Free Another Man's Treasure by Wendy Jay

Lost in thought, his phone rang and brought him back to the present.
     
    “Hello? Hey Ross ! About time. Shut the fuck up and tell me what you found out.” Jude’s tone of voice changed.
     
    “Yeah…yeah…ok…holy fuck, are you serious? What the fuck, Ross! That fuck of a brother did what? Yeah, ok. You got this all on paper? Good. Email me all the info; I want a written report of this convo and all of the documents when you get them verified.  Great. I gotta run to town, so have it ready and to me in an hour. Dude, just do it! Yes, Ross, email your fees too. Jesus, Ross!  Rates go up or what? Ye ~e sheun ah, yeah…you’re worth it. Tell that to my checkbook! Follow up with me in a couple days.”
     
    Jude hung up the phone not believing what Ross just told him…
     
    David…you rotten motherfucker. Sacrificing your own sister to hide your dirty secrets.
     
    Jude picked up his coffee mug and threw it against the wall. It exploded, sending glass shards flying everywhere. Jude got up and pushed the chair away. He strode out of the house, jumped into the SUV and roared it to life. Tearing out of his driveway, he slammed down on the accelerator. He headed to town via the back roads, avoiding Miranda’s house.   He drove down the road at a rate of speed far exceeding the posted limits.
     
    Jude reached the cemetery.  He slammed the truck door and walked over to David’s grave. Staring at the headstone, Jude screamed.
     
    “You rotten son of a bitch! As if she didn’t have enough to deal with, you do this?  I will do exactly what I told you I would do 10 years ago…I will take care of Mandy. Believe me, you scum…I will do a better job than you ever thought of, you fucking sorry excuse of a man.”
     
    Jude walked a few feet and stopped in front of two more headstones. He knelt down and straightened the flowers resting there.
     
    “Mr. and Mrs. Jones…I want you to know I will take care of this mess and your daughter. You see, I have loved Miranda from the first day I saw her. No matter what David told you about me and my past, it isn’t true. I will take care of your little girl, even if it costs me my life. I just pray she believes me when I tell her that the last 10 years of her life were all a lie.” 
     
    Jude stood up, wiped a tear from his cheek and walked back to his truck. He drove back home, hoping Ross had the proof he needed. He grabbed his cell phone and dialed the office.
     
    “Janice, it’s Mr. Delaney. I won’t be in the office Monday or Tuesday. Please forward all my work via email. Postpone my meetings and reschedule my conference with acquisition team for Wednesday. Thanks.”
     
    Jude arrived back home, changed his clothes quickly and headed for the basement, still furious. He jumped on the rowing machine and began to row with such intensity he could have crossed Joshua’s Pond in seconds. Working up a good sweat, he moved on to the treadmill and began to run at such a pace that he finished 5 miles in 25 minutes. He moved on to pushups, sit ups, working his abs…anything to work off his anger. 
     
    Two hours later, exhausted and soaking wet with sweat, Jude took a long hot shower and went into his study. He checked his email and exhaled a sigh of relief.
     
    Ross had forwarded documents and their conversation s. Financial records, police reports, you name it.  One thing at the very bottom of the message concerned Jude. A footnote from Ross.
     
                  Jude, it is all here, EXCEPT the telephone recordings and
     
                  video ta0">ont sizpes. Those came up missing. I will keep searching.
     
Remember, I need to get this verified, but here’s a heads up for you. ~Ross.
     
    Jude quickly replied.
     
Ross, fuck. What tapes and recordings?? Get on that ASAP! Protect Miranda at ALL COSTS! ~Jude
     
    Jude printed out all the documents and placed them in his briefcase. He crossed to the living room and turned on the television for