Rotten Apple (Bennett Dynasty Book 1)

by Kate Allenton

  “They laughed at his jokes. You didn’t even stick around to hear them, much less hear what the job was. I’m afraid that’s why he chose you.”

  “Seriously? Are you telling me that if I would have just flirted with him like some school-girl ninny that he wouldn’t have sent you?”

  “I’m saying he doesn’t like to be told no.”

  “Sucks to be him,” she said, taking a sip of her wine.

  “I have a proposition for you.”

  She glanced up at the ceiling. Watching the irritation from his words cross her face made him bite back a laugh. Gwen Bennett was unlike any woman he’d come across. He could see Carter’s interest in her.

  Max slid an envelope across the bar that separated the kitchen and the dining room. “Just review the files and let me know. This is a copy of everything we have, including copies of the police reports. I wouldn’t ask…” He paused and yanked at his tie. “We wouldn’t ask if the threats weren’t against our sister and our niece. The stalker seems fixated on stopping the wedding that’s fast approaching. Carter and I would do anything to keep them both safe. Our entire family would.”

  “How old is the niece?”

  “She’ll be five in a week. Her birthday party is coming up. Review the file and call me if you’re interested. I can assure you this threat is genuine. My card is in the package. We’ll work out the arrangements, whatever it takes.”

  Her computers dinged and started going nuts, pulling her attention away before he could get an answer. She moved into the room and stood in front of the monitors with her fists resting on her hips, staring at the additional pictures that were popping up. One picture he knew all too well. The building behind the tropical trees was his.

  “That’s Seclusion Island, an exclusive private island.” He moved closer and pointed to a man walking into his resort.

  “You know this place?”

  “I should. It’s my resort, designed for high-end clients that want to vacation without worries of paparazzi.” He glanced at her. “What is all this?”

  “The crowdsourcing program I designed. I’m looking for someone who swindled money from my grandmother and her friends, and I think I’ve just found him.”

  “We ban cameras and phones on the premises. Whoever took that picture is about to get kicked off the island and have their membership revoked.” Max pulled out his phone, and she placed her hand over his to stop him.

  “I need you to hold off on that.” She slid into the computer chair and tried to pull up everything she could on the island.

  “You won’t find anything.” He stood behind her and folded his arms across his chest. “Our services are strictly word-of-mouth and invitation only. Getting a reservation on that island is harder than breaking concrete.”

  She sat back in her chair when another picture of the man popped up. This one showed him inside the resort store paying for something. “But you could get me on the island?”

  “We’re booked this weekend. The only way to get into one of those rooms is if you were the personal guest of someone who has a permanent suite. Someone like me.”

  He had her. He could see the resignation in her eyes.

  She rose from her seat and clasped her hands in front of her. “I guess we each need something from the other.”

  He stared into her eyes and could read the desperation. “It seems we do.”

  She slowly nodded. “Make it happen, and I’ll take your case, on one condition…”

  “Name it,” he answered.

  “I need to deal with that man first.” She pointed to the man on the screen.

  “It’s a deal. My sister and niece have a security detail already in place.” He held out his hand, and she shook it. Max took a picture of the man with his phone. “I’ll pick you up in an hour. Until then, I’ll start digging into who this man is and how he got on the island. I’ll have my staff watching to make sure he doesn’t leave.”

  “He’ll wish he had by the time I’m done with him.”

  Chapter 5

  I’d walked him outside and shut the door, refilled my wine glass, and tossed the sauce into the garbage. I wouldn’t have time to finish dinner. Moving into the bedroom, I flipped on the television and grabbed my suitcase, tossing it on the bed. The nightly news would keep me company while I decided what to pack.

  I’d finished packing and dressing before grabbing the envelope on Max’s sister, Amelia, and Amelia’s daughter, Petunia. I’d flipped to the fifth police report. In each report, the stalker was getting more daring than the last. Things were escalating.

  FDG would have backed me up if I had decided not to help. That was one perk of being able to freelance. If the threat or the person needed help, the company would help by sending another agent. There was no question about it.

  I pulled out my laptop and dug into the family to get a head start. It took only one search to find that Amelia was engaged. Petunia’s sealed records took a bit more time to uncover. Her deceased father had left her a three-million-dollar trust fund. Amelia had lost Petunia’s dad, her college sweetheart, to a car accident three years ago. I could relate. My parents and sister had died the same way.

  The name of Pierce Automotive on the news channel drew my attention from the background work I’d started. My fingers stilled, and I grabbed the remote to turn up the television.

  “Carter Pierce, co-owner and CEO of Pierce Automotive, announced today they will hire one hundred women for their new production line. They believe in equal opportunity without the bias of gender.”

  A video of Carter Pierce was on the screen's corner. He was shaking hands with a known leader in equal rights for women.

  “Mr. Pierce has also made an enormous donation to all the orphans within our town with a pledge to cover college tuition to each child currently in the system. He says a woman that he met today inspired both initiatives. When questioned who that person was, he declined to comment, only saying he was righting a past wrong and delivering opportunities he’d once stolen.”

  My phone rang the minute the news ended. I didn’t need to glance at the caller ID. I knew the assigned ring tone. Ms. Delany, the FDG herself, was calling. I answered on the second ring.

  “I saw it,” I said, bypassing the lecture that was coming. “His brother stopped by too.”

  “Where do you think he got your address, dear?”

  I should have known he wouldn’t find it himself. I’d buried the home purchase in a list of shell corporations the length of my arm, which I’d set up just to protect my anonymity.

  “Have you changed your mind?” Delany asked.

  “I have a personal matter I need to handle before I devote my attention to helping them. Can you get Rose to start surveillance on the sister until I return?”

  “Absolutely, dear.” She chuckled. “Oh, and, Gwen, both brothers offer redeeming qualities. So, choose wisely, dear.”

  The line went dead, and I stared at my phone in disbelief. It was an unwritten rule that operatives didn’t sleep around with their clients. It made them lose focus on the root of the problem and could cause someone serious injury. Men more charming than Maxwell Pierce had tried and failed. Ms. Delany’s assessment had me guessing she’d cut out early and hit the bar.

  Right on time, Max Pierce pulled into my driveway and popped his trunk. He loaded one suitcase in the trunk and added the duffel bag at my feet. It clunked when he set it down.

  “That was heavy. How long are we staying?”

  "That one contains my weapons. If I have my way, I’ll only need one day.”

  Chapter 6

  The Learjet ride had been in style, complete with flight attendants who remained out of sight when not needed. The flight touched down, and a waiting driver whisked us away to the island hotel. I gazed out the dark window and watched as the moonlight kissed the exotic trees. My mind raced with much more productive things, like which body part I’d threaten first.

  “I made inquiries. He’s registered
under the name Phillip Fillmore.”

  I slowly shook my head. “How is it you allowed this scumbag to get on your island? You made it sound like gaining entrance took an act of Congress.”

  “I’d need to look in the main records to find who approved him the first time he showed up, but he’s been a regular for the last five years. He’s what the resort calls a whale.”

  “A whale?”

  “Spends money like he has an endless supply, but he never breaks the island rules. No fights, no misconduct. Very low key.”

  “Other than his spending habit.”

  “If you don’t mind me asking…” Max glanced at me. “Why not just call the authorities and tell them you found him? Let them take it from there.”

  I shook my head. Authorities weren’t an option I was ready to deal with. “I have twenty-three reasons.” I swallowed hard determined not to fail. “That’s the number of seniors he screwed at the nursing home. People who will get kicked out if I don’t get their money back. If I call the authorities, the stolen money will be tied up in the court system. Those seniors don’t have the kind of time it takes for the justice department to get it right.”

  “You’re a vigilante?” His questioned and rubbed his chin.

  “Not quite.” I smiled. “I plan to take back what doesn’t belong to him, and then I’ll call the feds to take care of him.”

  Silence lingered between us until the car pulled up at the hotel. The driver got out, and I went to open my door, but Max rested his warm oversized palm on my arm.

  “I can’t let you physically hurt him. That will ruin the island’s reputation, not to mention it will make me an accessory to your crimes.”

  “How else am I supposed to get their money back? I’d planned to beat it out of him.”

  “There are always other ways, Ms. Bennett. If you come on too strong, you’ll spook him, and he’ll disappear. You need to finesse the situation.”

  Bennett women weren’t known for their finesse. We handled our drama by any means necessary. In my case, I could turn on the charm as easy as flicking a switch. “I was thinking something more painful, but if finesse is what you want, then you underestimate my acting ability, Counselor. I talked you into bringing me here.”

  “True, but let me lead on this one.” Max sighed. “If you follow my cue, you won’t even have to go after him. He’ll come to you.”

  I stepped out of the vehicle. The wind tugged at my hair. The scent of the tropical flowers in bloom mixed with the aroma of the salty sea. I could guess why others considered this paradise, and I hadn’t even entered the building. The island was spectacular, even better for me it was —secluded, isolated, and an ideal place for hiding a dead body.

  The woman behind the reception counter in the lobby greeted us with a cheery smile. Her makeup was impeccable and her blonde hair styled to perfection, considering the time of night we’d arrived.

  “Mr. Pierce. We have everything waiting.”

  A bellboy swept up the handle of my rolling suitcase and grabbed my duffel bag. I held on to the straps tight, making him yank back. “Ms.?”

  “I’ll carry this one,” I answered back, earning a confused look from the princess behind the counter.

  Max took the bag from my hands and slid the strap over his shoulder, earning him my glare. “I’ll take it with us.”

  “Max. I thought you’d never get here.” An older woman with a sparkling gaze, wearing a designer gown, sauntered into the room. She pulled Max into a hug.

  “Mother.” He awkwardly hugged the woman back. “I’d like to introduce you to Gwen Bennett. Gwen, this is my mother, Martha Pierce.”

  His mother’s gaze lowered to my old tennis shoes and back up. “Client?”

  “Friend,” he answered and rested his arm around my waist. “Very personal friend, so be nice.”

  She gasped and held her hand to her chest. “I’m always nice, dear.”

  The woman behind the counter quickly hid her smile, telling me everything I needed to know. His mother was hiding claws, no matter how prim and proper she looked.

  “We aren’t—” I’d started to say when Max’s grip on my hip tightened. I glanced up at him to find his brows furrowed. “Staying long. I hope that’s okay.” I smiled sweetly.

  His mother raised her brow, and the princess behind the counter turned her smile into a scowl.

  I threw my arm around Max’s waist and leaned into his hold. I was mean like that.

  “Well then…” His mother’s smile faltered. “I hope you two will join me for breakfast.”

  “We’d love to,” Max answered.

  “We have that thing…” I glanced up at Max. “You know.”

  “What thing?” his mother asked.

  “Their spa appointment,” the woman behind the counter announced. “They’re scheduled with Raul at nine a.m.”

  “We are?” I asked before I could stop myself.

  “Of course. The spa has booked several guests during that time that you requested to see.”

  “Right,” Max lied. “The spa. Sorry, Mother, but we’ll be busy.”

  “Nonsense. I eat at seven. Both of you will join me before the appointment.” His mother turned and walked away.

  “Of course, we will,” Max said on a sigh and dropped his hold. “Thanks, Megan. Do you have everything I asked for?”

  “Absolutely, Mr. Pierce.” She pulled a package from beneath the counter and handed it to him. “We also have security watching him as you requested.”

  “Thank you.” He led me by my elbow toward the pool area.

  I glanced over my shoulder. “We aren’t staying in the hotel.”

  “The owner’s suites are private with an ocean view.”

  “That will make it more difficult to sneak around.”

  “There won’t be a need to sneak.”

  I followed him down a path and past a few private suites, until we reached the one that sat apart from the others. He opened the door and gestured me inside.

  The suite overlooked the island shores. Everything was white and airy. Expensive Italian tile covered the floors. Exquisite detail lay in every design. Paintings I’d had only read about lined the walls. Yet, all of that became commonplace when I pulled opened the heavy draperies. The clouds parted, unblocking the moonlight. The breathtaking view of the island shoreline was worth whatever this room cost. The sugar-white sandy beach led down to the water. It was like having paradise in your own backyard. The sound of waves crashing against the shore would lull me to sleep with a false sense of security.

  “Wait until you see the ocean at sunrise,” Max said.

  “A view like this could almost make me forget why I’m here.”

  “I doubt that,” Max said. I spun to follow him through the living area, past the kitchen, and into the bedroom. “There’s only one bed; I can take the couch.”

  I chuckled and patted him on the arm as I passed. Turning, I plopped down on the bed. “This bed is the size of my first apartment. It’s big enough for both of us. Don’t worry, Counselor; I don’t bite.”

  “It’s not you I’m worried about, Ms. Bennett,” Max said.

  “Gwen,” I corrected him. “Since we’re shacking up together, you might as well call me by my first name,” I said, rising from the bed. I grabbed my suitcase and tossed it onto the mattress, unzipping it. I pulled out my black yoga pants, a black top, and my bag of toiletries. “And I’m not worried about you controlling yourself, Counselor.”

  “Max,” he said.

  “Max.” I grinned. “I can handle myself just fine.”

  “If what Carter told me is true, I believe you.”

  “What did your brother tell you?”

  “He gave me a brief rundown on your impressive statistics. Seven languages? How did you manage that? Most people can’t even get one right.”

  I debated on telling the truth, but in the grand scheme of things, it didn’t matter. My entire family and everyone I worked with knew th
e truth. We were all unique in our own separate ways. “It all depends on what I’m exposed to. I guess you could call me a talent thief, although some call me a talent manipulator.”

  “What is that? You steal somebody’s talent?”

  “It means that I have a gift on picking up on things. Like people in the world that can retain information, all I have to do is to see something to remember it and mimic it. That’s why the languages came so easily.”

  “It explains the bookshelf,” Max said, tilting his head. “My brother also told me you’re a chameleon. I suppose your talent helps with that?”

  “Lucky you. You’ll get to see first-hand.” I gestured to the bathroom. “You don’t mind if I take a shower, do you?”

  “Go right ahead.”

  I stepped into the bathroom, and with my hand on the door, I turned back to smile at him. I winked and left the door open in invitation.

  Chapter 7

  The bathroom oasis was larger than my bedroom. Marble countertops and floors, a double sink, and the shower, which had six showerheads, was built for the size of an army. A girl could have all kinds of fun in that shower with the right partner. Testing that theory had merit once I’d taken care of business. I stripped out of my jeans and T-shirt, dropping them on the floor before stepping under the warm cascade of water. The soothing spray eased the tension from my shoulders and wiped the jet lag from my body. I’d needed the quick wake-me-up. I still had work to do.

  When the sink faucet turned on, I grinned. It appeared Maxwell Pierce didn’t mind sharing the intimate space. “So, tell me what we need to do so I can get you back to working on my sister’s case.”

  I washed the strawberry shampoo out of my hair before I answered him. “I have to find Fillpot, take back the money he stole from the old folks, and then have him arrested before he can swindle again.”