28. Hardy
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Hardy
In a daze, I wander to my truck, parked out front. I can still smell her perfume, feel her against me. Her heat, her soft body, pliable under my touch. Why didn’t I kiss her? Because she’s someone else’s.
Around the corner, a figure gets my attention. A man leans against my truck. At first, I think it’s Walker, but at a closer look, I see it isn’t. I’ve seen this man before. He smiles at me like he knows me. What the hell? I scan my surroundings as the hair on my neck stands on end. This ain’t good.
“What’s up, man?” He nods at me as I approach.
“Not much. Can I help you?” I eye him as he winks at me. What the fuck is this shit?
“Nope. But I can help you.” Pushing off my truck, he stands with his hands in his pockets. So he’s not about to kill me.
“How’s that?” I jerk my head toward him.
“I have the information you need.” Really? I cock my eyebrow at his words.
“And?” I say, trying to remain calm; I don’t want to show my hand too soon.
“It’s about Erica, you… And Walker.” What the fuck did he just say?
“I’m listening.” I begin to shift from foot to foot.
“For the right amount of money, I can deliver that luscious piece of ass to your door.” Tipping back on my heels, I fist my hands. Prick.
“More.” I gesture in his direction again.
“Walker made a purchase a few weeks back of some crucial information. He shredded it. Now, it’ll cost you a little more than it did him—he’s a friend, you know.” Oh, yeah fucker, I know.
“How much?” My face flames at the thought of Thayer being the prize. Yes, she’s more than worth every cent, but the idea of her hanging in the balance fucking enrages me.
“$250,000 will get you every shred. No pun intended.” He chuckles; I suppose he thinks he’s a funny guy.
“How can I get in contact with you?” He hands me a card with a number on it before walking away.
Forgetting I don’t have a home, I go over to Chords. Lulu’s here, so I use the critical Chord gave me. Unlocking the door, I take my jacket off, tossing it on the back of the couch. Chord walks through the door shortly after.
“Damn, dude. I thought you were going to kiss her. Way to not overplay your hand.” He punches me in the arm as he walks by. Then, a knock at the door. One walks through with Cal. What the hell is going on?
“I rode with Dad, so Hadlea could get the kids home. What’s up, Chord?” Chord turns the corner with four beers and a shit-eating grin.
“Well, it would be better if Hardy told it, but I’m betting he won’t. I’m sure he plans to empty his bank account for the fucker in the amount of a quarter of a million. Right?” One and Cal’s mouths hang open as they turn to look at me.
I look at him incredulously. “Are you a ninja? Damn. Here, he’s right about the amount. Something about confidential information about Erica and me. Oh, and Walker.” Their eyes snap back to me for more explanation, so I give them the low down.
“So we have no clue what he has?” Cal asks immediately.
“No, none. But Walker does. He paid less than me, but the point is, gentlemen, he paid.” I finish my beer as One picks up his phone.
“Hey, baby. We’re good. Would you mind giving me Kipton’s number?
We have a situation. No. I’ll program it at this time, babe.
Thank you. I think we’re good. Hardy’s going to empty his bank account to get intel on his life from a stranger.
It involves Walker also. A quarter of a million.
I’ll tell him. Okay, in the morning. I love you, you know that?
Good. I’ll be home soon.” One smiles at his phone as he ends the call.
He looks up to find all three of us grinning ridiculously at him. “What? She’s badass.”
“Yeah, we heard.” We laugh as he continues.
“Yeah, my badass is also a quarter of a million short. It’ll be there first thing in the morning. I’d expect more, to be honest.” He holds his hands up in defense. “No, don’t try to argue, she’ll just cry, and I’ll have to junk-punch you. Take my wife’s money.” I sit, stunned as they laugh.
“Wait. What?” I fight back the tears.
“Listen. Keep her money, use your own, but don’t think for a second if she didn’t, I wouldn’t have.
You’re family. It’s about you now more than Thayer.
You have a right to know about your life.
It's bullshit someone else knows before you.” I acknowledge him with a nod of my head while he calls Kipton.
We find out Kipton had hired Chet Norwood to check into my background in Charleston when they thought I was missing. The information being shopped around is Lea’s anyway. He’s going to try to get it, but he’s pretty mad he was duped.
I text this guy, Chet, and arrange to meet him the next day. Trouble is, he knows everyone in Thayer’s family, so he might not want to deal. One calls Aksel.
Aksel shows up on his Harley, wearing a leather coat.
He fits the part of my kind of friend, even if he does work for his parents and is worth as much as One.
I find it funny. Lea’s my kind of person.
One and his family never treated her differently; why did I ever think they would treat me differently? I’m such an asshole.
Climbing onto the back of Aksel’s bike, we head out to meet Mr. Chet ‘Dirtbag’ Norwood. My backpack is stuffed with hundreds of bills. Aksel has one also. The bank flipped shit when I started stacking it in them. It still makes me chuckle.
Pulling up, no one is here yet. I told him to meet me at Still Creek. Appropriate, right? We dismount and lay the bags at our feet between the bike and us. For the first time, I feel uneasy. If Aksel gets hurt, Lea will kill me. Fuck, I shouldn’t have agreed to this.
“Aksel?” Glancing over at him, he looks back at me.
“Yeah, Uncle Hardy?” Damn. Now I get it. I never could understand when One said that he gets all kinds of warmth inside when his kids call him Dad. It’s a special love only a few share. At this moment, I know he’s my nephew, and he loves me.
“If something goes down, I need you to hit the ground. Okay? If you get hurt or worse, killed, it would finish me, man. So eyes open.” He nods.
“I love you too, dude.” He smiles wide.
“I love you; I’m sorry I never told you before.” My chest aches from this kid’s smile.
“It’s okay. Mom was just like you, but look what Dad’s love did for her. Believe in it.” Shutting my eyes tight, I fight off the tears until I hear tires on the gravel. Snapping them open, I know this is it.
I steady my nerves; I have no clue what could be in these papers. Chet comes to a stop just behind the bike. I angle my body between him and Aksel; no way is he getting to this kid. Tucked under his arm is a manila envelope, thick enough that he holds it with his hand to keep from losing it.
“Hardison Casey Turner. Damn good day to see you. How are you?” He shoves his hand out in front of him, and I take it with a tight squeeze.
“Good. Glad you’re here. Let’s get this done.” Bending over, I grab a bag and toss it at his feet. Aksel hands me the second one, and I throw it over the same way.
Chet looks at his feet, then back at us before squatting and unzipping a bag. Grabbing a stack, he lifts it up to eye level to check it out. Glancing up at me, he grabs another stack as he stands. His thumb drags across the stack of bills. Sniffing it, he then tosses them at Aksel.
“Here you go, kid, go have some fun on me. Nice doing business with you, guys.” He hands over the envelope as Aksel begins to laugh. “What’s so funny?” Chet sneers at him. I have to chuckle.
“I made this last week, dude. Chump change for a fucking chump.” Aksel tosses it back at Chet, who stands there with his brow furrowed in confusion.
With all the chit-chat, we forgot about the cavalry arriving. Cal, One, Kipton, and the state police show up as if on cue. After all is said and done, I stand looking over the pond Thayer, and I spent so many days at. I send up a silent prayer that she comes back to me.
Soon after the scene with Chet is cleared up, we drive over to One’s office. Laying out the papers, we comb through them, looking for any information we feel Walker would think was important enough to keep from Thayer.
“Has anyone found anything?” Cal asks the group. Chord, Kipton, and myself look up from our stack of papers. Everyone shook their heads in unison, except One. He sits, staring at me as his outstretched hand holds a single piece of paper.
“What is it? Just tell me,” I plead with him, grasping my hands, trying to quiet my nerves.
“Read it,” he encourages me. I shake my head slightly.
“It’s Erica’s autopsy. I looked over it a few times, but on this pass, I actually read it. You need to read this, Hardy. This is what Walker is hiding.” Scanning the room, all I see is love.
“Son, this is your family. And Thayer may be mad as hell at you right now, but she loves you. Read the damn paper; she deserves the truth.” Pointing to the paper, Kipton chokes up on the last words.
Standing, I walk to One. I take the paper from his hand and wander to the window. As I read the autopsy, I see exactly why this is so important. And why I’ve been so wrong to not believe in us. Thayer’s always been right about me. I’m a better man than even I know. Her faith in me has paid off.
Now, the question is can I use this to hurt her? No matter how this goes down, we’re all affected by the information in this autopsy. Why Eric never shared this, I have no clue. He could’ve gotten so much more than just my car.
And Walker. He knew exactly what this information meant to all of us.
Why hide this? What does he have to gain by hiding something like this from me, from Thayer?
She’s the only person that’s going to get hurt with what’s in this report.
The hurt that only lies can inflict. Lies that can and will destroy.