Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 121871 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121871 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
“Mum—”
My mother waved her hand to end the conversation. “I’ll talk to my granddaughter.”
A mountain of guilt rode my shoulders as I left Mum to watch my daughter and head into the office. I hadn’t heard back from my solicitor yet, but I hoped once it hit nine o’clock, I’d get a call informing me the emergency order had gone through and Kelly was mine permanently while they investigated Jill.
First, I had to deal with this Joshua Hughes person.
Fraser met me at the office and proudly revealed his wee puffin statue. Sure enough, no one would know it was a camera unless they got a good look at it. We faffed about with it on my desk until we felt it looked like it belonged there.
“I told everyone to come in half an hour later,” Fraser said as we waited anxiously for this prick to appear. “So you could have privacy and a better chance of a clear recording of the conversation.”
We weren’t just relying on the puffin camera. I had my phone strapped under the desk on the side Hughes would be sitting and as soon as we saw his car pull up, I’d hit record.
“What’s the plan here, cuz? I mean, the big-picture plan?”
Stubborn fury steeled my voice as I replied, “To take this to the police and let them deal with it.”
“These guys are seriously fucking dangerous. They planted one of their own in Jill and Kelly’s life.”
Aye, and it was the very reason I couldn’t sleep last night. Every time I closed my eyes, I thought about having stood in the kitchen with Dorian Walsh, walking out of that house, leaving my daughter there with a criminal. A sociopathic criminal for all I knew.
The sound of gravel under tires cut off whatever Fraser was about to say next. I rounded my desk and hit record on the phone as my cousin went to let Joshua Hughes into the office.
He was younger than I expected. Probably only in his early twenties. Good-looking, clean cut. There was an arrogant swagger to his walk as he followed Fraser into my office. The arsehole had the audacity to hold out his hand to me to shake.
I stared at it like it was filth and turned my back on him, silently telling him I wasn’t afraid of him.
I sat down and gestured to the seat in front of my desk. “You wanted to talk. Talk.”
“You’re understandably upset, Mr. Shaw.” Hughes folded himself into the chair, crossing one leg over the other, casual and unbothered as if we were just sitting down to have a normal business conversation. “I want to assure you, however, that our proposal is going to benefit you as well.”
“What exactly is your proposal, Joshua?”
The right corner of his mouth quirked upward and then he looked around the room, glancing up into the corners and then studying the bookshelves behind my desk. “Are there recording devices in the room?”
“Why would there be recording devices?” I asked blandly.
“There is CCTV on the front of the property,” Fraser offered, leaning back against the wall, arms crossed. I was proud of how calm he appeared. Totally unruffled. “So you’ve been recorded coming into the building. But it’s illegal to film your employees without permission, so there’s no CCTV inside since we don’t carry anything of physical value in the office.”
“Even so … before we begin, I’d like to ask you both to hand over your phones to me. Just until our conversation is over.”
“Fuck you,” Fraser replied blandly. “You’re the one who wanted the meeting. You don’t get to dictate shit.”
“It’s fine.” I let out a sharp huff as I pulled open my desk drawer and retrieved my old phone I’d brought along just for this purpose. I pretended to switch it off. “There, it’s even turned off for you.” With a flick of my wrist, I sent it spinning across the desk to him.
Hughes caught it with a nod of thanks and then he took Fraser’s phone. “Both switched off. Great. Now we can proceed.”
“Then proceed. I have a business to run.”
“A very successful business, Mr. Shaw. My bosses wanted to send along their congratulations. You’ve taken a small family enterprise and turned it into a fishing empire.”
I felt nothing but contempt for the prick. “Enough blowin’ smoke up my arse. Who are your bosses and what the fuck do you want?”
“Fair enough. I work for the Walsh brothers. They’re enterprising people themselves, and run a very successful organization. The youngest brother, Dorian, had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of your ex-wife Jill.”
“You mean the bastard who’s in prison for drug possession and dealing?”
“Out on bail now. So is your wife, in case you were wondering.”
“Ex-wife. Did you pay her bail?”
“Dorian did.”
“In exchange for her silence?”
Joshua shrugged. “The good news is the mother of your daughter is no longer in jail, which means Kelly can return to Jill.”