Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
PIERCE
Sleep has never been hard for me. I don’t need much of it, and I’m quick to fall asleep and fast to rise.
Last night, however, I slept like shit. All my thoughts were on Tinsley and what she said.
I’d told Biff to back the fuck off, but he didn’t listen.
He’s an entitled prick that has his tiny brain set on revenge.
It was late when I got my computer out to dig into what Tinsley was talking about. I managed to send off a few emails, and I might have spammed that little shit.
I give up on sleep. Sitting up, I throw my legs over the side of the bed, running my hand down my face. I might be pissed the fuck off right now, but I can't help but smile thinking about Tinsley and her hiding under the bed. Fuck, she's adorable. That mischievous side of her turns me on.
I didn't know adorable, cute, and sexy as hell could be wrapped into one tiny package, but here we are. I stand and stretch before I take a quick shower. When I'm done, I grab my laptop and phone, setting them on the table to check my emails.
I'm hoping to see one from Mayor Hollis. He was my way into getting a room here last night through another connection. Hollis and I have crossed paths a few times, but we've never held more than a few conversations. If anyone knows about what Tinsley was talking about, it would be him.
I don't get a chance to read any before my phone starts to go off.
"Pierce," I say, answering the call.
"Pierce, it's Hollis. I got your email." He's quick to get to the point, and is he talking in hushed tones?
"I wanted to thank you for getting me the room and see if we could meet up today."
"I should have pieced together you being here with the resort bullshit." Yes, I'd mentioned that in the email.
"That's not why I'm here, or it hadn't been. To be clear, I'm not on board with this resort shit." Now if Tinsley wanted it, I would be, but she's on the other side. So now I am too.
I’ll fight tooth and nail to stop Biff in his tracks. I was already trying to get my name away from anything he is involved in. He’s gone too far this time, coming after my girl.
“Seems like an awfully big coincidence,” Hollis says. He’s right to be skeptical. He’s originally from the city where everyone knows everyone in the finance world.
“It’s not all a coincidence,” I admit it. “But as I said, I’m not here to put a resort in.”
“Not any resort. A Bilton Inn Resort. It doesn’t get more commercial.”
“Bilton—”
“I know. When I saw the name—” He lets out a sigh. That won’t be an easy strong-arm, and Hollis is aware of that too.
“Let’s meet and see what we can come up with or what connections we might share that we can use together.”
“You’re still in.” I know what the “in” is referring to.
“At the moment, but you—”
“No, I don’t get tangled in that bullshit.
” Hollis has a handful of years on me, but I would have known if he was in.
He didn’t necessarily need the King of Thieves.
The Frost last name has stood on its own for a long time.
His father was a good man, and Hollis had to step in earlier than he should have to take over.
"I'll use whatever pull I need to there. This is wrapped up in the Bradfords." He curses under his breath. I don't tell him it's also wrapped up in Tinsley. I'm not outing her part in this.
"I have a bit of a hold on them, but one is a loose cannon." I hear the sounds of children's laughter in the background.
"I need to get off. Come up to my house this afternoon. I'll email you the time. Keep this shit close to the chest. I don't want this getting out, especially today." I want to ask what today is, but the laughter grows louder, and I hear a woman call out for him. I assume she's his wife.
"Got it. I'm not a resident, so I'm not in on the gossip mill."
"Everyone is in on the gossip mill. You need to learn that real quick around here.
People are talking about Tinsley being in your room last night.
You should be—" He cuts himself off. "This afternoon." Hollis doesn't wait for a confirmation before ending the call. I smile to myself. If there’s one thing I don’t mind people talking about, it’s Tinsley being in my room. As a matter of fact, I rather enjoy it.
I head downstairs to grab a quick coffee before I dig in to all of this more and make a few calls. What I want to know more than anything is where the fuck Biff is.
"Mr. Harte," Betty says when I hit the bottom step. "I'm sorry about the earthquake and the small fire. Things can get a bit strange around here." I don’t even know how she keeps a straight face, but she manages it. It only makes me like this town more.
"I hope nothing important got burnt." I lean up against the tall reception desk.
"We kept it contained." They really are thick as thieves around here. I would prefer this club over the King of Thieves. I don't think they stab each other in the back when push comes to shove. They'll all go down together. “Where are you off to this morning?”
“I wanted to grab some coffee, and then I have some work I need to handle.”
“Oh, what kind of work do you do?” Betty cocks her head to the side, waiting for me to divulge any information she can get her hands on.
“I dabble in a bit of everything.”
“That’s vague.” She calls me right out on my evasiveness.
“Keeps the mystery going.” Her over-colored brows lift, knowing I’m on to them.
“Right.” Betty fights a smile. “I can grab you a cup of coffee, or you can check out the bakery, but I will have breakfast ready soon.”
“I’ll head over to the bakery.” She tells me where it is, along with a few other places in town. I make the short walk over and grab a pastry and coffee before heading back to my room, wanting to be quick.
I could have gotten the coffee from Betty, but the point was to be seen.
I want little tidbits of information about me getting back to Tinsley, and I’m betting everything gets back to her.
I was barely checked-in when she popped up.
I have a feeling there’s not much she doesn’t know in this town. I plan on using that to my advantage.
I pretend to not notice the whispers and glances, which I’m sure links back to Tinsley being in my room.
The townspeople have to be used to random tourists.
It would be fun to linger, but as much fun as I had with Tinsley last night, that all went to shit when I saw the expression on her face when she was talking about the resort being built here.
There was sadness but also betrayal, which has lingered with me the most. For her to feel betrayed by me means she cares because we barely know each other at this point. Or she barely knows me. I can keep getting more and more information on her.
I find what I can about the buying of the land on the outer city limit of New Hope and have more information pulled on a few companies in the mix.
Ones that I’m unaware of. I’m guessing they are shell companies. I continue to look into things until it’s about the time Hollis asked me to be at his house.
He even asked me to go around to a side gate on his property that will be unlocked. Hollis really doesn’t want this getting out. I meet him on his back patio.
“I feel like we’re in a deep operation together.”
“We are. The women in this town could give the CIA a run for their money.” He’s shaking his head but smirking about it.
“Isn’t it only a matter of time?” I ask, following him into the house. He picks up a few toys off the ground when we enter his office.
My mind flashes to having a life like this for myself. Sure, I have always thought one day, but day after day I’ve never attempted to make that happen.
When I was younger, the goal and drive was to acquire all the things I never had. Back then, it was more about money and power. The need to have more control over my own life and money to never go hungry again is what drove me. With money comes freedom.
The desire to have a family of my own lingered in the back of my mind, but my vision of it has been fuzzy.
I thought it was because I didn’t know what a real family was.
That I’d never experienced it for myself, but now it’s becoming more clear.
It’s been fuzzy because I couldn’t picture the woman I’d ever wish for that with.
Then there was Tinsley, barreling into Biff’s office like a little tornado.
It all snapped into place at that moment.
"Yes, Kindred will figure it out soon, and she'll tell my wife, Candy. That will spark a chain of unpredictable events.” Again, he smiles as though he’s been down this road before.
"Tinsley is already hot on your trail. Being in your room and all.
" Hollis sits down in one of the chairs by the fireplace instead of going to his desk. I take the other.
"She knows. I don't know how, but she does. But I do know it's connected to her."
"The girl was in the city for a year. Not even here."
"The past has a way of following you."
"That's the fucking truth." Hollis chuckles.
The story of how he and his wife came together is no secret. I'd vaguely forgotten it and who it was linked to, but I knew of the story. From what I remember, they ended up taking down a growing medical company that was infecting all the others.
I give Hollis the CliffsNotes.
"I swear to Christ. Any time a man is throwing a fit, it's because a smarter woman got one over on him."
"I can't get a hold of Biff. I can make my threats again, but maybe the Biltons would fill in the loans I can pull from him. I'm holding a lot of his banking. There are a few others, but I'm not sure where they stand."
"And I'm guessing they're in a little group that doesn't make it so easy for you to ask because you'd be going after one of your own."
"Yes," I answer, though he already knows. "I pulled a few things and contacts." I hold out the USB for him to take. "You take a look at what I've got and see if you see any plays. I put all the names and such of who is connected. I'd very much prefer that it never leave this circle."
I'd put the names of half a dozen of the King of Thieves in there, but I'm not holding any punches. These are big names, and we might have to pull resources and power. I’ll do whatever it takes so I never see that look on Tinsley’s face again.
"I understand. I do want Cash Hudson in on this.” I nod, having known that was already coming. “When I dug into the town, he was one of the first to pop up on my radar. I'll go over it tonight after my wife goes out. I want them to have a good night."
“Is that the reason you don't want this information to be shared?”
"Yes, Tinsley is back in town, and they're all excited. Plus, it’s her birthday. She's turning twenty-one today."
Fuck me. How did I miss that? I knew her age, but I must have skipped over the month and day trying to consume all the rest of the information about her.
"They'll be at the Frosty Mug after dinner." He gives me a knowing smile.
"Can I ask for a favor?"
"Depends."
"I keep your secret, and you keep mine."
"And what's your secret?"
"Tinsley thinks I'm a lawyer here to do Biff’s bidding." An "oh shit" expression falls over his face.
"Why don't you tell her the truth?"
"What would be the fun in that?"
Hollis lets out a chuckle. "You're going to fit in here better than you know."
I suppose that's the plan, after all.