Jar of Hearts: (Family Stone, # 5 Keisha and Shane) (Family Stone Romantic Suspense) by Lisa Hughey Read Free Book Online Page B

accomplished in a charged silence. Shane parked in the circular drive across from the wide stone steps that lead to the elegant porch. Once Shane shut the engine off, the only noise in the early morning hour was the shush of the ocean waves hitting the rocks in their cove. Even the seagulls and seals were silent.
    Shane had known the route to Jack’s family home. “You’ve been here before?”
    “For certain clients, my service occasionally extends to pickups or drop offs at their house.”
    Keisha nodded.
    “How about you?”
    “Company holiday party.” Keisha’s stomach roiled again as she thought about how nice and welcoming Shelley had been. Keisha had been a little awestruck by the size and opulence of the Stone Mansion. In actuality the furnishings weren’t super fancy but the house was a sprawling monstrosity with an ornate two story entrance, seven bedrooms, and the entire back of the house was walls of windows with incredible views of the Pacific. But Shelley had put her at ease, sharing her own reaction the first time she viewed the ocean from the house.
    Keisha curled her fingers around the chrome door handle. “Let’s get this over with.”
    Shane nodded and they exited the car.
    Jack had the massive front doors open before they even breached the porch. “Jesus, you two look like you’re going to a funeral. It can’t be that bad.” He had tugged on a ragged pair of grey sweat pants and a wrinkled white t-shirt, and wore a small grin.
    Keisha and Shane strode into the grand entryway. A massive chandelier hung over a fancy Persian rug that probably cost more than her car…when it was new.
    Keisha clutched the expensive, highly accurate digital camera, her fingers tight with the effort to hold in her worry.
    “Let’s go into the kitchen.” Jack lead them into the casual, welcoming warmth of the center of the house. He gestured to the long mahogany plank table and they sat in silence with Jack at the head and Shane and Keisha flanking him on either side. “Let’s have it.”
    Keisha pulled up the shots of Shelley in the warehouse and handed the camera silently to her boss and friend.
    He’d long since lost his smile, but he wasn’t pissed…he was frowning. He went through the set of fifty time-stamped digital pictures, once then twice. One hand rubbed the center of his chest while he analyzed the evidence.
    “I’m sorry Jack.” Shane’s voice rumbled from his chest.
    “There’s got to be something else going on here.” Jack shook his head. His hair stood straight up but his sleepy eyes were now sharp as he flipped through the pictures again. “I know this looks bad.”
    “Didn’t you say the results came back on the produce?” Keisha asked and resisted the urge to wrap her arm around his wide shoulders. She knew how awful it was when someone you trusted let you down.
    “Yeah.” Jack rubbed his palm over his hair until it stood up. “But Shelley wouldn’t do something like this.”
    “Sometimes, people let you down,” Keisha said softly.
    Shane watched the quiet drama between Keisha and Jack, keeping his mouth shut.
    He didn’t know Jack’s stepmother well but he would certainly keep an open mind until all the facts were in. Of course the evidence looked damning, but hell, this was Jack Stone’s mother. Not his biological mother, but the woman who came to live here when Jack was fourteen. She became the sole parent of three basically orphaned boys and her daughter, because sure as shit, Jack’s father hadn’t given a rat’s ass about his kids.
    But this moment had given him the opportunity to see Keisha’s soft side again. She had exposed that gooey, marshmallow center and was patting Jack’s hand, her voice firm yet compassionate as she tried to comfort him. As she spoke, Shane had to wonder who had let her down so badly she didn’t even entertain the thought that Shelley was innocent, because clearly she spoke from experience.
    “You’ve got to accept that Shelley