Chapter 28
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Ryder
The constant buzz of my phone doesn’t stop. It’s my mother. Again.
I can feel the call vibrating against my wrist. The one that’s been blinking all day, lighting up my screen with her name in bold letters. Elaine Hale.
I don’t know why she’s suddenly so persistent.
Maybe she wants to remind me of the family I’ve been distancing myself from for years. Or perhaps she’s heard about the hotel, and now she thinks it’s time to stick her claws back in.
Either way, I don’t have the energy to deal with her today. Not when everything else is already falling apart.
I hit ignore once more, then toss the phone back on my desk. The drama of the hotel is easier to deal with than her.
There’s a knock on the door, which makes me groan.
“Who is it?”
Nolan slides into the room with his usual brisk efficiency, but he hesitates when he sees my tense posture. He’s learned to read me. He’s good at that.
“Everything alright, Ryder?” Nolan asks, his tone careful.
“Everything’s fine,” I mutter. “Just trying to figure all of this out, you know.”
He doesn’t buy it. I can see the way his gaze flicks to the ignored phone buzzing on my desk.
“Your mother’s trying to reach you,” he says. “She’s calling the front desk like crazy. Pearl answered the phone and tried to shut her down, but she wouldn’t listen.”
I roll my eyes. “Well, she knows she’s not supposed to be here, so hopefully she won’t turn up. But I’ll make the calls stop. We don’t need that.”
“What do you want us to say when she does call?”
“Tell her I’m busy. Always busy.”
There’s no time to deal with my mother now. I’ve got bigger problems.
Nolan leans against the doorframe, looking me over, sensing the storm brewing under my skin. I can’t hide anything from him. He’s been with me long enough to know when I’m barely holding it together.
“You’re still looking into the financial stuff?” he asks.
Nolan doesn’t miss a beat. He’s sharp that way.
I nod, leaning forward in my chair, resting my elbows on the desk. The paperwork scattered in front of me is becoming a blur. I can’t focus.
I’ve been compiling all the financials, records, and staff interviews about Lang and his company for weeks. The picture’s coming into focus, and it’s a bad one.
“I’m trying to find a Vincent Lang,” I mutter, frustration leaking into my tone. “But he’s like a ghost. No one knows where the hell he is, and every lead I have … evaporates. He’s a shadow, Nolan.”
Nolan steps further into the room, crossing his arms. “Who the hell is this guy? And why does he matter so much?”
I let out a breath, shifting in my chair. It’s time I explain.
“Lang’s a corporate shark, and he’s somehow involved with this hotel. I don’t know how yet, but I’m figuring things out.”
“So, what’s the plan?” Nolan asks, leaning against the desk now, clearly in full investigative mode.
“I need to find him,” I say. “I’ve got a file on him that’s starting to make sense, but I need him in the same room. He’s playing a dangerous game, and I’m the one who’s going to take him down. But it’s not going to be easy.”
Nolan nods, his eyes narrowing. “Yeah, I get that. If you’re trying to find a man who doesn’t want to be found, you need someone who can dig deeper. Someone who knows how to track people like that. Someone who doesn’t let them slip away.”
I lean back in my chair, thinking for a moment—Nolan’s right. I can’t keep playing this game alone, especially not with someone as slippery as Lang.
I need all the help I can get.
“I know someone,” I say, rubbing my jaw. “A former associate of mine. He’s good at this… tracking people, digging up dirt, whatever it takes to find someone who doesn’t want to be found. I haven’t worked with him in a while, but he owes me. I’ll reach out to him.”
Nolan’s gaze sharpens. “If you’re going to call in a favor, then make sure you know what you’re asking. If Lang’s as dangerous as you say, the last thing we need is a wild card who doesn’t know when to stop poking around.”
I look at him. “You’re not wrong. That’s why I’m keeping this tight. Just you, me, and whoever I bring in. We don’t want any loose lips or unintended consequences.”
He nods, thoughtful. “Okay. I’ll dig into Lang’s business connections to see if there’s anyone we can talk to who might know where he’s hiding.
I’ve got some people who might be able to provide a lead.
But we need a plan that doesn’t draw attention.
Lang’s not going to come to you unless he thinks he has no choice. ”
I nod in agreement, already thinking ahead. “I know. That’s why I’m going to make him come to us. I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve.”
Nolan raises an eyebrow, a rare glint of approval in his eyes.
“I like the sound of that. But you need to be prepared for how he might react if he thinks you’re onto him.
If Lang’s been siphoning money through shell companies, he’s not going to sit back and wait for you to expose him.
He’ll protect himself. The last thing you want is to corner him too early. ”
I sit up straighter, the situation settling into my bones.
I’ve been walking a fine line with this situation for a while now, seeing the irregular invoices pile up, tracing money that vanished into subsidiaries no one’s heard of, keeping quiet while I gathered proof.
But it’s time to tip the scales in my favor. I’ve just been waiting for the right moment to strike.
“We’ll take it slow, but once we’ve got the paper trail nailed down, we’ll move fast,” I say firmly.
“Lang’s been disguising withdrawals as ‘vendor expenses’ for projects that don’t exist. I’ve got receipts that prove it.
That’s my leverage… and if he thinks he can bury my friend’s hotel with his scam, he’s in for a shock. ”
Nolan watches me closely, his gaze calculating. “You really think you’ve got enough on him to take him down?”
“I have to,” I answer, my jaw tightening. “If I don’t, the hotel’s in real trouble. I don’t know if it will ever come back from this. And I won’t let that happen.”
He nods slowly.
“Alright. Then we make our move carefully. We’ll find Lang. And when we do, we make sure he knows he’s not as untouchable as he thinks.”
A knock on the door stops me from saying anything else. Without even waiting for an answer, Claire comes into my office. My sister is definitely getting a little too comfortable here.
“Ugh, Ryder. You won’t believe what Mom just did.”
Nolan’s eyes flicker to me, then back to Claire. He mutters something about having to handle some things downstairs, but before he’s even out of the room, Claire’s already speaking over him.
“Can I just—” She cuts herself off, rubbing her forehead. “I don’t even know what to say. I mean, I’m so glad to be here, to see you again. But Mom… she makes things impossible.”
I know I have a lot of work to do, but my sister clearly needs this, so I lean back in my chair and watch her as she paces up and down, ranting.
In a way, this reminds me of when we were teens, and we only had one another to talk to about stuff.
I have to admit, despite the drama, it’s kinda nice to have her back in my life.