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“I’m not sure you do,” he says, “because I don’t understand it myself.”
“Probably because the rumors never get to you.”
“Rumors? About the Steels owning the town? Of course they get to me. It’s a small town. It’s just not true.” He sighs. “At least I never thought it was. My parents always said they were nothing but silly rumors because we were a rich family.”
I hesitate a few seconds, wondering if I should bring up what’s on the tip of my tongue. Then I begin. “Remember that football rivalry between you and Jesse?”
“Yeah. It was stupid. We played on the same team, for God’s sake.”
“Just high school drama,” I say, “but there’s one thing Jesse never quite got over.”
“Don’t tell me. I got MVP.”
“Yeah. He thought, as quarterback, it should have gone to him.”
“Wide receivers score the points, Callie.”
“True enough. But Jesse threw every one of those passes to you. He even got college offers but wanted to pursue his music instead.”
“I got college offers too, Cal.”
“I know. But Jesse actually got an offer from Wyoming. A D-1 school.”
He raises his eyebrows. “I know. He was good. Damned good.”
“So he thinks you got MVP over him because the Steels funded the team that year.”
“MVP is chosen by the coaching staff. My family had nothing to do with it.”
“Maybe not. But maybe the coaching staff wanted to make sure the Steels kept funding the team. You do still fund it, don’t you?”
“I don’t have a clue. I’d have to ask Uncle Bryce. He’s the CFO and is in charge of what we fund. Or Brad or Henry. They run the foundation.”
“It doesn’t matter whether you’re still funding the team or the school or whatever. My point is that the rumors about your family owning the town had to start somewhere. If you have a lien on Murphy’s…”
“Yeah. I know. Why do you think I’m asking you to look into this? There’s shit I don’t know that is popping up from seemingly nowhere.”
“And you think your father’s shooting has something to do with all of this?”
“I’d be a fool if I didn’t consider that possibility.”
My skin goes cold, and despite my long sleeve cardigan, I rub my upper arms to ease the chill.
Someone got shot. Someone could have died.
What am I walking into?
Still, I love this man. I want to help. I don’t want to see him lose his father. I don’t want to see him lose anyone or anything.
“All right, Donny. I’ll get started.” I rise.
“Just a minute,” he says.
I sit back down. “What?”
“I don’t want to sound like a broken record here, but it’s really important that this all remain between you and me.”
Slight irritation spears into me. Donny means well, but how many times do I have to say it?
“I understand.”
He opens his mouth to speak, but I gesture him to stop.
“You know how close I am to Rory. To my mother. I promise I won’t say a word to either of them.”
“I’m not concerned about Rory or Maureen.”
I lift my eyebrows. “Who else would I tell?”
He pauses a moment. Then, “I’m talking about my mother.”
“Jade?”
“She’s the city attorney. She’s the person who hired you.”
He makes a good point. How can I keep this from Jade? “If she doesn’t ask me straight out, I won’t say anything.”
He sighs. “I don’t want to lie to my mother any more than you do, but she can’t know about this.”
“I’m sure she’s just as anxious to find out why your father was attacked.”
“Of course she is, but that’s not the point. My parents have kept some stuff from me. From all my siblings and cousins. For our own protection, I’m certain, but things are coming out.”
“Donny,” I say, my tone as serious as it gets. “If I’m going to be in this with you, maybe you’d better start at the beginning.”
He rubs his forehead. “You’re right.” He rises, walks to the door, and flicks the lock.
My stomach tightens. A locked door? Who would walk in? No one but Troy or Alyssa. Why would it matter? We’d just stop talking, right?
He sits down behind his desk and then stares out his window for a few seconds that drag on like hours.
“Donny?” I finally say.
He faces me then. Meets my gaze. His hazel eyes are troubled. “Let’s get out of here.”
“It’s only three thirty.”
“I’m the boss, Callie. I say we’re done for the day. Besides, if I’m going to give you the lowdown, I don’t want to do it here.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t think the office is…”
He shakes his head. “No, of course not. I doubt we’re bugged. Why would we be? The only people in this town who can afford to sneak in and bug a city office are the Steels, and if that were the case—” He stops abruptly.
“What?” I ask.
He rises quickly. “Let’s go.” He walks briskly to the door and unlocks it.
