Chapter 25
Liam
Over the next few weeks, I did what I knew best. I buckled down to work, reviewing all contracts and looking out for any loopholes.
I didn’t find any. I needed more information, the kind that wasn’t easily available, so I did something I’d never done before: I asked a detective to look into Albert’s personal life, get me any information he could.
I didn’t condone such actions usually. It wasn’t my style. But desperate times…
“Holy shit, I can’t believe you actually did this,” Becca exclaimed on Thanksgiving afternoon. The report had been dropped off at the office because the person in charge insisted on not leaving any electronic trails.
“I just wanted more information,” I retaliated.
David looked at me like I’d grown a second head. “Yeah, but usually for you, that means taking some bullshit high road. Man, I can’t believe you’re finally turning out to be an actual human being like the rest of us.”
“Are you two done so we can look over this?” I asked.
“No, actually, I’m absolutely not done. But it can wait until later,” David said.
Becca moved to the edge of her seat. I opened the envelope and handed each of them a stack.
“You actually asked the detective for three copies?” David asked. “Okay, time out. I do need to give you more shit. You don’t even know how to be sneaky. Next time you’re dealing with a detective, just let me handle it.”
“David, I usually appreciate your lax attitude, but it’s annoying me right now.”
Becca held her hands in a T-shape, signaling a time-out. “Boys, behave. Let’s read this.”
“Yes, David. Let’s read it.”
He looked as if he wanted to add something sarcastic, but as both Becca and I started reading, he said nothing.
The report was a detailed overview of Albert’s moves over the past few years—financial and interpersonal.
“Fuck, the moron’s broke?” David exclaimed seconds after I just read the same information. There was no trace of humor in his voice anymore.
I saw red. My palms were itching with the need to punch something as the detective went into great detail about the amount Albert was in debt.
“Well, this is worse than I thought,” Becca said slowly. “I actually assumed that he wanted to sell right now just to put us in a bad position. Turns out he’s just desperate for money.”
I said nothing, but I’d come to the same conclusion and didn’t like it one bit. Albert was a problem even when he wasn’t desperate, but now?
“I guess this means there’s no talking him out of wanting to sell his side,” David said through gritted teeth.
“No, I don’t think there is,” I said.
“So that only leaves us with pulling out of the investment we did this year,” Becca said. “Our reputation will take a hit, but we’ll recover. And?—”
“No,” I said. My voice was dangerously calm.
David blinked. Even he knew better than to joke right now.
“You have another suggestion?” Becca asked.
“Right now, no, but we’ve just received this information. I’m sure I can get more out of it if I have enough time to analyze it.”
Becca bit her lip. “It’s because of Tess, isn’t it?”
David straightened in his seat at that.
“I’m not going to do anything that risks her business.”
“What about us?” Becca asked softly.
“Or ours. I give you my word.”
She chewed on her lip. “I trust you. You’ve never led us astray. But we don’t have that much thinking time, do we? If we don’t make him an offer until Christmas, he’s free to shop around for another buyer.”
“I know.”
“Okay, I know we’re knee-deep in problems, but…I do need to give you shit,” David cut in. “The opportunity is too good to pass up. Besides, it’ll lighten up the mood.”
“Go ahead. We can use some of that,” Becca said before I could answer. I disagreed but didn’t voice that thought.
“I can’t believe you’re actually going all out for a woman like that. How does it feel? Is it more good than bad? Should I take notes?” David asked.
“You definitely should,” Becca said.
I glared at the two of them. “That’s where your mind just went?”
“It’s a coping mechanism,” Becca explained. “Much better than us sulking like we usually do when it’s about Albert.”
Okay, that was true. It was definitely an improvement over having to run laps with David and take Becca for coffee.
“I’d love to stay and chat, but I have two Thanksgiving dinners to attend,” I said.
David laughed. “What?”
“Holy shit, is one with Tess’s family?” Becca exclaimed. “David, you should definitely take notes, or it’ll take you a year to be invited to your future girlfriend’s Thanksgiving feast.”
“I promise I’ll give you enough material to write down after the dinners, but right now, I need to go.”
David held up his hands. “I won’t hold my breath. It was a rhetorical question. Since when are you taking everything so seriously?” The last part was directed to Becca.
She shrugged, smiling coyly.
I got up from the chair, bidding both goodbye. I didn’t have time to linger today.
On the way to pick up Tess, I kept replaying the newest bits of information in my mind. Two things were clear. One: I was going to do whatever it took to protect everyone I love. Two: I was determined not to ruin anyone’s dinner by being in a shitty mood.