Chapter Four
Graham Kendal
Kyle
Years before Amy
Staring at the screen, Kyle grinned. His personal wealth had exploded in the last six months, exceeding all his goals for growth. Proud of his accomplishments, he was keenly cognizant that the seven-figure number flashing in front of him wasn’t the end game. There would be many other, larger digits in the years to come—sums that would enable the billionaire lifestyle he deserved—but it was an excellent start.
The only problem niggling at the back of his mind was the not-so-small matter of the tax he owed. The issue with accruing so much income was taxation, and even though he’d have to sell assets to pay truly demoralizing amounts of tax, the five-figure sum he’d calculated still irked him.
It wasn’t that he was offended by the concept of the levy. He understood intellectually that the duty paid for the public services other people relied on—the schools, roads, and hospitals society needed—but he rarely trusted the assholes elected to decide where to spend the money.
Why should he give his cash to politicians only interested in feathering their own ill-gotten schemes? Even in the unusual cases where those officials turned out to be good guys, they never stuck around for more than a few years, anyway—not long enough to make a tangible change—then another administration would roll in, undoing any good work and fucking things up. Better that he invested his wealth and accrued more money—at least that way, he’d be in a position to help more people.
His gaze settled on the amount of tax he owed the government, musing on the ways he could minimize it. Rubbing his temples, he wracked his brain. He had to do something about that large number.
There must be a way…
That was when Graham Kendal popped into his head. Graham had said he was good with numbers. Perhaps it was time to call him and discover just how he could pay back that outstanding rent he owed.
Flicking into his files, he searched for Kendal’s number and punched the digits into his phone. He’d had his assistant transfer all the tenant’s personal details from paper to his computer network, which meant he could access them in an instant. Leaning back in his recliner, he pulled in a satisfied breath as the dial tone echoed in his ear.
“Hello?” Graham Kendal’s voice had the exact same exhausted tone as the man who’d warily met him at the door at Aspen Way.
Kyle smirked. “Graham.” The time for formalities was most definitely over. “It’s Mr. Kyle.”
“Oh.” Kendal’s clipped response revealed what Kyle needed to know. He remembered Kyle, and he knew, instinctively, what the call was regarding. “Mr. Kyle.”
“Remember that deal we struck, Graham?” Of course, he remembered, but it was fun to toy with him just the same.
“Er, yes.” He sounded understandably reticent.
“Well, I need your skill with numbers now.” Kyle clicked back to his spreadsheet, his attention returning to the taxable sum. “What do you know about tax avoidance?”
Kendal paused. “A little, but it’s not my area of specialty.”
“Time to learn more then.” Kyle chortled at his quip. “Because I have a tax bill I’d like to reduce.”
“I know someone who’d do a really good job for you, Mr. Kyle.” Kendal was hesitant. “I’m not really the man for this job.”
“Nonsense!” Kyle wasn’t going to let Kendal squirm out of his responsibilities. “We had a deal, Graham, a contract that’s seen you pay thousands less for renting your house than your neighbors do, and in return, you’re going to get me a significantly reduced tax bill.”
The line was quiet, but Kyle pressed on.
“You’re not reneging, Graham. Not unless you want to see your family homeless and be sued for all the outstanding rental money you owe me.”
“You wouldn’t do that?” Kendal gasped.
“Of course, I would.” Kyle shook his head at his naivete. “It’s all there in black and white. You agreed to pay me the additional rent, and you’ve been defaulting on those payments for months. That’s easily grounds for not only eviction. I’m reclaiming what I’m owed.”
“Oh.” Kendal’s stunned voice suggested he was finally starting to see things Kyle’s way.
They always did in the end.
“So, when can you help me?” Kyle leaned back in his chair, waiting for the man on the end of the line to finally fold.
“I…” Kendal sighed. “I can meet with you this weekend.”
“Hmmm.” Kyle glanced at his diary. “That’s four days away. I need an answer sooner than that. How about Thursday night?”
That gave Kyle time to see Sarah on Wednesday and still have his tax issues resolved by Friday.
“I can’t do Thursday,” Kendal protested, but Kyle wasn’t sure why he was still bleating. He was already beaten. They both knew he’d ultimately do as he was told.
“Are you sure?” Kyle was enjoying himself. “Why don’t you check again? I think Thursday’s good with you.”
“Okay!” Exasperation broke in Kendal’s voice, and Kyle heard the moment his will crumbled. “Okay, I’ll do Thursday.”
“Good man.” Kyle repressed his chuckle.
That was the benefit of compromise. He could have cast the Kendal family out of the house they could no longer afford to lease and could have had another tenant in there within a month, but instead, he’d chosen to bide his time. He’d offered Kendal an olive branch, which meant the man belonged to him. Kendal had no choice but to bend to Kyle’s will.
He could have paid for a tax specialist to resolve the matter, but where was the fun in that when playing with people was so much more entertaining?
“I’ll send you my address and see you at seven o’clock on Thursday night.”
“Okay.” Kendal sighed. “See you on Thursday.”
“Oh, and Graham.” Kyle ran his tongue over his teeth as he imagined the pitiful man’s reaction to his deeper timbre. He didn’t despise his tenant. Kendal had just been outplayed by a brighter, better guy.
“Yes, Mr. Kyle?”
“Don’t even think about fucking me over. Your kids will be cold, hungry, and homeless before your feet can even touch the ground. Have you got it?”
Kendal pulled in a shaky breath. “I’ve got it.”
***
“Great job, Graham.” Two days after that initial demand, Kyle patted Kendal on the shoulder. The glorified accountant had been bent over a printed copy of Kyle’s numbers for hours. “That finally looks like a number I can live with.”
“I’m glad I could help.” Kendal sounded anything but glad. In fact, he looked close to tears.
“And these tax-avoidance schemes are all legal, is that right?”
Not that Kyle cared. He’d break more than a law or two to ensure he got what he wanted, but if there was a lawful route, he’d opt to take it. It made sense not to create powerful enemies.
“Yes, they’re legal.” Kendal straightened, flinching as though the deed was painful. “Unorthodox, perhaps, but—”
“Perfect.” Kyle cut him off. He was fine with being a nonconformist, particularly where not paying taxes to the morons in charge of the government was concerned. “Then I’m happy.” He thrust his palm out in front of the guy. “Put it there, Graham.”
Kendal took his outstretched hand and offered it a limp shake. “Does this mean we’re square now, Mr. Kyle?”
His voice was so hopeful that fleetingly, Kyle considered duplicity. He could lie to Kendal and tell him his debts were paid. He could give the guy that solace and help him have a few decent nights of sleep, but when it came down to it, Kyle had no desire to reassure.
“For now.” Kyle watched as the tension crept back into Kendal’s shoulders, his brow furrowing as he glanced at his landlord. “I’ll call you when I need you again.”
“And when will that be?” Kendal swallowed.
“It’s hard to say.” Kyle smiled. “Whenever I next require your expertise, but please don’t let me keep you.” He gestured to the clock ticking above the roaring fireplace of his study. It was almost ten o’clock. “You should get back to your family.”