Intercepted by Love: Part Five: A Football Romance (The Quarterback's Heart Book 5) Read Online Free Page A

been an adventure.”
    “What did you want to do that you gave up?” Strange how she knew and yet didn’t know her mother.
    Mom cracked an egg, a secret smile lighting her face. “Write mysteries. I guess now that you’re all grown up, there’s nothing stopping me.”
    Andie rose from her chair and gave her mother a hug, folding her into her arms with Bret in between them. “I love you, Mom. Once I remember what my dreams are, I’ll follow them.”
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    C ade sat across from his new lawyer, Owen Williams. The guy was a good ol’ country boy from Louisiana who was self-deprecating while cracking jokes—clearly someone police and opposing counsel underestimated.
    Unfortunately, Cade was in no mood for down-home bonhomie.
    “Can we cut to the chase and get me out of here?” Cade said.
    Owen took out a white handkerchief and wiped his sweaty forehead. His face was already beet red, and he wasn’t even in court.
    “Not a problem. The evidence is circumstantial. Witnesses reported a big man, football-player-sized, wearing dark glasses, shipping a package at the post office. Do you have any idea who might have used your credit card?”
    “Maybe my brother, Donnie. Although I haven’t missed any cards.” Cade clenched his fists. “I haven’t seen him lately, and he usually asks to borrow money.”
    “Anyone else have access to your cards? Or your account number? These days they can create a card with the number encoded on a magnetic stripe and not actually have your card.” Owen twiddled his fingers.
    “No idea.” Cade shrugged. He had all his accounts on auto-pay and rarely monitored them, relying on the card companies to notify him in case of fraudulent use. “It could be any random hacker. That happens a lot.”
    “Not when it’s tied to a heroin package mailed to your house.” Owen pursed his lips and blew out a breath. He tapped his head with a finger, indicating he was thinking hard.
    “Like, duh,” Cade huffed. “If I wanted to give my mother heroine packets, why would I go to the post office wearing dark glasses and mailing them with my own credit card? Do the police think I’m stupid?”
    “Not unless they thought you were purposely trying to draw attention away from yourself,” Owen said. “Framing yourself to prove you didn’t do it.”
    “That’s way too convoluted.” A gnawing feeling shuffled inside Cade’s stomach. Sounded like a bad mystery novel, but it apparently got Owen thinking, because he twirled his mustache and hummed, then kicked back and studied the ceiling before burping and wiping his forehead. Cade was surprised he hadn’t scratched his balls.
    After a few more seconds of down-home man grooming, Owen said, “I think someone wants you out of the way so they can go after your mother. You’re cramping someone’s style. The police say an anonymous tip led them to you.”
    Obviously, someone was framing him. Why were the idiotic police detaining him and not out there finding the real criminal?
    “The charges are bogus.” Cade slammed his palm on the table. “As my lawyer, you should get me out of here.”
    “I’ve some investigations to do, and I will present my findings to the judge and district attorney. Anything else you need?”
    “Yes, can you find out who’s taking care of my baby, er, I mean, Bret? My girlfriend and her mother were caring for him, but they need to go home to New York. The last thing I want is for Bret to go into foster care. His birth mother, Roxanne Cash, is not that trustworthy. I’ve been worried.”
    “Sure thing. I’ll stop by right away.” Owen nodded. “In fact, I’d like to speak to her. What’s her name again? Andie Reed?”
    “Andie Wales.” Cade gritted his teeth. “As far as I know, she never took her husband’s surname.”
    It hurt him even to refer to Declan as Andie’s husband.
    “Very sad case,” Owen said. “Ronaldo said she lost her memory and thinks she’s still married to him.”
    “She was trying for