A/N: I found out a few months back that Jamie McGuire was writing a new book entitled "A Beautiful Funeral". I immediately panicked and refused to write another word until I got to read the book and see who she was killing off. Well, I read it. And what I've come to realize is, my story is based on Beautiful Disaster and Walking Disaster. Each book that has come after has veered in a different direction, with the most recent ones taking turns that conflict with my story. And that's okay. That's Jamie's world, this is my world with her characters. So I decided not to let A Beautiful Funeral influence my story. I might occasionally drop in a few details that relate to things that were said in the book, but that's about it. So just know, my story is based on characters created by Jamie McGuire, but is not the world created by Jamie McGuire. :) Thanks for hanging in there with me! I hope you enjoy.
JESSIE:
We're all sitting on the giant sectional couch in the living area of our suite. Dean and Danny just joined us from the rooftop deck. The air is crackling with palpable tension, and I'm sure the anger radiating off of me isn't helping. Tough.
Mom is the first one to break the awkward silence. "Thomas and Liis are on their way over. They thought it might help if they were here to fill in any blanks that we're not able to cover."
"Uh, mom?"
She redirects her attention to Jared who is sitting next to me. "Yeah, sweetie?"
"What the heck is going on?"
Poor kid is still totally in the dark. You'd think they would've at least given him the basics before dragging him out to the west coast. I guess it was easier to blame it on me and my drama with Will, rather than coming clean about the bigger issue.
The suite phone rings, interrupting what I'm sure would have been an excuse or half truth from my mother. Dean picks it up and after a few words, hangs up again.
"They're on their way up."
"Show time…" I mutter under my breath, earning a glare from my mother and a sigh from my father.
Dean squeezes my hand then gets up to go to the door.
Brief greetings are exchanged but I don't bother getting up. I'm not interested in pleasantries. I just want the truth.
"So, can we do this now?" I demand.
Jared sits back down next to me and I grab his hand, because even though I'm furious, I know he's going to be totally shocked by what he's about to hear. He gives me a weird look full of confusion, but I just return a tight smile and then fasten my eyes on my father.
"It's a long, complicated story…"
"Three thousand miles is a long way to come for the short version, so you might as well start from the beginning," I tell him.
His eyes find my mother's, silently communicating, and he heaves another sigh.
"It all started in college…"
"So, now you know. They gave me no choice. It was the FBI, or prison. That's why I wasn't happy to hear that you were following in my footsteps, Jessica. I didn't want something like that to happen to you. The things I've had to do, the lies, the deception, for so many years I couldn't even be honest with your mother."
"Until he found out that I'd known almost since the beginning, thanks to your Aunt Liis." Mom gives her a brief smile.
"Right, but it was too dangerous to tell anyone else. The case that brought me into all of this was one of the biggest ever handled by our branch of the bureau. If we weren't careful, they could've come after our families. In fact, we have evidence that they were planning to do just that before we finally ended that case."
I shiver and Dean wraps his arm tighter around me. I haven't said a word in the last half an hour. It was impossible to speak while trying to absorb everything my dad just told us.
"I know you probably have some other unanswered questions. We'll try to give you as much information as we can," Uncle Tommy offers.
I look at Jamie, who is as stunned as me, and he just blinks in disbelief. On my right, Jared looks like he just found out that he descended from a family of super heroes. He's still too young to truly understand the gravity of everything he was just told.
I, on the other hand, picked up on one particular thing that has me even further on edge than I was before I knew any of this. "Uncle Tommy, you were so tightlipped yesterday. Why the sudden change of heart?"
Without taking his eyes off of me, he grips Aunt Liis' hand tightly, and I swallow to relieve the aridness that has suddenly taken over my throat.
"There've been some new developments in my current case. My final case. I'm able to share a bit more with you at this point than I was previously permitted."
Fingers of dread tickle the back of my neck. Something isn't sitting well with me. "What is the case?"
It's at this time that he finally breaks focus to glance down at the floor, and then over to Aunt Liis, to my parents' confused faces, and back to me.
"He can't reveal that kind of information to you, Jessie. It's classified to all except those directly involved. Right ,Thomas?" My dad questions uneasily.
"As it turns out, Jessica, and by extension the rest of you, are all directly involved."
"How?" Dean demands, his back ramrod straight. I sit back against the couch, waiting for the final truth to be revealed.
"We are currently trying to close an embezzlement case. It involves the COO of a large investment company. We've been tracking his actions for two years now. The CEO of the company was unaware of the embezzlement until recently, and we've managed to keep him from taking action until we're able to gather enough evidence needed to bring in our perpetrator and put him away for a long time. Unfortunately, the COO has some intel and it appears as though he has halted all illegal activities related to his client accounts since just before the holidays. He doesn't quite have the liquidated means to disappear, but we don't have enough to form a solid case and bring him in now. So we've been waiting for him to make a mistake."
"I'm sorry to interrupt, but what does that have to do with Jessie? Or any of us?" Dean asks impatiently. I swallow nervously, trying to understand as well.
"William Jackson made a stop before he fled Pennsylvania. That stop was to the office of the COO of this company. Shortly after, a modest deposit was made into Will's bank account from an off-shore account. The funds were withdrawn before he boarded his flight to California. We are attempting to ascertain the reasoning behind this connection, but so far have come up empty handed. If we can apprehend Will and pin some sort of illegal actions to our COO, we'll have enough to bring him in."
My head is spinning and I have to get up and walk around to relieve some of the pent up anxiety. "I don't understand. Will is involved with this random guy that you're trying to put away for corporate embezzlement? That doesn't even make sense."
"We don't think this has anything to do with the actual embezzlement, Jessie," Aunt Liis explains. "It is merely coincidental that Will was involved with this man, who is wanted for unrelated crimes. The fact that Will is on the run from a violent crime of his own leads us to believe his interaction with our perpetrator involves other illegal actions. If we can prove that, we can bring him in on those charges and put him away for the rest as well."
"Thomas, outside. Now." Dad orders as he storms through the sliding glass doors. With a look of resignation, Uncle Tommy follows.
Bewildered, I follow them with my eyes and, although the doors and walls are soundproof, I can tell they're arguing. More accurately, my father is screaming so loud that his face and neck have turned a deep shade of red, while Uncle Tommy stands there shaking his head and occasionally uttering a word or two.
"Mom, what's up with dad?" Jared wonders.
She shakes her head and I see tears forming in her eyes. "Mom?" I ask quietly, sitting next to her and placing my hand on her shoulder.
"I'm sorry Abby…" Aunt Liis whispers, and her face contorts in pain.
"What the hell is wrong with everybody? What's to be sorry for?" Jamie shouts. Danny grabs his hand in an attempt to calm him down.
Dean comes to sit beside me, just as baffled as the rest of us. Only my parents, aunt, and uncle seem to be in on the secret. I think through everything they've told me, everything Uncle Tommy and Aunt Liis have explained about Will, but my mind is still as blank as it was five minutes ago.
A thud causes all of us to turn to the glass patio doors where my dad has my uncle pressed up against the door, his forearm against Uncle Tommy's throat. My mouth drops open. I've seen my dad and uncles fight before, but normally its all in good fun, or over something stupid. A few punches and they're good. But the look on my dad's face… This is very different. He looks like he could kill him. And he would never hurt a member of this family. Unless… Unless he was protecting one of us.
They break apart suddenly, and Uncle Tommy straightens his collar before making his way back into the suite. Dad stays outside, hands clenched behind his neck, pacing like a caged animal.
"Tell her Tommy," my mom says, her voice surprisingly strong despite her tears.
"Abby…" he starts, but she levels him with a glare.
"Go on, tell your niece what happens now. Tell her why you really went out of your way to come here. Tell her what you want from her to close your precious case. TELL HER!" She screams the last two words and I'm so shaken I drop my hand from her shoulder and clutch Dean for support.
"W-what is she talking about Uncle Tommy?" I ask.
"We need to apprehend Will, Jessie."
"Okay, I understand that. I want that too. So, why are my parents ready to kill you for stating the obvious?"
"No." Dean pulls me closer to his side and wraps his arm around me. "No fucking way." His body is rigid and when I look at him, his icy glare is fixed on my uncle. Aunt Liis moves to stand with Uncle Tommy, who has become the target of everyone's anger.
"What does everyone know that I don't?!" I look around the room and Jamie, Danny and Jared seem to be the only ones still clueless, just like me.
"They want to use you as bait," Dean spits out the words as if they've left a bad taste in his mouth.
"Bait?" I look to my aunt and uncle, who appear as though someone just died.
"If we had another way of getting to Will, we'd do it Jessie. This isn't mine or Liis' decision. The order comes from my director."
"You…you want to use me to get to him? To bring him in?" I'm finally comprehending everything they're saying.
"It's never going to happen. I'm not letting him get within five hundred feet of you." Dean presses a kiss to the top of my head, his grip on me never loosening.
"No way, Uncle Tommy. Please, you've gotta figure out some other way," Jamie pleads on my behalf.
"Me. Use me. I know Will, I've known him for years. I can help you," Danny offers.
"It won't work, Danny. He wants to get to Jessie. He already made that clear when he attempted contact with you in the classroom." Aunt Liis directs the last part at me.
Mom flees the room at this point, having had enough of the conversation. She joins my dad out on the patio, wrapping her arms around his waist.
"Look, I understand you want to close your case, but you can't use Jessie. Find another way," Dean demands.
"There is no other way. Right Tommy? Risking my baby girl's safety is the only thing those assholes can come up with, right?" Dad comes through the glass doors with mom at his side, both looking devastated and resigned.
Ignoring his words, Uncle Tommy sits on the table in front of me and takes both my hands in his. "We are going to be with you the whole time. Me, Liis, and at least five other agents will be with you under cover. We'll make sure you're safe."
"Stop this! Why aren't either of you doing anything to stop this?!" Dean shouts at my parents.
"Because I've been here before Dean!" My father's booming voice echoes throughout the room. "I've been in this situation. I know why they're doing this. I fucking hate it, I wanted to kill my own brother for ever suggesting it, and I would take her place in a heartbeat if I could, just like you would. But we can't."
"We can run," Dean turns to me and grabs my face in his hands. "We'll go somewhere Will can't follow, screw the FBI and all their bullshit. We'll leave, and they can find him some other way. We'll stay away until they get him. I'll empty my entire trust fund if that's what it takes. You don't have to do this."
I look around the room at my parents who are staring at me with a glimmer of hope that maybe I'll listen to Dean; at my brothers and Danny who are filled with fear on my behalf; at my aunt and uncle whose eyes are on each other, their expressions unreadable; and finally at Dean who would go to the ends of the earth to keep me safe. Unfortunately for Dean, I would do the same for him.
"I'll do it."