21. Maverick Gone Rogue
21
Maverick Gone Rogue
S pencer couldn’t remember the last time he was this angry at someone. Even when Melanie ditched town, Spencer felt a sense of gratefulness toward her. She didn’t take her daughter with her as she began another alcohol-driven downward spiral. At her sickest, Melanie would still do everything in her power to protect her daughter.
He couldn’t say the same for his client. William Harrison was no better than the lowlifes his father chased down his entire career. Spencer should have never agreed to work with him. He should have turned him away. His desperation for money allowed him to team up with a man on a warpath. It blinded him from the truth of William’s motives. He never wanted justice. He wanted revenge.
William had used Spencer as a pawn in his game, and now Spencer was ready to free himself from his strings. For good.
“Spencer, you told me to let you know when Mr. Harrison arrived. Well, he’s here,” Yara informed him, not yet let in on the developing situation.
“Let him in.” Spencer came around his desk, sitting on the edge. His head bowed, not sure how he was going to confront William without letting his emotions get the best of him. And he had no time to figure it out.
A second after Yara left his office, William entered in her place. Spencer hadn’t told William what the meeting was pertaining to, so he was clueless regarding what was about to unfold.
“Hey man,” William started, sitting in the seat mere inches away from Spencer’s bouncing knee. “I know we didn’t leave things in a great place the last time we met, but I’m hoping we can move past that. We have to do what we can to close this case.”
Spencer wouldn’t waste time entertaining this moron for another second. “You’re nothing but a liar.”
William blinked, looking surprised at Spencer’s tone. “Huh?”
“You heard me. You’re a fucking liar. A moronic little boy stuck in a middle-aged man’s body who gets his kicks by playing God with people’s lives.”
“Look, Spencer, I’m not sure where this is coming from—”
“You know exactly what this is about. Your vendetta against Nicole Taylor.”
“Vendetta?”
“Are you going to pretend you haven’t been going after Nicole and her daughter on your own? That you haven’t been following them or sending them threatening messages?”
“No, of course not. How could you even think that? Where are you getting this from?” William was playing the confused card. Spencer didn’t believe for one second he didn’t know what he was talking about. He had been played once by William. He wouldn’t be played again.
“You’re lying.”
“I’m not. What are you talking—” He stopped himself, a realization dawning over him. “Nicole. She tried to spin a story about me to you, didn’t she? I should’ve seen this coming. That’s right up her alley. What I’m really surprised about is how easily she got you to believe her. Spencer, do you remember who we’re dealing with here? A manipulative con woman who has stolen a total of millions. And you think she’s a trustworthy source?”
“It doesn’t matter who she is or what she’s done. When she told me the things you did, I saw how scared she was. There was genuine fear in her eyes. Not something she could’ve faked. You threatened her daughter. You sent her flowers with a note warning her that debts were coming due. She’s terrified, and you’re the one behind that.”
William stood, shaking his head. “She’s the one lying to you, Spencer. She’s spinning a story to get you to sympathize with her. To make herself look like a victim when we know she’s nothing of the sort.”
“She gave me the note with the threat.”
“She could have sent it to herself. Or here’s a novel idea. Another person she conned found out about her and sent the message to her. Nicole has made a lot of enemies in her day. I’m sure some of them are angry enough at her to send her a note like that.”
“She told me she met with you and that you admitted to wanting to ruin her life. Not going after justice or sending her to jail, but to make her life hell. Explain yourself out of that one,” he demanded.
“I never met with her.”
“Come on, William!”
“I’m telling you the truth,” his voice raised, matching Spencer’s. “Do I have to pull teeth to get you to believe me? Why are you taking Nicole’s word over mine, knowing her history? Have you fallen for her or something?”
Spencer closed his eyes, shaking his head as he blew air from his nose. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
“I don’t think I am. You have fallen for her. What happened? Did she bat her eyelashes at you, flash a smile, and you fell for it?”
“Fuck off, William. You know nothing. ”
“No, but I can see it clear as day. You are falling for her. You’re so blinded by your feelings for her you can’t see how she’s manipulating you. I get it. She’s beautiful, funny, charming. If anyone knows anything about that, it’s me. But it’s an act, Spencer. One she’s very good at. And you’re falling for it.”
Spencer didn’t appreciate how William was trying to turn this around on him. He was the one who had something to prove, not him. “You’re wrong, William. I don’t have feelings for Nicole.”
“I hope that’s true, but from where I’m standing, Nicole has her claws into you like she had in me and so many others. Look at what she’s already done. Only took her a few days to get you to start questioning me when you were sent to investigate her. This is what she wanted to happen. To turn your focus off of her, and onto me.”
“Nicole knows nothing about me being a private investigator. Or that you hired me.”
“So what? She thinks you’re a millionaire. She’s peddling a story that she has a jilted ex to generate sympathy from you. It’s a sob story to get you to feel sorry for her, to trust her. Because you do trust her now, don’t you?”
“It’s not like that. Nicole, by her own free will, admitted to me she used to be a con artist.”
That wasn’t what William expected to hear based on his expression. He didn’t respond right away, thinking over his next words. “If that’s the case, and she’s truly being honest with you, then there’s no way she didn’t realize you’re working for me. She must have found out about you and is trying to get ahead of things by doing damage control early.”
“No. I’ve been careful. She couldn’t have found out.”
“Couldn’t she?”
“She can’t. She didn’t. I’m telling you.”
“You’re not thinking clearly. If you were, you would have recorded her confession and gotten this case closed. Why didn’t you?”
Because Spencer knew Nicole was telling the truth, that she was afraid for her safety. She knew there was a chance he could turn her in to the police and still didn’t hesitate to tell him the truth. It was the realest she’d been with him, and Spencer wouldn’t have her regret telling him. William wouldn’t understand that. Just consider it proof that Spencer’s feelings for her were interfering with his job.
“I was too busy trying to understand how my client that preaches about justice can be the same man who is threatening to ruin a woman’s life. Is that what you think justice is? Causing someone else the same harm they caused you?”
William gripped the leather of the chair as it held the weight of his body against it. “If you think I’m capable of doing what Nicole told you, then you shouldn’t be in charge of my case. Or taking my money, but let me ask you this. Are you willing to sacrifice the thousands of dollars I will pay you for closing this case off the word of a con artist?”
The answer to that was more complicated than William made it out to be, but the man wasn’t done making his case. “Spencer, for years, Nicole has taken innocent people’s money. Their trust, their dignity, and has gotten to walk away from the destruction to move on to her next target. Do you want to be the next victim she claims? Can you afford to be? The money I can offer you can keep your agency going. Money you’ll need if you want to be a good father to Nessa. Don’t let giving Nicole the benefit of the doubt screw with the money you need to raise your daughter.”
As much as Spencer didn’t want to admit it, William was right. He needed the money. Not just to keep his business running, but to be a good father to his niece. If he lost the job, not only would he lose out on the opportunity to save his agency, but the income that came from it .
“How about this?” William started, not giving Spencer a chance to make up his mind. “I have to go out of town on Friday for business. I’ll be away for a week. Take the week to decide if you want to continue on this case. Really think about who you can trust. Me or Nicole. I hope the decision you make is the right choice for you, your family, and your future.”
The men didn’t exchange another word as William collected himself and left the office. For as many ways as the meeting could have turned out, Spencer hadn’t seen the one that came to fruition coming. A part of him wanted to call William back and demand the truth from him, but a bigger part was too exhausted. He didn’t have the strength to fight anymore.
He needed the break from the case, to step away and figure out the correct path forward. His future depended on it.