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I didn’t answer him at first, hoping I’d made the right damn decision in sharing it with him.
“Where the fuck did you get this, Montgomery? I need to know.”
“I spent weeks putting everything together. I had suspicions based on earlier rumors. I checked them out. It’s amazing what you can find with due diligence. While those are copies, I’m certain you can see a good portion of the files are from your country offices.”
He sat back, rubbing his eyes. “If what you’ve shown me is true…” For some reason, he couldn’t even finish his sentence.
“I assure you that it’s true, Bryce. Prescott and the people he’s working with are coming after my winery. It’s now gotten personal. The woman I… care about almost died in that wreck, let alone the fire only hours before. The goddamn fence was padlocked from our side. No one knew about the access Douglas and I created. Just his workers and mine.”
“But you don’t have a gate at your front entrance preventing anyone from coming in, Montgomery. If I were you, I’d check on the people you employ. Any one of them could be the real issue for your winery.”
If he was trying to rile me even more, it was working. “I’m not a fool, Bryce. I am well aware that someone on the inside of my organization is likely on Prescott’s payroll, but all that tells me is that the man will do anything to get this project through. I mean anything.” I’d also found enough to lead me to believe that Robert was that person. It was a knife wound I wasn’t certain I could get over easily.
He took a series of deep breaths, studying the papers again, flipping over one after the other. “Do you really think Prescott had something to do with your wife’s death?”
“While I doubt that he was physically involved, I know he paid someone to torch the barn just like he did for the Kingstons’ estate.”
“There wasn’t any proof the barn was torched, Montgomery. I talked with the fire investigator. I even walked the property myself taking samples of the soil, for God’s sake. By all accounts it was accidental.”
I laughed, closing my eyes for a few seconds. “Then you didn’t look hard enough.”
“I’m not your damn enemy. You have no idea how things work. Neither did your father. That’s why your father had a heart attack. From what I’d witnessed over the last couple of years, you’re headed down that same path if you don’t let go of the anger and guilt.” Bryce seemed even more exasperated.
Jesus fucking Christ. I was so angry I felt almost nothing inside. We stared at each other for a full minute. I’d run out of patience. Period. I would take matters into my own hands.
“Maybe so, Bryce. My father was all about integrity. That’s what he instilled in his children. Integrity and loyalty. It’s almost been impossible to find that these days. I will tell you this. Prescott is out to change Napa permanently. You can either help me or get the hell out of my way. The choice is up to you.” I backed away, turning toward the door.
“Listen to me, Montgomery. There are some things regarding this case you don’t know about.”
“Such as?” I asked without bothering to turn around.
“I can’t disclose what I’ve learned. You know that. What I can tell you is that the FBI is involved.”
I laughed, shaking my head. “I’ve heard the rumor for two years.”
“You’re going to need to trust me on this. There’s more to this than you understand. I have no jurisdiction over the case any longer, but I can provide the information you gave me to the man in charge. I think this will help.”
“Is there really a case, Bryce, or are you just trying to pacify me?”
“You forget that I cared for Carmine. When she died, I was devastated. Maybe not in the same way you were, but I was. You can choose to believe me or not, but I grieved alongside you, just from a distance. Sometimes the things you believe to be true just aren’t.”
Very slowly I cocked my head in his direction. “I’m going to put it to you this way. If you aren’t going to help me, I will handle this myself.”
He tossed the file, jerking up once again and walking around his desk. “Don’t do anything stupid.”
“Is that a threat?”
“No, that’s a warning for a friend. A former friend. Things aren’t always as they seem.”
“Yeah? You’re right about that. If you want to help me, find the person responsible for running me off the road, for torching the Kingstons’ place, and for killing my wife. Anything less isn’t acceptable.”
I stormed out of his office, seething from our exchange. If the man had any balls, he would go up against Prescott. Somehow, I doubted he would. If the FBI really was involved, they needed to get their head out of their asses, or they wouldn’t be able to stop what Prescott was obviously ready to conclude. I feared there would be additional deaths before that happened. After climbing into the car, I took several deep breaths before starting the engine. I was prepared to take on Prescott alone.
Even if doing so meant my death.
* * *
I continued to ache all over, the wreck causing muscle spasms. As I walked up the stairs toward my office, my thoughts drifted to Aspen. I’d insisted that I bring her home with me after spending a night in the hospital. I should be with her. Instead, I was planning on working for a couple of hours. What the hell was wrong with me?
