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Her tears run down her face and a faint whimper escapes her lips. She lays her face in her hands, shielding herself from everyone around her. “Let’s go to your house, so we can talk in private.” I offer, but her head snaps up twisting toward me like she’s been possessed by the exorcist.
“No!” She shouts, cupping her hand over her mouth trying to catch the word as fast as it slips from her lips. I lurch back in my seat, shocked at her reaction. That breaking point I mentioned earlier, this may just be it for Savannah. I resolve to stow my line of questioning for now, because whatever is gnawing at her is explosive and she may not forgive me for causing a public meltdown.
“Calm down.” I whisper across the table as I glance over checking on the girls who are content by themselves. “Come over tomorrow for dinner and we can talk then. Hell, you can come tonight if you need to. But don’t bury it, Savannah. I know all too well what buried secrets do to a kind heart.”
She stifles back the tears dabbing her face with a napkin as she inhales a deep breath. She pulls her shoulders back and plasters on one of the fakest smiles I’ve ever seen. “Thanks for a fun day out, Sis. We’ll have to do it more often.” Knowing not to press her, I nod, remaining silent. She stands up calling to Brailee who immediately begins to whine about leaving behind her new best friend. I promise them that they will see each again very soon as I pull both Heidi Jo and Brailee into hug. Without offering a hug, Savannah tells me she will call me later in the week before her and Brailee turn to leave.
The shift in her demeanor when Luke showed up at Jaxson’s worries me. They’ve only met a few times and he’s always a gentleman. And then it feels like a ton of bricks tumbling down on me. Luke saw through her façade. He saw through her pain and he knows her secret.
Chapter 15
“Ms. Runyon will see you now, Ms. Simon,” Jodie, the sweet receptionist announces as she waits at the hallway entry. Tossing my purse over my shoulder, I follow her down the hallway into Michele’s office. She’s sitting behind a beautiful mahogany desk with a matching bookshelf lining the wall behind her. She doesn’t acknowledge me as Jodie introduces me as the next appointment. She flips her copper hair over the side of her shoulder and thumbs through a case file with black wire brim glasses tipping the end of her pug nose. Her emerald eyes are pinched together by a deep furrowing brow as she studies the file. I take a seat in front of the desk, waiting impatiently. Her silence pokes at my nerves and it takes everything in me to compose myself.
“Ms. Simon, how’s everything been down at Simon Energy?” She questions, still studying the file, her eyes not once glancing in my direction.
“Quiet; sorta like the calm before the storm, and it scares the hell out of me.” She closes the file, folding her hands together and placing them on top of the desk as she pierces me with a pointed glare.
“Quiet is usually good,” she stews, “but in this case, please be careful. We are still investigating the destruction at Black Ridge. But at this time we’ve passed that investigation down to a junior investigator as Tiffani is focusing her investigation on Drew and Josh.” She slides a manila folder in my direction before continuing. “Have you been keeping up with the Black Pike fiasco over in Hatfield County?” I shift my eyes down, searching my memory bank for anything Black Pike. It seems familiar, but I can’t put my finger on anything specific. Shaking my head, Michele continues. “Black Pike is the mining company under fire for contaminating the public water supply in many small towns in Hatfield County. Until now it appeared as a ghost company with the ownership being hidden in the Destin Andrews Trust. The owners were clever enough hiding this rogue company under a trust. But they weren’t counting on me to uncover their lies and to expose them for the world to see.” She grins proudly, “and I plan to do just that.”
“Spit it out already, Michele.” I snap, annoyed with her dragging about small details. Tell me the facts and get on with it. I don’t need to see how the sausage is made, only what it taste like.
“The majority owner is Josh Moore. Drew Varney is a silent partner. The original owner however, was Big John Simon.” She pauses, letting the words soak in, but I show no shock to her statement. I’m over the shock and awe of Daddy’s tainted past. “The class action lawsuit accuses Black Pike of depositing billions of gallons of coal slurry into the ground for over nearly twenty years in small mining communities such as Shelby, Logan Creek, and Stratton. Most of these homes still have ground wells and have suffered immensely from chemical exposure.” The picture is becoming clearer and clearer.
“How much are they asking for?” I ask her and a devious grin splays across her freckled face.
“More than the two of them are even worth. Black Pike has been seized and company accounts have been frozen. They just need someone to admit ownership of the company to go after them. Big John knew what he was doing with Black Pike twenty years ago, Carly, when he started doing it. He had a keen business sense, I’ll give him that.”
“He was a bastard, Michele. Only out for himself. Hundreds of families have been affected by this and all this time he knew. All this time, Drew and Josh knew. That just shows what sinister minds they all have.” I seethe as the anger rushes from me.
“Carly, I think this is why Drew is coming after Simon Energy as abrasive as he has been. He knows it’s only a matter of time before they find out that he is a partner in Black Pike and come after him personally. This isn’t just an MSHA violation. This is EPA violations, million dollar fines, bankruptcy and jail time.”
“I hope the bastards rot under the damn jail cell.”
“They will, Carly. I promise you that. For now, you need to get your sister and her children away from Josh. I don’t know what I can do as far as saving any of their assets, but she needs to distance herself from him.”
“I’ll try, Michele. Savannah has been indifferent lately, so I don’t know that I can get through to her. But I’ll try. Is that all you have for me today?” I ask clutching the strap of my purse in my hand as I cling to edge of the seat ready to bolt out of here.
“No contact with Drew or Josh. I’ll call you when I have more.” I nod, pressing up to my feet and leaving her office. I stalk outside welcoming the cold, chilling wind. My face is flush with heat and beads of sweat line my forehead. I knew Drew had an ulterior motive for wanting to overtake Simon Energy, but I thought he was just a greedy bastard wanting the empire he felt he deserved. It’s an even bigger slap to the face knowing that he wants my company only to save his ass. This prick is gonna fall hard when I’m done with him. I’m sick of the games and I can’t wait to bring his world crashing down around him.
I plop down in the seat of the Camaro, starting the engine and flip the air conditioner on instead of the heat. My phone chirps so I pull it from my purse to check the message.
Luke: We need to talk.
I reply quickly as I shift the car in reverse.
Me: Come by the office in an hour.
I pull onto the road heading east towards Simon Energy. The sun peeks through the clouds shooting bright, sparkly rays of light through the bare trees that are begging for spring to welcome them new life. Ten minutes into the drive I notice a black SUV in my rearview mirror, trailing me closely. Since the roads are dry I speed up a bit, ignoring the other driver. Damn, I hope this is sheer coincidence. The black SUV hangs back, hugging the curves with ease as he follows behind me at a safe distance. Suddenly, the driver whips to my left and comes zooming around me. My heart lurches into my throat as I brace the steering wheel tightly, ready for the impact. He speeds off into the distance, driving so fast that I couldn’t even get a glimpse at his license plate. This is the second time I’ve been followed by this asshole, and I fear what the driver’s motives are. These back hill country roads are narrow and winding with cliffs that could send you tumbling to your demise within seconds. The worst thing about it is if you go over nobody would even know you were there unless they watched you tip the cliff.
My heart thunders in my chest as the anxiety consumes me, and I crank up the stereo to take my mind off of the elusive driver. The thudding bass of music pounds in my ears, calming me slowly as I drive to the mines. The more days I spend in Williamstown, the more I wish I’d never returned. Too much danger lies here.
When I pull into the gravel lot I see a black Range Rover parked in my space. I park beside the sleek SUV then shut the engine of the Camaro down. Making my way around the back of the car, the door to the Range Rover swings open revealing Drew Varney. He climbs from the car and straightens his jacket as he looks up at me with an evil smirk. “Mornin’ Sis. How are you this beautiful day?” He leans against the car crossing his arms over his chest.
“Damn, I guess I’m gonna have to have a talk with security about letting bastards on my property. The exit’s that way…move your piece of shit import, before I have you removed by the KSP for trespassing.” I sneer as I begin walking to the office.
“You know, Carly, things would be so much easier on the both of us if you just hand over what is rightfully mine.”
“Not havin’ this conversation with you this morning Drew. But I will ask, why is it that you drag your sorry ass around both times that there has been vandalism at my mines? I don’t see it as a coincidence at all. So if you think costing me money is gonna scare me into handing over the company, you best find a better way to come at me. Because so far, I’m not impressed.” I glance at him boringly.
