single person I looked in the eye and conned.
“Then do something good. Donate. Give people money, like Davis said.”
“I have a list of organizations that I regularly support, if you want to donate,” Wesley said.
“And he has his own foundation,” Danny said with a huge smile.
Wesley blushed and he looked like he regretted opening his mouth. “Danny.”
“I know you want it to be some big secret, but I’m proud of you,” Danny said.
“The things I do are illegal,” Wesley pointed out. “Stop trying to make me look better than I am.”
“I think a lot of legal things are bullshit,” Danny said, standing his ground. “The things people get away with under the protection of the law…” he cut himself off, frustration with an unjust system blocking his words. I knew the feeling.
“You should do that,” she said. “I know you Jake. You’re not a bad person. You can’t tell me that somewhere, under that Carson-suit you’re wearing, you don’t feel badly about some things. Tell me you’re sleeping good at night and you feel completely fine with how your life has been.”
I sighed and waved for the bottle wine, wondering if Davis had anything stronger and if it would be wrong to ask for it. “Mom, if I didn’t feel bad, I wouldn’t be here. I wouldn’t have done a thing Charlie asked, I wouldn’t have stuck around, and I certainly wouldn’t have come back to La Crosse.”
“So keep doing what you’re doing,” Maureen said. “Right those wrongs.”
“I’m no Robin Hood, mom.”
She raised her eyebrows with a pointed look in the gang’s direction. “But you do have a troop of Merry Men.”
“Ridge isn’t merry,” Breck said.
“I’m a fucking delight,” Ridge said pointing a fork full of food at his brother.
I didn’t know why I was arguing with her anymore. It was as if I needed her to yell at me, to tell me I was bad. “Danny was kidnapped and almost killed on the last job.”
She turned to Danny, her expression almost angry.
“I’m sorry?” he said.
“That is unacceptable. I expect all of you,” she turned her glare to Steele, “especially you because I’m assuming you’re the muscle for this group, to do a better job of watching over him next time,” she said.
“Hey,” Breck objected. “He’s more than that. He’s brilliant.”
My mother’s expression softened and she looked embarrassed. “I’m sorry, that was rude of me, Steele. Obviously you’re intelligent of Jake wouldn’t work with you. He has never suffered fools gladly. Or at all.”
“Thank you, ma’am,” Steele said. “I’m used to people underestimating me. You’d be surprised how often that comes in handy.”
“I bet,” she said. “It’s just that, well, I’m scared. Frightened for all of you.”
“Smart of you,” I said.
She looked around the room, searching each of our faces, and then sat back in her chair, arms crossed. I recognized that position. She’d made a decision that no one would be able to talk her out of.
“I have decided I’m adopting all of these motherless boys you seemed to have accumulated, Jake. I’ll be watching out for them. Boys, I expect you to be here for the holidays and keep in touch regularly.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Danny said with a big grin. Breck and Ridge nodded.
She stared at Wesley. “And you, young man?”
Wesley looked startled. “Me?”
“Are you and your mother close?”
His face closed down.
Maureen nodded as if satisfied. “I thought not. Consider yourself part of the family.”
“But.” He looked to me as if I could do anything. I shook my head. No one had ever been able to change my mother’s mind once it was made up. She was her own woman. If she wanted to adopt four additional criminally-inclined sons, I couldn’t stop her. “But I’m almost thirty,” Wesley protested weakly.
“You’re the same age as my Sammy.”
He fell silent.
“She has to meet Josie,” Breck said.
“No,” I protested quickly.
Mom turned to curious eyes on me. “Who is this Josie and why shouldn’t I meet her?”
“She’s like our house mother,” Danny explained.
“You all live together?” Bob asked.
“For the time being,” Leo said. “It’s temporary.”
“It’s awesome,” Breck said. “You should see the house. It’s on the beach and has a movie theater and so many cars—”
“And is also currently seized by the FBI, remember that?” Leo added.
Breck deflated. “Oh, yeah. That.”
Momo gave me a look that said we’d be talking privately later.
“Yeah, okay,” Breck said, sitting up. “Josie is still awesome. She also blows up things and can fly a helicopter and has incredibly hot girlfriends.”
“And plucks our asses from the fire when