Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 105708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 352(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 352(@300wpm)
I turn away and walk into my office. About the time I reach my desk, my cellphone buzzes with a text, and I have to sit down when I see it. “Holy Mother of Jesus,” I murmur at the sight of Faith’s uncle, naked, tied up, and with a woman—I think she’s a woman—but whatever the case, he or she is spanking him. Rita’s voice lifts from the lobby, and suddenly Beck is walking into my office without knocking. My intercom buzzes. “I told him to wait,” Rita says. “He’s impossible.”
“Yes, he is,” I say. “But it’s fine. I’ll deal with him.”
Beck’s lips twist sardonically with my comment, and he shuts the door, his dark hair extra spiky today. His T-shirt—an image of a middle finger with “fuck you” printed above it—is somehow appropriate, considering that photo he just sent me. He crosses my office and sits down on the arm of a visitor’s chair—always a rebel, even in the smallest of ways. “You got my good morning calling card, I assume?”
“I did.” I lean back in my chair. “Did he?”
“Not yet,” he says, “and here are my thoughts. We both know that you already decided you’re making your deal with your bank and hers. If her bank simply thought they could cash in on the winery, it’s over. If there’s more to it, it’s not, and we have two sources of potential trouble: someone at the bank and the naked, perversely kinky uncle.” He holds up his hands. “Married uncle. We both know you’ll use your extremely large bank account to influence her bank. I will handle the naked married uncle.”
“I didn’t hire you to fly blind and tape on Band-Aids, Beck.”
“We both like trouble,” he says. “Maybe there isn’t trouble to be found. Until we get the autopsy report, we don’t know, and unless you want to wait on that report, this is where we’re at.”
“Are the cameras in place at her house and the winery?” I ask, concerned about Faith’s safety.
“Yes, and we’re watching her so closely that I can practically tell you what color Faith’s panties are.” He holds up his hands again. “Don’t worry. I’ll ask if I’m curious. I’m curious. What color—”
“Get the fuck out.”
He laughs and heads for the door. The minute he’s out of my office, Rita is inside. “Seems a good bribe works wonders. We have the winery’s new evaluation.”
“How much?” I ask.
“Forty million,” she says. “Five million more than Faith’s note with the bank.”
“Fuck me in a good way. Get Charles—”
“He’s on his way over now. Look over the filing, and I’ll get it done myself. North and the trash can are now one.”
I reach for the documents she needs, do a quick review of the key points, then hand them to her. “File it at four o’clock. I don’t want the bank to have time to get someone to the winery before we end up in court.”
“Can you get an emergency hearing tomorrow? Because the Nichols family is coming in at ten, and you know—”
“How they are. Yes. I do. Plan on Thursday.”
“Got it,” she says. “Is Faith prepared for court? She’ll need something to wear.”
“Fuck. Yes, she will, and no, she isn’t.”
“I can order her some clothes, but I have no idea on shoe size.”
“Negative. If I just order her a wardrobe, she’s going to be pissed.”
She arches a brow, her hands settling at the waist of her navy dress. “Really? Most women would love for a man to buy them clothes. Interesting. I like her already. Did you say—or did I overhear—that she’s working at a gallery here locally?”
“Allure Gallery.”
“I’ll put your black card on file at several boutiques nearby.” She pulls her phone from her pocket and tabs to the gallery. “Chanel and Dolce & Gabbana are two blocks away. I’ll get it done right away.” She glances at me. “When do I meet her?”
“Go file the paperwork and eat a damn donut,” I say.
She smiles and walks toward the door.
She’s barely had time to get there before I’ve sent a text to Beck with the details. Next up, I dial Faith. “Forty million, Faith.”
She breathes out. “Oh, thank God. It’s lower than I expected but still good, and I can’t believe the bank really thought that I’d come in under that.”
“I suspect they would have come in with a much different number than our person came in with. Whatever the case, it’s done. We beat them to the punch.”
“So now what?”
“I work my magic, and you’re not only out of probate, my bank owns your note by the time we return to Sonoma. But I need a complete ledger of all your vendors and outstanding accounts payable.”
“You’re going to pay off the bills, aren’t you?”
“We talked about this, sweetheart.”
“Yes. I know.”
“And?”
“And I’ll have Kasey and Rita connect. Does that work?”