Chapter 20 Just Something Different
JUST SOMETHING DIFFERENT
“Can I ask why you want to do that?”
She’d gotten to her office two hours ago, sent her text to the three men that she’d arrived bright and early on a Monday.
She’d like to think she got their asses out of bed but knew better than that.
She got no reply from anyone. Talk about annoying.
She had to report to them, but they couldn’t even acknowledge it.
Once she got a few things taken care of, she shut her office door to make this call.
“While I was out yesterday, someone slipped a note under my door. I’d like to see if I could narrow it down to someone who isn’t a resident.”
“I’m sorry,” the woman said. “I can’t release that footage without permission. I’ll have to ask my boss and get back to you. Can I get your number?”
She gave her number and hung up. Now it was time to wait and see how long it took to get a call back. She’d bet anything she heard directly from Kane, and if she did, that was more telling than anything.
The woman hadn’t asked what the note said and she hadn’t volunteered. Without Rory in town, something like this wouldn’t go as high as the owners.
Would they be stupid enough to show their hand? She’d like to think not, but could be wrong.
She texted Rory she’d made the call and would just wait now and went back to work.
Twenty minutes later, he called her.
“What did they say?” he asked.
“She needs permission to show me,” she said. “Which I kind of figured, but still don’t understand it. She could have just said she’d look herself or have someone else do it and get back to me.”
“What do you think will happen?”
“Oh, I’ll get a call today. They’d be stupid to not let me see it. I’m not asking anything crazy, just to see if anyone other than residents came in. If I get a call from Kane or Daniel, I’ll know something is up.”
“That’s who she’d go to for something like this? Seems extreme, don’t you think, for as large as they are?”
“Exactly. What are you doing now?”
“Reading through more notes. I talked to my mother this morning after she called and got my butt out of bed.”
She smiled. “Did my text wake you?”
“No. I slept through it, which is horrible to say.”
She laughed. “Kind of defeats the purpose of letting everyone know now, doesn’t it?”
“Your brothers got it and didn’t reply so I’m not worried.”
Her lips pursed and she rolled her eyes. “So that is why you didn’t reply? You were sleeping? Or you didn’t when you saw it because they didn’t and you didn’t think you had to?”
“That’s a lot of questions. The answer is, if they aren’t, I’m not unless I need to. Do you want your phone going off three times every time you send one text?”
“Not really.”
“There you go.”
“Tell me why you slept late and then the call with your mother.”
They talked little about his relationship with his parents. She knew his father appeared to be out of the picture and he talked to his mother, but not if he was close like she was with her mother.
“Just a lot on my mind,” he said.
“Me?” she asked playfully.
She needed to know if he might regret what they’d done yesterday.
She sure the hell didn’t, but she didn’t know him well enough if she only added another layer to his life that he might not be able to balance.
“Mostly.”
There wasn’t much humor or happiness in his reply.
She got up and shut her door again so that her two staff didn’t hear more. When she returned to her seat, she asked, “Bad or good?”
“A mixture. Is it horrible to say that?”
Her heart thudded hard against her ribs as her grip on the phone tightened until her fingers ached. Her eyes burned with the sting of tears threatening as anger tangled with confusion with each emotion clawing at the other.
And beneath it all sat the ugliest thought of all that maybe she wasn’t enough. That somehow, she’d said or pushed him back into the dark she’d been trying so hard to pull him from.
“Not if it’s the truth,” she said, trying not to clear her throat. He couldn’t see her reaction and she’d be damned if she’d allow him to hear it. No way her pride, or her ego, would allow that.
“What we did, or have, I’m not sure what any of it means other than the guilt always seems to be there. I regret nothing, if that helps.”
“It does. I don’t want to add to the weight you’re carrying, Rory.”
“I know. You’re not. I’m feeling things with you I’ve never felt with another woman. I’m trying to get a handle on it. That’s not a bad thing, just something different.”
“Heard.”
“And I’ve upset you, haven’t I?”
She forced out a laugh. “No. It takes a lot to upset or hurt me.”
“I don’t think it does. I think you’re just really good at hiding your feelings because you grew up around your brothers and they’d pick on you about it. Take it from someone who has been hiding a lot most of his life. I can recognize it for what it is.”
Her shoulders relaxed. Few could see through her like that. Maybe that was why she was so twisted up inside over whatever the two of them had.
A common fight for the truth. That was at the top of the list. The rest would fall into place with her knowing he wasn’t here to stay and she couldn’t leave. She had to remember that most of all.
“You make me do and feel things I’m not used to either, so we share that as well. Is that bad or good?”
He laughed. “I don’t know. Just another thing to work through. I want to see you again. I don’t want one to cloud the other either, but I can’t make any promises.”
“I’m not asking for them and you’re not going to get rid of me that soon. If for no other reason than there are too many unanswered questions. If we end up naked again, I’m not going to say no, but it’s not as if I expect it.”
“I’m not fighting you off,” he said.
And there was the happiness she’d been waiting to hear. “Good. Tell me about the conversation with your mother if you don’t mind.”
“I told her about you.” Her jaw might have just hit her desk, her eyes blinked a few times, and all the thoughts scattered out of her brain as if a herd of rhinos were chasing her and it was mass chaos. “Gale, you there?”
“What? Sorry. Did you just tell me you told your mother we had sex last night?”
The laughter on the other end made her smile. “Hardly that. I just talked more about you and how much you and your family are helping me. I told her you remind me of Rene some and... I’m struggling with it.”
“Phew. I mean, I’d never tell my family what I did with you yesterday.” Not that they wouldn’t be able to figure it out at some point. It’s just she didn’t talk about sex to her brothers! “What did your mom say to that?”
“That I need to stop feeling guilty for wanting to live. She’s worried about what is going on here and the threats.”
“I wasn’t sure if you’d tell her.”
“I didn’t want to, but I can’t always keep it from her either. She told me to come home and leave it to Ford to figure out. As much as she wants answers, she doesn’t want to lose her remaining child, that nothing will bring Rene back, but she still had me.”
She blew a breath out. “So you’re telling me you’re leaving?”
“No. I’m telling you what I told my mother.
This is it. I know it, I feel it so deep inside my body it aches in places I didn’t know existed.
The more I’m told to leave, the more I dig my feet in.
I’m not just going to shake trees, I’m going to cut them down.
Starting with the McGregors because I know damn well they are connected. Don’t you?”
The racing of her heart came for another reason now.
He wasn’t leaving just yet. He was staying. He was fighting. And she was going to be right there next to him for it all.
“I feel it too. All those things. But I also know not to make any snap decisions on anything. Especially when it concerns the McGregors. What do you plan on doing next?
“I’ve got a few things in mind. I’m thinking them through some more, but you’ll be the first to know when I’m ready to make my move.”
Her phone was ringing on her desk. She’d been talking long enough and had more work to do before she had to be in court.
“I’ve got to run. I’ll keep you posted and talk to you later.”
“Bye,” he said and hung up.
“Yes, Kathy,” she said to her assistant.
“Judge Rooney is on the phone for you.”
“Oh,” she said. “Thanks.” She didn’t normally get a call from the judge directly. She picked up. “Hi, Judge Rooney, how can I help you?”
“Gale,” Judge Rooney said. “How are you doing?”
“I’m well.” This was odd. “How about you?”
“I could be doing better. I just got a call from Daniel McGregor.” Her teeth clenched. “He’s concerned about a case that you’re looking into.”
“I wasn’t aware that any caseload I had made its way to him, nor that it’s any of his business.”
“I made that very clear to him. I’ve also told him one too many times to stop bugging me, I didn’t care how much money he had, or what he owned, I’m here to do my job and not play nice. The law is the law, end of story.”
She smiled. Judge Rooney was one tough woman that Gale had always looked up to, even if she feared her in the courtroom. Not always a bad thing.
“I apologize if I’m confused over this. Did he say what case he was talking about? I’ve got a lot of them.”
“He was beating around the bush, but making comments about keeping the past where it belongs for the community. That no one needed to be riled up again. He and Kane have a few ventures in the works and it’d benefit everyone not to be fearful of old news.”
“That doesn’t say a whole heck of a lot,” she said.
“He’s a sly one not coming out directly. He’s heard the rumors as I have. You know how things are. Rory Connors is in town and asking questions and getting court and police reports. He’s been seen with you a few times.”
“My personal life is just that,” she said. “I don’t owe any explanations to anyone.”
Judge Rooney laughed. “Good for you, but now you’re both on their radar.”
“So this was a courtesy call?”
“I don’t like bullshitters,” Judge Rooney said. “Nor do I like men who think they can talk down to women and pat me on the head as if I need them to guide me.”
“Me neither.”
“You can take care of yourself. You and your family, but a word of caution—whatever is going on, if Daniel or Kane has their eye on it, it’s not going away.”
“I didn’t think it would. Thank you for the call though. I appreciate it.”
“Have a good day.”
She took a deep breath, and another, then called Ford. “What’s going on, Gale?” her brother asked when he answered.
“No one knows you’re looking into Rene’s murder, right?”
“I haven’t talked to anyone about it but the one lab tech I trust, why?”
“I just had an interesting call from Judge Rooney.” She filled her brother in. “Things are spreading fast. Are they just guessing or do they have someone giving them information?”
“I don’t know,” Ford said. “I’ll try to get to the bottom of it without directly asking anyone. Might be time to plant a few deep seeds and see if they sprout. That will let me know if it’s coming from in my department.”
“It’s a start. I’m waiting to hear if or when I can check on the tapes to the building. I’m sure I’ll find out soon.”
“Let me know.”
“I will. I talked to Rory. You should know, he’s going to get in people’s faces. He said there is no reason to sit back and pretend, and after that call, I agree. Just thought I’d let you know.”
Ford sighed on the other line. “Gale.”
“I know. Watch myself. Got it. But I’m not backing off and you can’t make me.”
“Now you sound like you’re ten again.”
She let out a triumphant giggle. “That’s right. I won back then and I will now.”
“But at what cost?” Ford asked.
“Victory. For everyone.”
And just before five, she knew she got her way as she made her way into McGregors’ main headquarters in Glens Falls. It’d taken some maneuvering with her schedule, but she wasn’t putting this off.
“Can I help you?”
“Gale Ridgeway. I said I’d be here before you closed to look at the tapes. Sorry, I was running behind. Hope it’s still available.”
“Yes, have a seat and I’ll get someone in security to come get you.”
She’d gotten a call from the security department a few hours ago saying she could come in and that was it. Nothing else.
Part of her was disappointed, the other not surprised. The McGregors were arrogant, but not careless.
Yet when Daniel, Kane, and Rocco all came down the hall together while she was sitting there waiting, she wondered if this could have fallen into her lap any better.
“Gale,” Kane said. “What are you doing here?”
He looked surprised by her presence. Daniel was smirking and looking her over just as much as Kane was. Sleazy old man. Rocco looked as if he’d just gotten his next assignment and was pissed off.
“I’m out of here,” Rocco said. “I’ll give you an update once I check out what Cindy is complaining about now.”
“See that you do,” Kane said. “And don’t make her wait. Remember, she’s one to keep happy.” Rocco blew a breath out and left. “Is everything okay at the condo building?”
“It’s fine,” she said. “Just need to see some security tapes.”
“For a case?” Daniel asked. “You need a warrant for that.”
Interesting.
“It’s not for a case, but personal,” she said. It wasn’t a lie.
“What’s going on?” Kane asked.
She turned when another guy walked down. “Hi, I’m Trey. I’ve already reviewed the tapes and there were only four people during the time frame. And all are residents.”
Her shoulders dropped. “I figured as much. I’d like to look just the same if you don’t mind.”
“Good seeing you again, Gale,” Kane said. “I’ve got to get home to Ashleigh and the kids.”
“Tell her I said hi,” she said with a wide grin.
Daniel stared at her a second longer than she was comfortable with, then she turned to follow Trey.
After reviewing the tapes, she’d gotten nowhere other than she’d have to watch her back inside her condo complex now.
Talk about frustrating.