Total pages in book: 146
Estimated words: 141951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 710(@200wpm)___ 568(@250wpm)___ 473(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 141951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 710(@200wpm)___ 568(@250wpm)___ 473(@300wpm)
Delaney did a quick survey of the paper—noting it had been printed for release that very morning. The first line of the article didn’t exactly leave her with a hopeful feeling, either.
The infamously private Dalton family faces unprecedented times with major changes on the horizon, and discontent dribbling down from the top. The article continued on to discuss the return of Ronald Dalton to the brewery in the city, before his position had even been properly filled in the west, and the mess that would certainly cause for the company as they struggled to keep things going without issues on both ends of the country.
An impossible feat, according to the writer.
The article didn’t go easy on Lucas, either, proclaiming the oldest Dalton son had not returned to work since the passing of his only sibling, despite the instability facing his family’s brewery. The story, with more details about the Dalton family’s shaky history of public feuds between fathers and sons, going back at least two generations, and the recent troubles stemming from Jacob’s passing, continued on page three, but Delaney didn’t read very far into that.
How dare the public speculate about a private man that way? She understood the Dalton Brewery company held prestige and power in the province, but Lucas didn’t seem like the type to want his face and personal life speculated about on a platform for anyone to see, either.
She couldn’t imagine Lucas reading it.
Why should she?
“I had not seen that,” Delaney told her boss, pushing the paper back across the table. “Did you say someone had called you and left messages?”
Linda’s expressive eyebrows, which could animate her whole face, pinched together at the question. “They started two days after you left, actually. All from the same man, if I’m to trust how he introduced himself each time. Ronald Dalton.”
“Lucas’ father.”
More sympathy stared back from her boss.
“I take it you didn’t know the family was troubled when you fell into whatever situation you’re in with Mr. Dalton?”
“Lucas,” Delaney corrected.
Mr. Dalton sounded like something his father would demand to be called. She knew for a fact that Lucas had already cleared that nonsense up with Linda once.
“Right, Lucas,” her boss repeated. “But you didn’t know—about his family, or father?”
“I didn’t know his father was aware that I had left town for a few days with him at all, no,” Delaney agreed.
The other bit …
Lucas made it clear there were issues in his family.
She wouldn’t share them, though.
Linda nodded, and stuck the newspaper into her purse before bringing her attention back to the table once more. “I was sorry to hear about his brother.”
“Me, too,” Delaney murmured.
Her boss glanced down at the tabletop between them. “I only answered one of his father’s calls, and immediately got the feeling he was trying to fish for information. It could have been because he instantly questioned how often his son visited the salon when he came to town, but then he called you out by name—specifically, that your name matched the one on a flight record he had access to through his business.”
“We did take a helicopter to the place we stayed,” Delaney said. “And to come back, but—”
“How did he connect your name on a flight record to the place where you work, Delaney?”
She didn’t need Linda’s tone to tell her that piece of information was concerning.
“He’s never even met me,” she said faintly. “I don’t understand why the man would be trying to find me, I mean … I’m nobody to him.”
That was weird, right?
Linda shrugged, asking, “Would he have access to calendars or online schedules for Lucas that might have listed you? I suspect his phone and things probably sync to the company’s home office system. Would there be a reason Ronald Dalton had to seek you out?”
Delaney had no clue.
“I didn’t mean to cause you any trouble, Linda,” she told her boss.
“Ah, you didn’t,” Linda replied, grinning a bit. “I might have had a little fun dodging his calls and messages, anyway. I’m not sure what he was trying to prove, but it did nothing. I’m certainly not going to fire you over all of this.”
Lucky it worked out.
Delaney still felt … off.
Or something about the situation did.
Could it be possible Lucas didn’t know his father had purposely tried to seek Delaney out behind his son’s back?
Her gaze traveled to the elbow of the newspaper still sticking out from Linda’s purse. A more prominent question came to her mind at the sight.
Would knowing his father had done so make an already bad situation brewing in his family even worse?
“Is that why you wanted to have lunch?” she asked Linda. “To give me a heads up about the calls and whatnot?”
Linda nodded, but winked, too. “Partly, but something told me to just check in on you, too. I know you’ve had a rough couple of months, Delaney.”