Say Goodbye (Romantic Suspense #25) by Karen Rose

            “Hayley Gibbs. She’s been on my mind,” Tom admitted.

            “No surprise. Just like I want to save Mercy and Abigail because I didn’t save my sister, you want to make sure Hayley’s baby is safe because—” She cut herself off. “I’m sorry.”

            His heart hurt, but she wasn’t the cause. “No need to be sorry. I do want Hayley safe because I couldn’t save Tory and our baby. You can say her name. You can mention the baby. It’s okay. I know you care.”

            Her smile was tremulous, as was the kiss she pressed to his jaw before turning back to study the documents on his board. She tapped a finger on Eden’s bank account summary, the minimal withdrawals and the hefty quarterly deposits. “The quarterly deposits are really big,” she said. “Are they making that much money from selling mushrooms?”

            “The guys in Forensic Accounting think that those are investment dividends, based on the rate of growth. Pastor and DJ may keep the cash from their drug sales for operating expenses.”

            “Wow. Well, whoever is managing their money is doing an amazing job.”

            “Pastor did time in the pen for bank fraud and forgery, among other things. He was a stockbroker who skimmed money from his clients. He was pretty good at making money for his clients, so they didn’t suspect him for some time. He has the skills to manage money.”

            “I wonder how he did his banking back then. I mean, before the Internet.”

            Tom hadn’t expected that question. “What?”

            “Well, they’ve been nomadic for thirty years. The Internet’s only been around for, what, twenty-five years or so? And online banking is newer than that. I guess Pastor had to visit an actual bank in person in the early days. Especially if he was setting up an offshore account. And someone had to manage his investments before the Internet unless he managed to leave the compound to do it himself.”

            Oh my God, she’s right. Tom’s thoughts began to percolate. “Amos said Pastor hasn’t left the compound in more than ten years. Not until now—which Amos doesn’t know about, so don’t tell him.” His heart began to beat faster as he mentally worked through the possibilities. “The money Pastor embezzled from his church in L.A. was never found. It’s likely that he parked that offshore, too. He had to have had a banker on the outside at the beginning. What if he still does? Their money has grown incredibly and maybe Pastor’s savvy enough to invest in all the right places, but . . . what if he’s had help?”

            “But you’d need to subpoena the offshore bank to find out who that is—or was, right?”

            “Yeah, unless . . .” A puzzle piece dropped into place. “Unless I can find someone who knew him well enough to know who he’d trust with his money.”

            Liza turned in his arms, her eyes wide. “Someone like his wife?”

            He smiled at her. “Exactly. I mean, if we find her and if she did know who helped him set up those accounts, it’s unlikely that he’s still working with that person after all this time. But it’s a start. There should be some evidence, like paperwork transferred from one bank to the next.” He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her hard. “You are a genius, Liza Barkley.”

            Her cheeks went pink, but she looked pleased. “But even if you find his banker, what does that tell you?”

            “If he’s communicated with Pastor recently—like to maybe transfer money to Sunnyside Oaks—we can get a warrant for his computer, or even his phone records. It might be another way to locate Eden. Especially if we aren’t able to get the location from either Pastor or DJ. They may never discuss it inside Sunnyside’s walls, and if we arrest them, they may not talk. We have to have alternate paths to getting the information we need.”

            “So you’re going to keep looking for Pastor’s wife?”

            “Yes, but secondary to getting your protection set up. I need you safe on Tuesday, and every day after that you go into that place.”

            She nodded. “I’m not oblivious to the danger, Tom,” she said seriously. “And I am afraid. But not so afraid that I’m going to back out.”

            “I know. I also know that you were incredibly brave the day your friends were killed. I know that you saved a lot of lives and got hurt yourself. Molina told me the whole story. She called your old CO, who was very complimentary. You never mentioned that you got a Purple Heart.”