Jackson: The Sons of Dusty Walker by Randi Alexander Read Free Book Online

acknowledged. Remember, you’re a contract employee
of D. Walker Mineral Company, and therefore you’re protected by said contract
from any legal whatevers.”
    She closed her eyes for a second so he wouldn’t see her
rolling them. “That’s just shy of being convincing, but let me text my
contact.” Taking a photo of the top sheet, she cropped it to show only eighteen
of the bank routing numbers and bank accounts, then texted them to Kiwi with a
request for information. “Done.” She gave him a glare. “But you can never
mention this to anyone.”
    “Understood.” He nodded. “How long? What now?”
    She read Kiwi’s reply text. “He says, ‘Give me an hour’.
Now, we could search Dusty’s emails.” She scrunched up her nose. “If that’s okay
with you.”
    “Yeah, that’s okay.” He let her take the big chair and
access the emails. After a half hour of searching emails, files, and photos,
she sat back. “Nothing.”
    “What about his personal emails? He has a laptop and a
computer at his house.” Jackson stood.
    “Your house?” She closed down all the files and software.
    “Yeah. The house I own a fourth of.” It still sounded odd to
him. He gestured. “C’mon. Marliss will have supper ready and you can help me
get into those computers.”
    “I don’t know.” She got up and walked around the far side of
the desk. “I don’t want to just show up for supper at Dusty’s house and—”
    “My house. Remember?” Jackson folded the papers and stuffed
them into his back pocket, then held out his hand to Rori. “And since you’re
under contract…” He grinned then laughed. “You can’t say no.”
    She giggled as she took his hand and let him pull her down
the hall toward the front door. “I feel like Nancy Drew all of a sudden.”
    “Who?” He pulled open the door and glanced back at her.
    She should have known. With a mother named Sapphire, and
growing up in a quirky Pacific Northwestern town… “Just a favorite book
character of mine.”
    “Oh, right.” He pulled the door shut and used his key to
lock it. “Your parents are teachers.”
    She laughed as he hauled her around the side of the building
to where the red company truck sat. Jackson and her—they each saw the world
through very different filters.

Chapter Four
    Jackson helped Rori into the company truck, almost surprised
that she didn’t insist on taking her own car. But the house…his house…was only
a ten minute drive from town. As he walked around the front of the truck, he
dialed the home number.
    “Good evening, Mr. Walker.” Marliss’ voice, almost too perky
for a woman in her sixties, carried from his phone.
    “Hey, Marliss, I’m heading that way, and if it’s okay, I’m
bringing someone for supper.”
    “Well, of course. Lou makes enough food for a dozen.” Her
husband, Lou, had cooked since he was old enough to work outside the home.
“Will this be a formal meal in the dining room?”
    He looked through the truck window at Rori. “Sort of more of
a…date?”
    Rori lifted her brows at him.
    “Uh huh. Not too sure, then?” Marliss hummed for a couple
seconds. “A nice breeze has come up. How about a few candles on the table out
by the pool?”
    He smiled. “Perfect. Thank you.”
    “My pleasure. Now, drive safe.” She’d told him that this
morning, too. A warning based on his father’s demise?
    “Will do. Be there in ten.”
    “We’ll be ready.”
    Jackson opened the driver’s door and slid in. “I called the
house to see if there was enough for two, or if we needed to stop at Cubby’s
for a to-go order.”
    Rori laughed. “Oh man, your dad used to talk about the
battalion-sized meals Lou cooked. When Dusty was home, he’d bring in the
leftovers for lunch the next day and feed the whole office.”
    Turning onto Main Street, Jackson tried to wrap his head
around Dusty bringing chow in for a crowd. Most likely his frugal need to not
waste anything.
    They rode silently until the house