She considered texting Cole to let him know where she was going but decided he didn’t need the added concern this morning. He was meeting with one of Chamberlain’s men. The guy was probably already at the shop. She could bring Cole up to date later.
Hell, it was always possible that nothing interesting would come of this meeting at all. Maybe Chamberlain was seriously working on a real estate deal and needed a new realtor.
She wasn’t really buying the lie she told herself, but considering the week she was having, anything was possible.
Chapter 12
As April reached up to knock on the mayor’s front door, her hand was shaking. This was a crazy idea. She considered texting Cole again and at least letting him know where she was but decided to wait until after she met with Chamberlain. If she was successful and managed to get some information out of the man, she could surprise Cole. If not, no harm done. Besides, Cole was busy meeting with one of Chamberlain’s henchmen.
Within moments of knocking, the door was opened by an older man in a suit. He was tall and willowy but perfectly groomed—starched shirt, pressed pants, precise bowtie. “Ms. McKay, I presume?”
“Yes.”
He held the door open wider as he stepped back. “Mayor Chamberlain is waiting for you in the library.”
She looked around at the ornate woodwork in the entryway as she followed the tall man. Chamberlain’s home wasn’t the largest in town, but it was one of the older homes. It had been in the Chamberlain family for over a century. The hardwood floors were original and in pristine condition.
April’s heels clacked on the floor, resounding loudly with every step and announcing her arrival to the library prematurely. She glanced at the tall man as he waved a hand toward the entrance to the room. It was very pretentious of Chamberlain to have a butler, but she wasn’t surprised.
There was no way the mayor made enough money to afford the luxury surrounding him—neither the artwork nor the staff—but April was aware the man had old money. His job as mayor was probably a drop in the bucket of what he brought in monthly.
She fought a shudder as she entered the library, reminding herself that a lot of his current income was marginally above the law. How many people had he tricked into signing over their entire livelihoods to get what he wanted?
Chamberlain was standing behind a huge mahogany desk leaning over some blueprints as April advanced. He lifted his gaze and shot her a smile. Too large. Too fake. He extended a hand as she approached. “Ms. McKay, so nice of you to come on such short notice.” His full head of hair was slicked back as if he either just showered or used too much product. He had a mustache too, which was so not in style lately. And his skin was weathered from too much sun or more likely bad genes. Everything about him reminded her of a mob boss, not shocking since she now knew that’s essentially what he was.
She shook his hand, though she would rather not have touched him. Already he was under her skin with his smarmy looks. She had no idea why he’d called her here, but she doubted it had a damn thing to do with real estate. In fact, now that she stood before him, chills climbed up her spine.
She glanced down at the blueprints between them and realized the man hadn’t contacted her about the sale of a property or even a few properties. The blueprint was for the two city blocks he was trying to convert into a strip mall. The exact location where he was slowly buying all the businesses, including Cole’s dad’s shop.
Chamberlain tapped the page with his pointer. “I’m sure you’re aware of my latest project, Ms. McKay.”
“Yes, sir.” Everyone in a fifty-mile radius was aware. The only reason no one had managed to stop it from going forward was because he owned or controlled nearly every aspect of the local government. No one had the balls to go against him.
The idea of replacing all those businesses made April’s stomach roil. It had for the past year since he started buying everything up. The fact that Landry’s was among the sought-after businesses in the zone hadn’t escaped her notice either.
Landry’s wasn’t one of the last holdouts by any stretch of the imagination. Chamberlain had only managed to get about half of the businesses to part with their land and buildings. He still needed several more, and she had no doubt he was working all of them at once. How many of them had he stooped to acquiring through less than stellar means?
The rumors about the strip mall would make anyone leery. Some of the original business owners would still be able to use the space, but instead of owning, they would now be renters, and it was already common knowledge that the rent would be astronomically high, out of most people’s reach. In addition, local businesses were going to have to compete with national chains in between them. It made her sad to think that The Bean Stop would soon have to compete with an international coffee chain.
April couldn’t imagine what she was doing here. She didn’t have a commercial real estate license and had never considered getting one. She was barely even good at her job in residential real estate. She was friendly enough, but her heart wasn’t in this business so she didn’t have as many clients as she would need to stay above water. She averaged about one sale every two to three months, just enough to pay her bills.
“You might have known that Kay Alderson was working to acquire several of these properties for me, but she recently took a job out of the area and moved away. I need someone to step in and fill her shoes.”
April narrowed her gaze at him. “I don’t have a commercial real estate license, sir. I’m not sure how I could be of assistance.” She knew he had a hidden agenda, and she suspected it had to do with Cole, but she wondered what lie he would tell her.
She also knew that Kay Alderson had moved out of the area, and the gossip among real estate agents was that the woman fled to avoid getting deeper involved with Chamberlain. He’d literally chased her out of town.
He stood tall, grinning again, and shrugged. “I don’t need you to finalize the deals. I can get someone to do the heavy work. I just need someone to do the legwork. Talk to the business owners. Warm them up to the idea.”
“Why me?” April had to force herself not to glare at the man.
“Violet told me about you. I dug around and found that you’ve struggled to get a foot in the door in this town. Figured I could help you out. If you can broker some of these deals for me, it will help you make a name for yourself.”
That was twice now that he’d mentioned Violet’s participation in this farce. April wondered if Violet truly had gone to her father to recommend April. It seemed unlikely. The two of them had never been friends. They’d only nodded at each other in passing in the last decade. April wouldn’t say they’d ever been enemies exactly—though you could call them rivals over Cole, but that was way back in high school. She couldn’t imagine why Violet would even think of her name, let alone recommend her to her father for a job.
“What do you say?” Chamberlain asked.
April swallowed. “I’m going to need more information, sir.” I’m not at all qualified to take on this job.
A noise at the entrance to the library made April turn her gaze to see the butler shuffling into the room. He stopped just inside. “Sir, Maxine has lunch ready in the dining room.”
“Thank you, Jeffery. We’ll be right there.”
Chamberlain rose and motioned toward the door. “Let’s eat. I’ll fill you in on more of the specifics of what I’m interested in after lunch.”
April drew in a slow breath as she stood, unease creeping deeper into her system with every passing moment. Obviously, there was no way in hell she would do anything for this man for any reason, but she also wasn’t going to tell him to fuck himself just yet either. She wanted more information.
She followed Chamberlain to the dining room and tried not to react to the opulence. The long ornately carved wood table that extended down the center of the room would seat twenty people. Currently, it was set for two, which made April’s skin crawl.
Adding to the
insanity was the fact that this luncheon apparently would be served in several courses. The woman she assumed was Maxine served salads and then left the room as quickly as she’d entered. She looked like someone out of a movie set in the South at least fifty years ago. She wore a full maid’s uniform and had her hair in a bun. April figured her to be about forty.
April forced herself to eat the salad while Chamberlain asked her a string of questions about her family and her current clients. She nearly groaned when Maxine served a second course—soup. This was going to take a while and she had no interest in dining with this smarmy man who was extorting money from at least one citizen if not several.
As Maxine removed the soup bowls and replaced them with a plate of fruits and finger sandwiches, the sound of footsteps entering from the far side of the room grabbed April’s attention.
“Violet?” Judging by the tone of his voice, Chamberlain was obviously surprised to see his daughter. He rose. “You didn’t tell me you were coming by today. Sit. I’ll have Maxine prepare you a plate.”
Violet’s raised her brows as she slowly entered. She was dressed as casually as April had ever seen her in recent years—black slacks, a maroon blouse, and black heels. She looked like she’d just left the salon too. Her hair was perfectly coifed.
“I’ve already eaten. What is April doing here?”
Chamberlain returned to his seat and pointed at the chair across from April. “Sit,” he repeated. “I took your advice and called April for help on some of my real estate deals.”
“My advice?” Violet stared at April as she lowered onto the chair.
“Of course,” her father continued. “You told me about her, so I contacted her. Now, tell me, what brings you by the house this afternoon?”
“I came by to pick up one of my boxes from the basement. I’m redecorating my living room.”
Chamberlain chuckled. “Again? Didn’t you just redecorate last month?”
“That was a year ago. And yes.” She didn’t flinch or in any way back down at her father’s teasing.
“Well, I’m glad you’re here. You can help me convince April to do some of the legwork I need acquiring several businesses.”
April hadn’t moved or taken another bite since Violet entered. This entire absurd situation struck her as surreal. She didn’t belong in this home with these people. The only thing she knew for certain was that something was terribly amiss.
On top of everything else she’d learned since her arrival, Violet most certainly had not asked her father to hire April. She didn’t seem to recall the conversation at all. And her father had quickly changed the subject as soon as possible. Not surprising.
At this point, April would give anything to shoot a text to Cole, but doing so at the table would be rude and way too obvious.
Violet was watching April skeptically while her father continued eating as if this odd arrangement were perfectly normal. After several minutes of silence, during which April forced herself to eat several bites off her plate, Chamberlain’s phone rang in his pocket.
He pulled it out and glanced at the screen, frowning. He answered with a quick, “Give me a moment,” and then looked back at April. “Sorry, ladies, I need to take this call. Violet, can you show April where the files are on the businesses I still need to acquire? They’re in the library on the corner of my desk. April, go ahead and look through them and see what you think.” He shoved from the table and hurried from the room before April could respond.
Violet frowned at her as soon as they were alone. “What’s going on here?” Her voice was inquisitive, not accusatory, which was interesting considering the fact that April was certain Violet didn’t like her.
“I have no idea. I was hoping you would tell me.” It occurred to April that it was more likely the mayor had seen April with Cole at the funeral and concocted this story about Violet recommending her to get her to come over. What was his real agenda? April feared it had something to do with using her to get Cole to sign over his business.
Violet glanced at the door where her father had fled and sighed. She shoved from the table and stood next. “Come on.”
April didn’t hesitate to follow Violet from the dining room and back to the library. As soon as Violet shut the door behind them, she hurried across the room and grabbed the pile of file folders. She turned around and dropped them unceremoniously on the small conference table that seated six. “Do you have any experience with commercial real estate?”
“Nope. And I told your father as much.”
Violet frowned. April had never once seen Violet out of sorts. The woman was always cocky, even as a teenager. Head high. Nose in the air. Nosey. Gossipy. Annoying. She almost looked like a normal human right now. Confused.
Violet dropped onto one of the chairs while April sat across from her. Neither of them moved to touch the files. April’s skin crawled. She was growing more and more certain the reason she was here had nothing to do with those files.
When her phone vibrated in her pocket, she flinched before leaning to one side and pulling it out. The text was from Cole. “Hang on,” she told Violet.
Where are you?
She bit her lip. Suddenly it seemed like coming here had been a very bad idea. Not telling Cole had been worse.
Mayor Chamberlain’s house. He asked me to come meet with him about a real estate deal. I thought it might help you. I’m concerned now.
You should be. Does he know you’re texting me?
No. He’s not in the room. He left me with Violet to look over some files.
Can you leave?
April jumped in her seat and glanced around. Violet was staring at her. “What’s the matter?”
“I should go.” April stood, but a noise across the room made her blood freeze. A small click. She rushed across the room and grabbed the doorknob, knowing it wasn’t going to turn. And she was right. It wouldn’t budge. “Fuck.” She spun around and glared at Violet. “What the fuck, Violet?”
Violet jumped to standing also and hurried to join April, trying the knob also, jiggling it, pulling, turning. Nothing. “It sticks sometimes.”
“Is that so?” April asked, sarcasm oozing. This could not be happening. Her phone pinged again and she lifted it to read Cole’s next text.
Get out of there. Now.
April’s hands shook as she responded.
I can’t. I think he locked me in the library.
April grabbed Violet’s arm, tugging her away from the doorknob. “What’s going on, Violet? I swear to God. This isn’t funny.”
Violet licked her lips and rubbed her forehead. “I don’t know.” She sounded defeated as she pulled out her own phone and tapped the screen. Several moments later, she spoke. “Daddy, the door to the library is locked. We can’t get out. Please come open it.” She’d obviously left a message because she ended without saying anything else.
April’s phone rang and she jerked it up to take the call from Cole. “Hello?”
There was no response. The call went dead before Cole said a single word.
April stared at the phone as the screen went black seconds later. Dead. Dammit. She’d forgotten to charge it last night, and the stupid thing was so old it wouldn’t last more than a few hours anymore.
True panic set in.
Chapter 13
An hour earlier…
Cole was furious as he sat behind his desk trying to reason with Chamberlain’s henchman, Dewey. The man was more like a hired thug. He clearly worked for a mob boss—Richard Chamberlain. Dewey had been sent to coerce Cole into turning over the business and wasn’t taking no for an answer. “I’m not signing the title to my father’s shop over to your boss. Not in this lifetime.”
“You don’t have any choice. It’s the only way to wipe out the debt your father owes.”
Cole set his elbows on the desk and leaned forward. “First of all, my father is dead. Heart attack. Undoubtedly brought on by the stress of this sum of money. Second of all, who i
n their right mind would extend that kind of credit to someone with an obvious gambling addiction? It would appear to me that the only reason your boss continued to loan my father money was that he wanted this real estate and he knew eventually my father would have no choice but to relinquish his collateral.”
Dewey shrugged, squaring his shoulders. The guy was big, bigger than Cole, but if he thought he could take Cole in a fight, he was dumber than a rock. Size wasn’t the only factor in hand-to-hand combat. “Don’t matter. The point is that he still has to repay the debt, and it’s due.”
“It’s called extortion, and you can leave now. I’ll have my lawyer get in contact with Mr. Chamberlain.”
Dewey narrowed his gaze and casually opened his phone. “I don’t think so.” He lifted the cell and held it out for Cole to see.
Cole’s breath hitched. “What the fuck is this?”
“It’s that pretty lady you’ve got the hots for. Can’t you recognize her?” he sneered. Dewey swiped the screen, bringing up another image of April. In the first one, she was sitting next to Richard Chamberlain at the dining room table. In the second one, she was in some sort of office or library talking to the same man.
Cole jerked his gaze up. “When were those taken?”
“While you and I have been having our little chat.”
Cole seethed. “Are you saying Chamberlain is holding her hostage, asshole?”
Dewey looked wounded. “Goodness no. The mayor would never kidnap someone. He’s simply meeting with her about a real estate deal.”
Cole slammed his palms down on the desk. “And he doesn’t intend to fucking let her leave if I don’t turn the title to my shop over to you?” he shouted.
Dewey’s face hardened. “Sit down and lower your voice.”
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