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“What the hell?”
Lourdes is silent.
I watch as Farley’s ugly mug is close up to the camera. He must be teetering on a ladder in order to reach. He curses to himself. Tampering with the equipment.
“Farley’s behind this?”
On the footage, he smiles and disappears as the footage changes to the empty hallway as if he was never even there.
“I can’t say for certain, however it’s very clear he tampered with the security footage. Used a signal jam in order to replay the footage that led our security officers astray.”
“Why? Why wouldhe do this?”
Lourdes shrugs. “I don’t know. But I wanted to show you before I showed the police.”
I look at her hard.
I know Lourdes came to me before the police because sometimes, it’s easier to deal with things ourselves rather than create a scandal. It great to know that she has loyalty to Lyons Club.
Farley might not, but Lourdes does. As do so many others.
“Thank you, Lourdes. This is…above and beyond.”
She smiles, a simple twist of her lips to the side. “It is the least I can do, given what happened.”
We both stand, and I go to her, placing my hands on her shoulders. “I’m sorry for the things I said. I was…” Angry is not an excuse. “Scared.”
“I understand.”
I make a mental note to give Lourdes a raise. “Let’s keep this information between you and me for now. I want to deal with Farley myself.”
Lourdes nods.
We say our goodbyes as I walk her out.
Once I am alone in the hallway, I pause to consider what I’ve learned.
Farley, my chief operations officer, has betrayed me. He put his balls into undercutting me and harming the woman I love. He’s lucky we don’t live in some lawless time because I think I have enough fury inside me to murder the guy.
When I turn to head back to the dining room, Sonia is standing in the hall. Her face is bereaved.
“Farley?”
My heart pounds. “You heard?”
She nods. “I had a feeling this might be about…that night. I wanted to hear. And...” She sighs. “Really?Farley?”
I hold my arm out to her. “Come here.”
“He wasn’t there. I would have recognized him. The man was too big, and the other person was a woman and–”
“He must have had co-conspirators, or maybe he hired the people who were there.”
Sonia is quiet for a moment. “But why?”
I close the space between us, winding her in my arms, up against my chest. “Why does anyone do anything?”
Why did Sonia and I find each other? Why did we fall in love? Why did Nate change his mind about Lyons? Why did Sonia’s father gamble his life away? Why, why, why?
