Beauty and the Boss, page 28
already.”
“Get out of here with all that.”
“I will, but know that I’ll always be back.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
“Wow,” Sawyer said when they pulled to the front of
Ellis’s building. The doorman got their bags, then, after
Ellis’s tip, promised to completely lose his memory about
seeing them. “Wow,” Sawyer said again when they got
upstairs.
“Glad you like the place, or hopefully that’s what all the
wows are for.” Ellis glanced around the main room and
noticed just how unwelcoming and the opposite of homey it
was. She’d had the apartment professionally decorated, but
now she planned to let Charlotte and Sawyer have the run
of the place. Maybe they could make it feel like she did in
the house in New Orleans. “Let’s see where you want to
sleep.”
“I can sleep in here,” Sawyer said, sitting on the large
sectional couch. “Like I did at Miss Brandi’s.”
“I think you might be here longer than that, so go ahead
and pick a room so you can avoid Uncle Malcom’s early
morning baking sessions.” They took a tour, and Sawyer
chose the room with the most windows. She and Charlotte
helped Sawyer set up her easel and unpack all her supplies,
so she was happy.
“What’s this?” Sawyer asked when Ellis handed over the
two sketchbooks Malcom had given her.
“These were mine when I was your age, so you have
proof of how much better you are than I was. It’s a gift from
Uncle Malcom and his way of telling you how great he thinks
you are.”
“Thanks.” Sawyer held them against her chest like they
were a valuable treasure.
“Can I talk to you and your mom for a bit? Then you can
paint if you want.” They walked to the kitchen, and she
laughed when she didn’t have anything to offer them but
soft drinks and coffee. “First, I know we talked about your
dad before, and you know that he wants to fight your mom
so you’ll go live with him.”
“Please. I don’t want to go. I don’t want to see him.”
“You’re not going anywhere, neither of you, if I have
anything to say about it.” She put her arm around Sawyer
and smiled at Charlotte. “I just want you to take your time
making a decision, and remember that both your mom and I
will be okay and support whatever you decide.” She held
Sawyer tight for another moment, then let go so as not to
influence what she was going to say.
Sawyer stared at both of them for a long pause before
taking a deep breath. “It’s always been just me and Mom,
and she takes care of me. That’s all I want, but no one ever
asked me what I want except you. I like drawing, and I liked
spending time with you this summer.”
“Thanks, and I’m always going to be honest with you and
ask what you want. I might not be able to give it to you, but
I’ll try my hardest. Now I have a question for your mom.”
She took Charlotte’s hand and held the other one out for
Sawyer. “I was serious about wanting a future with both of
you, and even though this will sound really fast, how about
you and Sawyer move in here with me and help me put
some stuff on the walls? This place looks too much like a
mausoleum.”
“Are you kidding?” Charlotte and Sawyer said together.
“If you want to go home, you can, but at least think
about it.”
“I don’t know about Mom, but I’m staying,” Sawyer
yelled.
“Good.” She glanced at her phone and saw it was Liam.
“Sorry, guys, but I’ve got to answer this one. Hey, what’s
up?”
“Your first appointment is waiting for you at the deli down
the street. Do you want me to go? I might break a nail if
there’s a fight, but I’m there if you need me.”
She laughed. “I appreciate it, but I’ll be okay.” Charlotte
and Sawyer had their heads together, so she grabbed her
wallet and told them she wouldn’t be long. “Mama should
be here in about an hour so tell her not to worry about
dinner. I’ll pick something up.”
“Are you going to be okay?” Charlotte asked.
“You need to stay here for this one, but I do need you to
do one thing while I’m gone.”
“Whatever you want.”
She put her hand on the back of Charlotte’s neck and
brought her closer so she could kiss her. “Pick a room too,
but make sure it’s the last one down the hall that has the
big bed and balcony in it.”
“I think you’re trying to distract me, so tell me where
you’re going.”
She kissed Charlotte again and shook her head. “I’m
getting you a birthday present.”
“My birthday’s months away.”
“I’m a planner, baby, so stay home and don’t worry
about anything.”
“That’s my job now when it comes to you, so live with it.”
“I’m counting on that too, so thanks.”
* * *
Ellis waved to her regular waiter and pointed Bill toward
the table in back. When Liam had invited Kyle here, he’d
obviously told him lunch was included, she guessed, when
she saw how many plates he had in front of him. She
hesitated when the reality of the fact that this guy was her
half brother hit her right in the heart. That wasn’t something
her brain had fully computed yet, and it was still such a
wacky concept she hadn’t even said the words out loud,
because once she did it would be all too real.
“You ready?” Bill asked.
“Yeah. If you tell me I’m the better-looking one in the
family,” she said jokingly.
“Hello,” she said, sitting across from Kyle and startling
him enough that he came close to spitting a mouth full of
pickle at her. “Thanks for coming.”
“Who the fuck are you?”
“Sorry. I’m Ellis Renois. I believe you forced Charlotte
Hamner into stealing from me. Does that sound at all
familiar?”
“I didn’t do nothing, so I don’t have to listen to this,” Kyle
said with his mouth still full.
“You probably did better with picture books in school, so
let me help you out.” She started putting all the pictures
that Tori’s people had taken in front of him, slamming her
finger down each time. “This is my favorite.”
The picture was of him accepting an envelope of money
from Jennifer in exchange for something small. “The flash
drive you handed her had my entire portfolio of sketches on
it, so how much was it worth to her?”
“You can’t prove nothing.”
“You’re right. I can’t prove anything. I am, though, going
to turn all this over to the guys in drab-gray suits
investigating the theft. The only thing you’ve got to look
forward to is the interest your money will be making when
you spend years in jail.”
“What’s the deal then, since you didn’t go to the cops
first?” He was good at acting cool since he went back to
eating, but he was way out of his depth.
“How much did she give you?”
“Seventy-five grand.”
“You should’ve asked for at least double that.” She
handed the pictures back to Bill and rested her hands on her
knees. “That’s what I’m willing to give you if you tell the
cops that’s what Jennifer paid you to do.”
“You’re going to give me double for doing that?”
“You give a statement today, and I sure will.” He gave her
the creeps, but she kept smiling. They might’ve shared half
their DNA, but they were nothing alike. It made her wonder
what his mother was like.
“I never liked that bitch anyway, so sure.” He laughed as
he shoved a wad of corned beef in his mouth with his
fingers. “Wait, this is a setup, isn’t it?” Kyle looked directly
over her shoulder toward the door, and she didn’t need to
turn around to see who was there.
“Do you need to ask him?” she said while Bill glanced
between them. She’d promised Malcom not to drag Eglin
into their lives, but she was curious about him. He had to be
halfway charming to have interested Amis all those years
ago. “You can. I’m not in a rush.”
Eglin Snyder appeared next to her, or she thought it was
him since she refused to look up. He sat and shrugged at
Kyle. “What the hell is this?”
“I offered your son a hundred and fifty thousand dollars
to give a statement about the deal he made for the theft of
my intellectual property.” She slowly turned her head and,
on first impression, found Eglin handsome. His hair still held
some of the original color at the top, but the sides had the
white that came with age. It was strange seeing such a
strong resemblance to her own face in a man she didn’t
know at all.
“Does he look stupid?”
Her smile widened, which made Bill put his hand over his
mouth, she was sure to muffle his laughter. “Do you really
want me to answer that?”
“Who the hell is this bitch?” Eglin asked, and she
wondered what aside from a pretty face her mother had
ever seen in this guy.
“I’m the bitch you and the genius stole from, and I’m
here to say that I really didn’t appreciate it.”
“You don’t know shit,” Eglin said, and Kyle made a
slashing motion at his throat with his hand. “You didn’t say
anything, did you?” he asked Kyle, pointing his finger about
an inch from his face.
“He doesn’t need to. I’ve got it all, including your part in
this, on all these glossies showing you stealing my shit, as
you so eloquently put it. Now the choice is the money I’m
offering or court.”
“It’s obviously worth it to you for him to talk.” His smile
appeared cruel, but it did bring out the family resemblance
even more. Did he not see how much alike they looked?
“My philosophy is, there’s the easy way or the hard way.”
“What do you know about the hard way?” Eglin laughed,
and for the first time in her life she wanted to hit someone
until they bled.
“This is my attorney, Bill Tangren.” She waved at her
friend. “Bill,” she said, cuing him.
“I’ve had an investigative team following all the major
players from the beginning of this scam. You don’t take this
deal, and we’ll turn all the information over to the police.
Then I’ll see you in court again for the civil suit I’ll be filing.
If the time and effort it’ll take to defend yourself doesn’t
break you, losing every one of your assets will.” Bill took
another couple of sheets out and handed them over.
“I don’t care about your crappy cars, the semi, the house,
and the very little money, but I’m going to treat all of it like
you treated my property.” She wanted this over, so she
spoke in the kind of terms people like Eglin and Kyle
understood. Her boot was on their throat, so if they wanted
any kind of mercy, they’d come to see things her way.
“So he confesses and you’re not going to prosecute?”
Eglin peered up at her briefly but didn’t seem to be able to
take his eyes off the paper he held.
“You’re either with me with your pockets full of money, or
you’re against me with not one shitty thing to your name.”
“I’ll do whatever you need me to do,” Kyle said.
“Half now and the other half after you give your
statement.”
“Where do I need to go?”
“That’s one reason Bill’s here.” Bill put a paper in front of
him and handed over a pen.
“What the hell is this?” Kyle asked.
“It’s a little insurance that you don’t take my money and
then not give a statement. Jennifer might’ve trusted you,
but I don’t.” She tapped the line where he had to sign.
“This is sounding hinkier by the second,” Eglin said, loud
enough to attract attention.
“Okay. Don’t sign it,” she said, standing up.
“I still get the money?” Kyle sounded completely serious.
“You get to go to jail, and I’ll call in every favor I’m owed
to make sure you end up with a large roommate who’ll
develop the hots for you. If all this money seemed way too
good and way too easy to make—it was. You stole from
more than just me, Mr. Snyder, and your actions would have
driven a lot of people out of work. You have to pay the
consequences, and I’m never going to stop trying to collect.
In terms you understand, it’s simple. You fucked with the
wrong bitch.”
“Let’s go, Ellis. The detectives are waiting on us,” Bill
said.
“Wait, just wait. The boy said he’d do it,” Eglin said, his
hands up and out. “I fucking told you this was bad news,” he
said to Kyle.
“Sign it,” she said, and Kyle did, followed by Eglin.
“That’s it?” Kyle asked as he accepted the envelope she
handed over. “I want cash,” he said when he saw the check.
“And I want all the time I wasted creating a new line this
summer back, but that’s not likely.”
“Okay already.” He shoved the check into his pocket. “Is
that it besides talking to the cops?”
“One more thing, but this one is for a friend.” She let Bill
lay out all the necessary paperwork before she started
making her case. “Charlotte requested something from you
in exchange for what you asked for, but you changed your
mind about that too. I’m asking you to give her what she
wants.”
“You fucking fired her, so why would you care?” He
wasn’t as loud as Eglin, but his tone carried menace.
“I reacted to what happened, but I understand now what
you threatened her with. You told her you were going to take
her daughter away. Whose idea was that?”
Kyle glared at her but just as fast looked away. “Jennifer
needed Charlotte to think I would and panic. She had me
calling all the time so she’d be worried about losing Sawyer,
but I wasn’t going to do that. I just needed to make it so
she’d give me what I wanted to make it stop.”
“Think about Sawyer now and sign the papers. You’ll be
released from your obligation but not necessarily lose
Sawyer.”
“What do you mean?”
“Your daughter talked to me this summer, Mr. Snyder.
She’s too young to completely understand what cutting you
totally out of her life means, but she doesn’t want to have to
come with you only to be dumped at your mom’s.”
“You don’t know my kid.” This time he yelled.
“I know her because I took the time to get to know her,
and more importantly, I asked her what she wants. She’s a
good kid who doesn’t want to spend time with people who
bad-mouth her mother. Sign it.” She picked up the pen and
held it out to him. “You know it’s the right thing to do.”
Kyle took it and put it to the page, and she was shocked
until he stopped. “What’s this worth to you?” That question
didn’t shock her. She’d expected it.
“This is what it’s worth to me.” She took a bankbook out
of her pocket and handed it over. She’d made the deposit
before they’d flown home.
“Fuck,” Kyle whispered, his facial expression registering
so much shock that Eglin snatched it from his hand and
stared at it.
“My name will stay on the account until this becomes
legally binding. You have the right to change your mind, but
think of that as your reward for doing the right thing.”
“Do I know you?” Eglin asked, squinting his eyes.
“No, you don’t. Not at all.” The irony of that truth was
both sad and hilarious.
“Are you sure? You look so familiar.”
“You and your son are memorable, so I’m sure I’d
remember if we’d met.”
With the bankbook in hand, Kyle signed the papers
everywhere Bill pointed as fast as he could manage, as if he
thought she’d change her mind. “Thirty days, right?” he
asked.
“I’m sure all that money will gain interest by then, so it’s
a win-win.” She offered him her hand and sealed the deal.
“Bill will take it from here, so I’ll see you in a month in family
court. We’ll take a trip to the bank after that.”
