his too-long brown hair, shoving it back from his forehead. “Most likely, I am right. But you’re right, too. We can’t leave any stone unturned. With Tank dead, Weaver is safe and we’ve lost our best source. The fact Holloway’s crossed both of our minds is enough for me. Keep at it.”
She turned back to the screen and continued, going backward in time, further into the general’s history, finding his place of birth, information on his wife, his kids, anything that might link him to Edgar Weaver.
An hour later she found it. For a moment, as the pieces fell together, she couldn’t believe her eyes. She read the info again, and the pulse in her temple started throbbing.
“I think I found something, Bran.”
He rose from the sofa where he was watching TV and at the same time gaming on his cell phone. She noticed he played when he was restless, a way of burning off excess energy, she guessed.
He paced over to where she sat and looked down at the computer screen. “What is it?”
She had two screens up side by side. One was General Samuel Holloway, the other Edgar Weaver. “Both men born in Albany, Georgia. Both attended Weatherbee High School.”
His blue eyes sharpened. “So Holloway and Weaver knew each other?”
“It gets better,” she said, feeling a second rush of excitement. “Holloway’s mother’s maiden name was Weaver. Her brother was Cyrus Weaver. Cyrus had two boys—Joseph...and Edgar.” She turned to look up at him. “They were cousins, Bran. Holloway and Weaver are cousins.”
Bran’s expression went granite-hard. “Holloway contacted Weaver and arranged your father’s death. Someone in the Aryan Brotherhood poisoned him and someone in the infirmary gave him the drug that caused his so-called heart attack.”
Jessie came up from her chair. “Then Holloway tells Weaver that Tank is in custody and someone in the Brotherhood kills him.”
“Now Weaver’s safe and so is the general.”
“Holloway is a murderer.”
Bran’s blue eyes went ice-cold. “That motherfucker is going to be sorry he was ever born.”
Jessie reached out and caught Bran’s arm, her nails purposely digging in. “You are not taking justice into your own hands. You are letting the authorities handle it.”
His jaw worked back and forth. He was wearing the same expression he had worn when he had dragged Ahmed Malik into the garage.
She squeezed his arm. “Are you listening to me?”
He inhaled deeply, then slowly exhaled, bringing himself under control. “I hear you.”
“Fine. You let the army handle it.”
He released another slow breath. “If that’s the way you want it. James Kegan was your father. We’ll handle it any way you want.”
Relief trickled through her. “Okay. Good. Thanks.”
“You realize we don’t have enough on Holloway to prove he’s guilty.”
“Then we’ll keep looking until we do.”
Bran reached out and gently cupped her cheek. “I’m sorry, baby, for the way this has all turned out. If I could change things, I would.”
She couldn’t stop herself from going into his arms. She loved him. She rose on her toes and very softly kissed him.
Bran kissed her back just as softly. “I wish things could be different.”
She knew what he meant, knew that last night had changed things between them. She swallowed past the tightness in her throat. “Me, too.”
Neither of them moved. Then Bran’s cell began to ring and the moment was lost.
“Chase,” he said, pressing the phone to his ear. “I meant to call you. Lots going on.”
Bran filled his brother in on what had been happening and what they had discovered. “Looks like one of the top brass is involved in the theft, a general named Holloway. Not quite sure what to do with the intel. Still don’t know exactly who we can trust.”
Bran looked over at Jessie. “I’ll tell her. Take care, bro.” He shoved the phone back into the pocket of his jeans. “Chase said to tell you not to get discouraged. He asked if we wanted him to fly out, give us some backup. I told him no reason at this point. He said if we needed anything to give him or Reese a call.”
“He’s always there for you.”
“Yeah.”
“I like your brothers.”
He nodded. “They’re great. After my parents divorced, Reese got into some trouble. He was in high school, living with my dad at the time. Chase and I lived with my mom. Mom took custody of Reese and moved him in with us. We all lived with her family. Devlin men are law enforcement and military for generations back. They helped Reese get himself straightened out.”