Chapter 28
AMY
Since that conversation with my mom, I’ve felt slightly queasy, so I’ve been trying to watch what I eat. Not drinking another drop of alcohol. Though my careful diet doesn’t stop my stomach from roiling.
It’s a sign that something isn’t sitting right with me; an unease over my skin making my entire body feel tight. Wrong.
But even with those feelings hanging over me like a shroud, I walk into Don’s office confidently on Monday morning, my head held high. I’ve been waiting for this opportunity, and if I play it right, I think the nausea will finally go away, the guilt that’s weighing heavily in my stomach.
“Amy!” Don booms, always too loud, always searching for more ways he can take up more space in the room. “Thanks for coming on such short notice.”
Behind him, the city sparkles in the midday sun.
Spring is quickly turning into summer, and beyond the edges of the city, I make out the foothills to the mountains blooming with wildflowers.
The city is starting to swell with tourists all here for the flower season, and I can’t stop myself from thinking about Granite Peaks, the theater.
How the new renovation could be pulling tourists to that town, too.
At least once a day, I have another idea for tourist efforts there, something that could bring in more people. One is a renovation of the lodge, which looks worn down. A little fixing up and some cute marketing would have influencers flocking for a stay in the mountains.
“Of course,” I say, forcing thoughts of Granite Peaks from my mind and focusing on the task in front of me.
Moving carefully, I nod and take a prim seat in one of the chairs opposite his desk.
Without meaning to, I think back to the weekend of the twins’ birthdays, when I came to this very office to get my assignment of driving up to Granite Falls. “You know I’m always available, Don.”
“I do,” he says, a slow, wolfish smile taking over his face. “And that, combined with how hard you’ve been working, is what’s made you the new head of our acquisitions team.”
My entire body goes cold. The promotion I’ve been chasing for months, quarter after quarter passing with excellent performance reviews. All coming down to this moment.
A moment that no longer feels like a victory.
“That’s great,” I say, trying to muster up the excitement I know I should be showing. “I’m glad you chose me, even though I didn’t have the breakthrough on the Thatcher property.”
“Ah,” Don says, waving his hand, that grin still on his face as he kicks back, throwing his feet up on the desk.
Today, he’s wearing a wrinkled charcoal-gray shirt and a striped, blue tie.
Not a good look. “Don’t even sweat that, Amy.
I didn’t want to tell you at the time, but we’ve been working on that property for a long time. ”
“You have?” My heart starts to pound, throwing itself against the bottom of my throat.
Don lets out a brusque laugh, shaking his head and looking to the ceiling, like he can’t believe it took him this long for McKay to take something that didn’t belong to it.
“Yes,” he says. “First the older guy, then his grandson. Not very good stewards of the land, if they just planned to horde it, if you ask me. Think about it; what makes better use of the land—one tiny cabin, or a ski resort that everyone can enjoy?”
I swallow down my fury, the pointlessness of that question. As though every inch of the land around here needs to be cultivated to make as much money as possible.
When I first applied for this job and was brought in for an interview, I had no idea what I was actually signing up for.
Maybe that was on me for not doing enough research into it, or maybe McKay purposefully preys on young, hopeful new hires to do their dirty work before they really understand what they’re getting involved in.
“How did you do it?” I ask, keeping my tone light, appreciative. “I worked on it for weeks, and I never found an in.”
“Well,” Don laughs, shaking his head, a boastful tone moving into his voice, “you’d think for a town trying to raise all sorts of money for some restoration project, they’d be more pleased about the generous donation I offered to make.”
It hits me like a slap in the face—he bribed the council. And they didn’t take the money. Beverly’s face flashes into my mind. Carp’s too. Of course they didn’t take the money. They have integrity.
“Anyway,” Don waves his hand. “We had to go for a different angle when you didn’t find that first tree.
Guess he cleaned it up pretty quick.” Don rolls his eyes.
“So, we made sure to find a more remote part of the property. Another fallen tree. This time, he was down in the town long enough that we could… document everything appropriately.”
Rage simmers inside me, so hot it’s icy. I suck my teeth, looking away from Don for a moment before I let loose and tell him what I really think of him, of his entire business.
And this has been going on the entire time I’ve worked here. I’ve already been looking for a new job, already feeling bad about my involvement in the other properties we’ve seized, but now I just feel sick to my stomach.
Anxiety courses through me, but I know I have to go on. I have to get through this conversation with him. It’s important for what I plan to do next.
“So, it’s down to the state now?”
“Yup,” Don says nonchalantly, already growing bored of the topic, leaning forward and rifling through some of the papers on his desk.
“When the council wouldn’t play along, we went over their heads.
We’ve made an offer to the State already, on hold for when they put the property up.
Nobody else is even going to have a chance at it. ”
“Very clever,” I say, though the words are coming out through my teeth. “All your idea?”
“Sure was,” Don says, though I have no idea if he’s lying. If it was someone else’s idea, he’d definitely take credit for it. He fixes me with that predatory smile. “Stick around longer, keep working up that ladder, and you’ll get to learn from the best, Callaghan.”
“I plan to, sir,” I lie. Don goes on to tell me about my new position and calls his assistant to set up a meeting with HR for me, so I can review the job description and sign all the proper papers.
I nod and smile, thanking him and getting up to shake his hand for the last time. When I walk out of his office, I have absolutely no intention of going back.
Stumbling out to the street, I turn the corner and pull my phone out of my pocket, my shaking hands fumbling to unlock it.
It’s still recording.
The relief that floods through me is closely followed by another wave of nausea, but this time, I don’t make it to a trash can.
As I vomit into the bushes, I think it’s the least McKay deserves for all the harm it has caused. And I’m not going to stand by any longer and watch it happen—not going to be a bystander to the stealing and blatant corruption.