Free Jar of Hearts: (Family Stone, # 5 Keisha and Shane) (Family Stone Romantic Suspense) by Lisa Hughey Page B

tight Under Armour, but those pumps seriously kicked up his heart rate. He vowed he was going to have those shoes digging into his butt another time.
    Shelley was there looking fairly nervous. Shane tried to give her a reassuring smile but he wasn’t positive it worked when she blanched and ran a hand down her tan skirt.
    Bob Michaels, the Chairman, kept clicking his pen. He’d been informed that they’d identified the culprit but they didn’t tell him who it was. They needed the edge of surprise so they could get Wallaston to confess.
    Jack Stone had come as backup but his main priority was to protect Shelley.
    “Why don’t we all get more comfortable,” Bob Michaels suggested. They’d prepped him ahead of time so that he’d know they wanted everyone corralled into one room. “Let’s head into the conference room.”
    One by one they shuffled into the long rectangular room. Unlike the outer office, the floor in the conference room was carpeted, likely to muffle the sound. Jack had already set up electronic measures to capture the confession on audio and had a highly sensitive microphone taped to his chest. Precautionary tactics in case this got ugly.
    Shane couldn’t imagine that anyone in this room was all that dangerous but with Keisha next to him, he wasn’t about to take any chances.
    Keisha and Shane sat, and turned down offers of coffee, soda, or water.
    “Now, Mr. Washington, you mentioned some concerns on the phone,” Mrs. Peterson led the discussion.
    “Yes.” Shane confirmed. “First off, I wanted to say thank you for being so accommodating as to meet with us today. My travel schedule is unpredictable, and Keisha and I like to make decisions together.” He shot an adoring glance at her.
    Instead of her trademark sass, she only narrowed her eyes and smiled before turning to the other members in the room. “We were very impressed with your operation, the scope of the clients that you serve, even the efficiency of your volunteers,” Keisha said precisely and sweetly. But Shane knew that soft voice was the precursor to words so sharp they could cut.
    However her words were all true. After their time working here yesterday, Shane was planning on making that donation to the food bank.
    “And what did you think?” Don Wallaston directed his comment to Shane, completely dismissing Keisha.
    Shelley paled and Shane knew this was where they needed to be very careful.
    “We were disturbed to find that some of the produce was tainted with illegal pesticides,” Keisha interrupted before Shane could speak, her fists on her hips and her glare accusing as she confronted Wallaston.
    Shane stared directly at Wallaston watching for his reaction, while he snapped pictures with the small camera embedded in a button on his shirt. Jack had leaned forward in his chair waiting for Wallaston to answer.
    There was a flash of surprise in his eyes but when Wallaston replied his face was flat and showed no emotion. “That is preposterous,” Wallaston said, projecting an attitude of mild confusion. “We wouldn’t allow that.”
    Bob Miller interjected, “Unfortunately, we tested some produce that was delivered under cover of the night, and it definitely does not adhere to current FDA regulations.”
    Shelley’s hands were clasped in front of her on the table. She looked as if she’d aged twenty years in the last day. “The broccoli is from Happy Tummy Farms.”
    “What do you have to do with this Shelley?” Monica Peterson frowned, or tried to, her brows and forehead barely moved.
    “I am co-partner of the farm,” Shelley confessed. “And the produce was tainted.”
    “So you knew about using Aldicarb!” Wallaston accused.
    And Shane knew they had him. Because no one had mentioned the specific type of pesticide that had been used on the produce. And Aldicarb was actually approved for use on certain vegetables just not broccoli.
    Jack hadn’t moved but even Shane could see the tension vibrating off