiting for permission, he escorted Sean out of the library.
His shackles rattled through the cavernous hall until they went outside.
“What’s going on here, Colton? What is the plan? You must know what’s going to happen next.”