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Chapter Twelve
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It was midnight and the sky was totally black; the lights from the street lamps and business signs lit up the sidewalks and back alleys enough to have limited vision. Dressed all in black, Jack took his stolen key out and put it into the lock, turning it until he heard a clicking sound. Opening the door, he was unsure what would happen next. He heard no alarm, no sounds other than his breathing. Taking one step inside, he waited and listened a second longer. There was nothing like getting the adrenaline pumping through his veins. Realizing he was going to get away with this, he exhaled the air he’d been holding and closed the door behind him.
He could see the computers were still left on by the screen savers moving around on them. This gave him just enough light to navigate his way, without having to use his flashlight. Trying to stay near the wall, he went softly into Payton’s office to begin looking for Dixon’s file. Shannon had unknowingly shown him where the files and cabinet key were kept the other day, when he followed her around the office as she talked his ear off. She tried so hard to be helpful; he was amazed something like this hadn’t happened before. He was dumbfounded with how easy it was to photocopy the fake documents. She hadn’t even looked at them before filing them away.
Headlights from passing cars invaded the office with light, which then faded away once they had gone past. The first time this happened he dropped to the floor, thinking this was it—he was caught. His heart was almost jumping out of his chest. He loved this fast-paced feeling—he thrived on it. Just as he had done the day before, he exchanged the file that was originally signed for new documents. Payton was so busy trying to be Dixon’s bitch that she wouldn’t be going through these documents until it was too late. He wondered how else he could take advantage of Shannon.
As he moved stealthily toward the door, Jack’s cell began to vibrate. Annoyed, he took his phone out of his pocket to glance at the caller ID to see it was Castle. Knowing he had to answer immediately, he tried to hide in the shadow of a corner. He fixed a fake smile, just enough to not sound irritated. “What?”
“Hey, Jack, I’ve just read about a Jane Doe being found naked in a small slough out in Canada. Same place you made all that money last year,” Castle said, clearly not caring whether Jack was busy or not.
Even though Castle could not see Jack, he shrugged at the comment. “You don’t say.” There was a second of silence before Jack realized he needed to make a further comment. “That was a good town. I made your dad a lot of money.” He knew that he was only allowed to murder when a hit was out from the Boss, but there had been no time to ask permission.
He had shut down his rational emotions long ago on subjects such as this. Losing interest in the phone call he looked at the computers, tempted to snoop further, but each creak made him nervous the longer he remained.
“The top wants you to tie up your loose ends and come home. You’re getting too hot there.”
Jack swallowed what his egocentric self wanted to scream at his brother. It seemed like every time he began to make a lot of money, he was to be pulled off of it. Castle had been doing less of the dirty work these days and was being groomed to take over. Jack believed there was a jealously growing over how successful he was becoming. As if they really cared about some dead, nameless woman. This was an issue of who was better. Jack knew it was him. Pure and simple.
He had figured that Castle realized this and was worried that his father might choose Jack as leader, instead of blood. This was the only time in their lives, since entering business together as equal partners, that there had been an inequality. Jack did not really mind, as he liked getting his hands bloody. But they were family and there would be no strife between them.
Ending the conversation, Jack whispered, “Sure, Boss.”
As quietly as he entered he left, locking the door behind him, feeling a small level of victory.
*
“Payton, Mr. Tayloris here to see you,” Shannon’s voice relayed over the speakerphone.
Payton was shocked to hear Dixon had stopped by. Her pulse began to race, leaving her breathless. She had never had such a reaction to a man before; she did not know it was possible. Was this how other people felt when they were in love? Payton was always the friend who gave advice to keep the bedroom interesting; she mocked people who believed they were in love. She was able to settle her nerves enough to allow her voice to answer. “Send him in.”
“Hi, handsome.” Payton stood up, gaining her poise once again and headed toward him to give him a hug, but thought twice. She wasn’t sure if he were here on a friend level or a business level, or even sure if he would call them friends. She liked to slightly test her boundaries with him, to help her gauge where she stood, but not putting herself fully out there. I must be mad if I think that I am in love! She stood in front of Dixon, awkwardly deciding what action to take. It was like he sensed her indecision and stepped in to give her a hug.
“How’s it going?” Payton asked, as their embrace ended and both took a seat in front of her desk.
“Good, good.” They sat in silence that seemed to last forever. Finally, Dixon cut through the dead air. “I was thinking that I might want to sell one of my properties.”
“Oh, okay.”
Knowing that she usually had her assistant set up the necessary paper work, he added, “I want you to come out to look at it and personally look after it.”
Payton placed her hand on Dixon’s thigh for a brief moment. “Dixon, what do you take me for? You’re my favorite; of course I will look after it personally. Don’t let anyone else know or people will start thinking I pick favorites.”
“Can you do it now?”
Payton could see there was some pleading in his eyes as he stared at her, waiting for a response. She had to laugh at the situation: here there was this big, gorgeous, manly man who was giving her a pleading puppy-dog look.
“Here I thought you missed me, and wanted to say hi,” Payton teased, as Dixon continued to stare at her, causing tingles to flow through her entire body.
“Hi, I missed you,” he said it with such compassion and tenderness that Payton actually believed it and felt as if it may have been the reason for his visit. He took her hand into his to pull her up from their seated position. She could feel the tension jumping out of her as if it were going to jump right into him.
“Hang on, hang on.” Quickly, Payton looked at her watch and back at him, while trying to determine how she’d juggle her schedule.
“Okay. I have three hours until my next unmovable appointment.”
Swiftly, she picked up the phone to let Shannon know she had to go out on an emergency meeting and to handle her next client. This was so unlike her, she never moved appointments or work around for anybody. Especially for a love interest, she thought to herself. What was she doing?
