Total pages in book: 211
Estimated words: 201554 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1008(@200wpm)___ 806(@250wpm)___ 672(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 201554 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1008(@200wpm)___ 806(@250wpm)___ 672(@300wpm)
In other words, he’s not talking to me with Harper present, which at this point is illogical, as she’ll ask me about it later.
Harper steps in front of me, offering her back to Blake and Grayson. “I’m going with Grayson. You go with Blake.” She gives me a tiny nod, silently telling me this is fine. She’s fine. We’re fine. “I’ll find you when we’re done.” With this, she rotates on her heels, and indicates her readiness to Grayson.
Grayson and I share a look filled with unspoken words. He’s worried about what this is all about and where it leads, and so am I. He motions to Harper and the two of them walk away. I stand flat-footed right where I am, waiting until the glass doors to the lobby close with their departure before I level Blake in a hard stare. “I have a massive contract to negotiate today. Whatever this is—”
“Can’t wait.” He scrubs his jaw. “Look, man, I don’t like to throw heavy shit on you before a big meeting. I get it. The NFL is big, but so is this and you need to know before you walk into a meeting and get sideswiped by bad press.”
I go still. “What bad press?”
“Can we get a room or something?”
I grimace and motion him toward the lobby doors and a minute later we’re in a small conference room, sitting across from each other at a small round table. I don’t sit down, my arms folding in front of me. “You have my undivided attention.”
“Harper’s mother is having a meltdown,” he says.
“When is she not having a meltdown?”
“She wants to call the police and the press to tell them that you attacked your father because he denied your mother cancer treatments. She says she has proof you know about it.”
“That’s an amusing and now tiresome premise,” I say dryly. “But she’s not going to the damn press. That would fuck up her perfect world.”
“You sure about that?”
“Yes, I’m sure. And as for my father denying my mother treatment, I know about it, yes, because she told Harper, and Harper told me after my father was already in the hospital.”
“She says one of the nurses from the hospital in Germany where the treatment was denied will confirm you went there, and you met with them.”
Irritation tics in my jaw. “I did. What else?”
“You did?”
“You want to know why,” I say, my finger steepling in front of me, elbows on the arms of the chair.
“Yes, I need to know why. I’m part of your defense.”
That tic in my jaw intensifies. “It was years later, after I turned eighteen. I battled with why my mother killed herself. Some part of me needed to hear she probably would have died anyway. And you know what? If her mother wants to come at me. Let her come. I didn’t put him in the hospital. What else, Blake?” I press, sensing there’s more.
“Your father met with the new head of the mob a few weeks ago, and Harper’s mother was with him. Does that mean that she’s involved in all of this? No, but I don’t see how she’s blind as a bat either. You have to see where that leads.”
“Speak frankly, Blake. I enjoy a puzzle, but I have a meeting to attend. Where are you going with this?”
“Harper—”
“Did not know about the mob. She’s not involved. And you’re about to piss me the fuck off.”
“Her mother is all she has,” he counters, still pushing. “How far would she go to protect her?”
He’s doing his job, which, unfortunately, would make me punching him inappropriate. But then, Isaac has a way of making me want to punch someone I never get to fucking punch. I change the subject. “What about the birth certificates?”
“We found Isaac’s and it looks fine, but I did some digging. There was an amendment to it filed several years back and I can’t get to the original. All versions were destroyed. The other birth certificate is a man named Ryan Kensey. Does he sound familiar to you?”
“Not at all. I need an address. I want to go see him. Now. Tonight. I’ll charter a plane.”
“Impossible. He died a few years ago. We’re looking for a connection between him and the family. More soon.”
“How did he die?”
“A car accident.”
Alarms go off in my head. “Find out the details on that accident. Compare them to the accident Isaac’s mother had years back.”
His inspection turns probing. “You think Isaac killed his mother and Kensey?”
“Look closer. Answer that question with facts.”
“All right then, back to Harper’s mother. I can’t hold her prisoner. That’s kidnapping. If she wants to use her phone, I have to let her use her phone.”
I pull out my cellphone and dial Grayson. “Is Harper standing there with you?”
“We’re taking a tour.”
“I need her. Now. Lobby conference room.”