“So Bart could be the culprit?”
“Maybe. I was hoping Andrew Peterman, the second principal, would show, but so far he hasn’t made an appearance, and it’s getting late enough that I suspect he won’t.”
“Wow. I’m impressed. I didn’t think you had subterfuge in you, Joshy.”
Noah meant it as a compliment, but Josh suddenly felt dirty. “Nicole mentioned that Bart has a home office on the second floor with the bedrooms. I hope to search their house tonight after everyone goes to bed, but I suspect any real evidence is at his business office. Getting there could be challenging. Her mother is like Mother-of-the-Bridezilla. She’s made itineraries for each of us, and my time is booked solid up until the wedding. I have no idea how I’m going to get away to go to Vandemeer’s office.”
“Doesn’t her family think it’s weird you don’t have any family or friends there?”
“Megan said the shithead she was going to marry hardly had any friends, and neither his parents nor brother were planning on coming.”
“The guy sounds like a tool if his own parents weren’t going to the wedding. Is Vandemeer’s daughter a bitch?”
“No. Not from what I’ve seen. Quite the opposite, in fact. I can’t figure out why she was planning to marry the douche bag.”
“It doesn’t matter. I think you’re onto something. And the fact is, if you’re busy with all the wedding plans, then you need help.”
“What does that mean?”
“Your mother may not be coming to the wedding, but your brother can change his mind and show up tomorrow.”
“What? No!” Josh protested in panic.
“It’s perfect, Josh. I’ll have more free time than you. Besides, you and I both know this is more my type of caper than it is yours.” Noah laughed. “You’re out of your league, Joshy. Admit it.”
Josh paced, rubbing the back of his neck. Noah showing up could be a potential disaster. Noah tended to be a loose cannon. But Josh had to admit he needed help, and Noah had been the one to corner them into this situation in the first place. Time was ticking down, and he’d known going into this that he was going to have to resort to rolling in the mud. “Fine, but you have to behave yourself, Noah.”
“Hey! When have I not behaved myself?”
“Consider why we’re in this situation to begin with . . .”
“Jeez, one time—”
“One time?” Josh shook his head. “Dammit.” This plan was even more insane than the course he was currently on. “I’m not telling them that you’re coming. I can’t think of a single reason to justify you showing up tomorrow. Megan wants to break up at the party tonight, and I don’t want to scare her into going through with it.”
“You can’t let her break up with you!”
“I know. And for the most part, I’m safe. Megan is trying to save face with her mother, and I’ve been the perfect boyfriend.”
“Like that’s a stretch,” Noah snorted. Leave it to Noah to make an attentive boyfriend sound like a bad thing.
“The point is that she needs me to act like a first-class jerk before she can break up with me, although it would come across even better for her if I break up with her. And I have no intention of doing either tonight.”
“So you’re safe.”
In theory, but he could also end up infuriating Megan. While he’d accept that in a pinch, the better option was if he could get her to agree to the delay. And if he were being honest with himself, he didn’t want her to be angry with him.
“I’ve told Megan we should break up tomorrow. She hasn’t agreed, but one of her best friends likes me and is trying to get her to put it off. I think I can get her to hold off until at least tomorrow night. But that’s not near enough time if you show up in the afternoon. I might have to try pushing the breakup off to Friday, but that’s cutting it pretty close to the wedding.” He paused. “Maybe I’ll find what we need tomorrow.”
“Not likely.”
Could Josh afford to turn down his brother’s help? He had four days before the axe dropped on their big deal. He was going to have to bend some of his ethics to get the proof he needed, and that thought didn’t sit well with him. “I don’t even know what I’m looking for, Noah. How do I pin this on them?”
“See if you can get access to Bart’s emails from around the time my bag was stolen. Try to find a copy of the plans with our name on it.”
“You really think someone’s going to keep a copy of an incriminating document?”
“Yes. I do.”
Josh rubbed the back of his neck. “So where do I look?”
“The Vandemeer house is a good start. I doubt he’d want to keep the plans in the office. How would he explain it to his colleagues? But if his wife found it, no big deal . . . I bet none of his family would give it a second thought.”
Josh had to admit that Noah was right. “This is a great start if Bart’s our guy, but I still haven’t figured out how I’m going to explain your sudden appearance.”
“I can play the role of the surprise drop-in brother. Send me an address.”
“But why would you show up? How did you find out where I was?”
“You let me worry about all of that. You just act completely surprised to see me. Now what’s the address?”
Josh had a sinking suspicion he was going to regret this. “I’ll text it to you.”
“See you tomorrow, Joshy.”
He wasn’t exactly looking forward to this family reunion.
He rejoined Megan and her friends. Libby was watching him like he was an all-you-can-eat buffet, though one she didn’t care to dine at, while Megan looked embarrassed, and Blair was doing her damnedest to pretend he didn’t exist.
“I need to use the restroom,” Josh said, needing to escape for a few minutes. Hopefully it would also give him the opportunity to do a quick search, as he’d planned.
“You can use the powder room on the first floor,” Megan told him.
Feeling someone’s gaze on him as he made his way across the deck to the back door, Josh looked back to see Kevin watching him. Shaking his head, he let himself into the house and used the restroom, then opened the door, planning to head upstairs to look for Bart’s office. But as he moved toward the stairs, he heard a voice from behind the partially open bedroom door at the end of the hall. He paused, looking to see if anyone would notice him eavesdropping. When he didn’t see anyone, he moved closer, realizing it was Bart Vandemeer’s voice.
“No . . . you know it’s too late.” There was silence for several moments before he said, “That’s not what I said. You know I want to help . . . I’m just . . . tied up.”
Bart was obviously on the phone, but who was he talking to and what was the call about?
“We always knew there would be casualties,” Bart said, sounding unhappy. “Talk to the attorney and see what he says.”
Was he talking about Josh potentially fighting the patent?
“Hear anything good?” Blair whispered behind him.
He jumped and spun around, trying to keep a poker face. “Hey, Blair. I was looking for the restroom.”