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His smile didn’t waver. “That land deal was totally aboveboard. It was well documented. I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Really? The real estate appraisers might have a different take on that.”
His smile finally broke. Apparently Nicole had left out a few things when she’d spoken to him. Charlie had interrogated people before, and she’d sat in on some pretty intense questioning in Las Vegas. Nicole had been a piece of cake.
Thanks to Nicole, Charlie knew all about the land deal. Nicole had wanted a secret stash of money so she could eventually leave her husband, so when her husband had started talks with Keith Taggert about the land sale, she and Keith had hatched a plan. Nicole would pay off the appraisers to low-ball the land value. Brad, who wasn’t known for having the best scruples, would be brought in as a middleman to buy the land, with the plan that he’d sell it to Keith at a much higher cost just a few months later. And then they’d all split the profit and live happily ever after. Keith would basically take money straight from his investors to line his own pockets, Nicole would slip her portion into a secret account, and Brad would make a nice little sum for his troubles.
But Brad’s wife had filed for divorce and frozen all the assets only two days after Brad had sold the land to the Taggerts’ resort. There was no way to slip 1.5 million dollars out of that sticky net. Keith Taggert had been counting on the money, and he hadn’t been willing to wait years for the divorce to be final, especially if the settlement meant there’d be less cash left to divvy up.
So Brad had offered up a temporary alternative to keep Keith happy: Charlie. Too bad she wasn’t interested in playing.
“I’m not going to be part of whatever plan you have, so you can drop it, Keith. I’m done here.”
“I don’t think so.”
“Well, you’re wrong.”
He watched her carefully, his eyes emotionless. “You’re under a noncompete for six months. But if you leave, it’ll take you a hell of a lot longer to find work than that. Your reputation is already shit. I’ll just make sure it’s fresh shit.”
“Oh, I don’t think you’ll risk that, Keith. Not with what I know.”
Now he leaned forward, elbows on his knees and hands clasped loosely in front of him, as if he didn’t have a care in the world. “No one will believe you.”
“No? What about Dawn? Will she believe it when I tell her about you and Nicole?”
He smiled. “Do you think Dawn is going to leave me over the possibility of an affair? What would she do with her life then? Be a coupon-clipping single mom watching all her old friends drive by in cars she can’t afford anymore? Please.”
“No wonder she feels so shitty and helpless,” Charlie snapped. “You’re an asshole. And I’m out of here.”
She stood and started to close the laptop, but Keith grabbed it before she could.
“I believe that’s my property.”
“Fine. Enjoy it.”
“You don’t have to do this, you know. I meant what I said about loyalty. You stay with me for a couple of years, and you’ll move up. It doesn’t have to be this way. I’m not some grasping hotel manager stealing from his employer like that guy in Tahoe. There’s no risk here, Charlotte. For you or for me. You just do your job, I do mine and everyone benefits.”
“On the backs of your investors.”
He shrugged. “They make their money, too.”
“Just a little less of it than they’ve earned.”
Keith smiled and held up an appeasing hand. “Look. I understand. This is a shock, and you’re feeling used. Your brother should have let you in on this. I told him to. Honestly. I told him to ask if you wanted in, and we’d all work out a deal. So let’s do that.”
When she didn’t answer right away, Keith nodded and dropped his voice. “Listen, Brad treated you like shit, and I shouldn’t have let him get away with it. He’s your brother, so I deferred to him, but I was wrong. I have no trouble admitting that to you. I’ll make it up to you, Charlotte. A little bonus when the resort opening goes off without a hitch. Ten thousand dollars. I know things have been tough for you since Tahoe. It doesn’t have to be that way anymore. We’re in this together, and you deserve your portion.”
She was tempted. For one awful moment she was tempted to just say yes. Just give in. Just stay. Take the easy way.
Because he was right about her prospects. She wouldn’t be able to work for another resort or hotel for six months, even before word got out that she’d left on bad terms. And if word did get out, no matter how it went down, her career would be over forever. She’d be forced to start over, with nothing but a pocketful of debt and an education that couldn’t be applied to another field.
If she said no, it’d be the biggest step she’d ever taken on the road toward living in a run-down trailer in Florida with a string of men who just needed a few bucks to get their lives back on track. She’d be unemployed. Again. Unemployable. Again. Hopeless. Again.
And she’d probably be under investigation. Again.
Damn it all to hell.
She stood and grabbed her purse. “Fuck you, Keith. I’m not a criminal, and I never have been, despite what everyone wants to think.”
