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“The Nero Corp refuses us entry, and the secretary keeps telling us Lester Belington has some business obligations abroad. We don’t have enough to go by and get the police involved.”
I doubt the law is on my side. Since he has immunity as a diplomat, no one will touch him. He has enough power and connections to destroy anyone who would try.
“The bastard’s silent, and it means he’s up to something.” I turn to my business partner and dear friend from college, Lamar. He’s a computer geek with a weakness for a new tech and goth women. His fascination with them must be from the comics he’s collecting. “We need to check our venues and business partners since he mingles with many of them.”
It wouldn’t be beyond Lester’s warped capabilities to go after my partners. He loves to exert his power over me and tries to destroy everything I try to build. We’ve been playing this twisted game since I began growing my own empire.
“On it. If he’s doing something, we’ll know soon enough.” Lamar locks his gaze with mine, and I know he’s curious.
“What about the Cades? Have you talked with them? Perhaps they have better resources to reach him.”
“Last time Lester made a call was from their bank. I need to figure out if Lester has any business connections with the Cades and how deep these associations are rooted.” If there are millions involved, then my pull will be worthless. “I won’t be going to them for help without evidence.”
Knowing Lester, he made that call on purpose at the bank, to rub it in. He has resources available for him to figure out my connection to Darren and his sons. The question is if the Cades will choose me over Belington. Not if money is involved.
Cassandra and I are thrown in the middle of the gathering storm about to unleash those secrets on us. Cassandra is just a tool in their political and business games. She has no pull over their decisions.
“I need you and your team to do some research, Higgins. See if you can find the connection between the Cades and Belington. Look deep. That empire didn’t build from scratch. Look into their parents and grandparents, and see who they were before becoming tycoons.” I pause as the suspicion nags me.
“You think they were involved before?”
I nod. “My father knew him. Perhaps there’s more to the story than I know.”
“You told me Logan Cade once took over your inheritance to invest?”
“He did, why?”
“The Cades and Belington joined their businesses soon after, isn’t that right?”
I rub my chin, thinking he might be right.
“Where did he invest?”
“I don’t know.” But Logan gave me the capital to help open Fading Ink. He told me he was returning me a favor.
“Perhaps in Belington’s opposition and that’s why he’s now poking your relationship with Cassandra,” Higgins offers.
“Can you find out what Logan was working on before he died? Check his business partners, venues, if there was any declined or denied contracts. I want to know who they are. Give me everything.”
Higgins is a miracle worker. He has connections, legal and illegal resources he can utilize. But if Logan did invest in a competition, that means he pissed off the dragon . . . and if so, the car crash wasn’t an accident . . .
“Higgins, look into Logan’s death too. Check reports, maybe hire the independent expert to reevaluate the evidence. See what his opinion on what happened that night is.”
Higgins stops typing his notes on his phone. His eyebrows crease as he thinks about it and then nods. “Let me start on it. I’ll report every two days.”
Like a ghost, he departs my condo, leaving me with a few guys as a security measure. I start to pace. If he killed Logan, it would make sense Lester’s sudden interest in Cassandra and me. Perhaps all of this is just a power play to get Darren’s attention in pursuit to further his reach.
Lamar turns to me, raising his eyebrow at me.
“You think they hide the truth about Logan’s death?” he whistles, popping a salted nut into his mouth, swiveling in the chair.
“Who knows. I need to see if this was just a convenient disaster.” If Darren was involved with Lester, then Logan was too. The question is how illegal their business dealings were.
“It will be hard to prove to your woman that her family’s rotten.”
He’s right. She loves them despite their flaws. Besides, even if Darren would want to get rid of Cassandra, my bird has power over his decisions. She’s family. And that kind of bond can’t be easily dismissed.
The doorbell rings, pulling me from my thoughts.
