Sins That Haunt Read Online Free

fraud and they had a legal, albeit shaky, leg to stand on.
    When she continued to remain silent, he opted for a logical approach.
    â€œJJ reconnected with some old buddies. They were running several cons. One was a version of the Watterson scam.”
    Shannon paled. With her blond hair in that tight ponytail, her eyes popped like the most expensive of sapphires. She ran the back of her hand across her forehead. This wasn’t making her happy. How could it? She’d run away because of that con, run from the family whose life she’d help ruin and run from him. He understood why she’d wanted out of Tweedsmuir. He just never understood why she hadn’t bothered to ask him to go with her. Instead, she’d vanished with the preacher’s daughter.
    He’d searched for them, but Maggie and Shannon were nowhere to be found. Not until he’d joined the agency had he discovered exactly what state the girls had moved to. By then seven years had passed and Shannon was studying law. He’d debated calling her until he realized what a dumbass move that would be. Her life had gone on happily without him. Besides, she’d left him—without a single word or look back. Obsessing over a girl who’d broken his heart was pathetic. So he too had gone on with his life. Looking at her now, he couldn’t help but wonder if he’d made a mistake. She’d gotten even more beautiful and had become as successful as he knew she’d one day be.
    â€œHow am I part of all this? And why don’t you just shut them down?”
    â€œWe can’t. Not yet.” He had to choose his words wisely. This was a federal case and she was a civilian. Yes, they needed her, but the case was ongoing and they couldn’t afford any screwups. To top it off, if he fucked up this case, he’d never get his promotion. “JJ is—was—left over scraps compared to the rest of the investigation.”
    Her scowl was ferocious. “What the hell did he get himself in to?”
    â€œSomething bigger than him. All we need you to do is finish what he started. A couple of days and you’re home free.”
    â€œYou want me to milk senior citizens out of their retirement money for an insurance fraud? How’s that going to help the FBI?”
    Shannon was always very persistent, never giving up until she had the answer she wanted. In school she could debate with a teacher until the cows came home. It didn’t matter the subject. If your opinion didn’t match hers, she’d insist you defend yours. It’s probably what made her a great lawyer. His feelings for her may have died the day she’d ripped his heart out, but he was proud of her. Maybe he was still that sap who’d spent all those months tutoring her.
    â€œYou won’t be milking any seniors. The federal government kept funding it after we arrested JJ, to keep him believable.”
    â€œBelievable to whom? Bigger trash than him?” Her tone indicated she didn’t believe that was possible.
    Given her history with JJ, Noah could understand why. She’d been a pawn in JJ’s schemes since before she could walk. “Yes. Look, if I tell you, I’m breaching security.”
    Shannon rolled her eyes. “Of all the . . . give me a dollar.” She held out her hand with an exasperated huff.
    â€œWhy do I have to give you a dollar?”
    â€œIf you don’t have a dollar, I’ll take whatever you’ve got, but make it a bill. I don’t deal with change.”
    Humoring her, he pulled out his wallet. Short on ones, he gave her a twenty.
    She took the money and shoved it down her blouse and into her bra. “Are you arresting me or not?”
    â€œNo, not at this time.” The charges wouldn’t stick and he wasn’t in favor of humiliating her. He’d gotten his team to agree to letting him talk to her first and when that didn’t work he’d tried a persuasive