by Kira Blakely
“I guess so, but I don’t know why he didn’t just tell me.”
“If you trust him, you will wait for him to tell you why. That’s all I’m saying. Not only will he tell you, but then you can ask him questions. He’s the only person in the world who can tell you why he did what he did, or didn’t do. Would that be fair?”
She thought a few seconds and then nodded. “I guess that makes sense.”
I patted her shoulder. “I knew you would understand. Now, why don’t you do as he asked and go on up to your room. I’ll ask Mrs. Sims to bring you something to eat and I’m sure you’ve got some friends to text with. He’ll be back and then you and I will both ask him questions. Fair enough?”
She nodded again and stood up. “Harper?”
“Yes, honey?”
“I’m really glad you’re here.”
“I’m glad I’m here, too.”
Meghan continued up to her room, and I stood up and went in search of Mrs. Sims. I almost ran into her in the doorway of the kitchen. Her hands held a tray.
“Meghan?” I asked and she nodded. I gave her sort of a side hug and left for the cottage.
For now, my world had returned to normal. I had a whole ton of questions for Brayden, but it was, for the most part, normal.
Chapter 20
Brayden
Collin was standing next to the captain on the boat’s bridge. I was sitting in a side chair, pondering exactly what I was going to say. I decided to save it until we had some privacy.
We came into the Utopia dock and Collin was already at the dockside of the boat, ready to jump out. “Hey, Collin,” I called to him.
He was slow to look around, but eventually swung about to face me. “What do you want?”
“Why don’t you stick around and lets you and I have a talk?”
He looked at the captain and the security detail I’d brought with me. “Give me back my weapon. I’ve got a permit.”
They looked to me, and I nodded.
“Alrighty then, let’s do that.”
I nodded to the others and they filed off the boat and headed toward Utopia. One of the security guys walked about thirty paces, turned and stood, folding his arms across his chest. I let him stay.
“So, you want to tell me why you never told me about the girl?” Collin’s voice wasn’t friendly.
“Just exactly what were you going to do with her, Collin? You don’t have a home, you’re always off on an adventure and there’s a string of women in your past so long it would make a parade. She was just a little girl who lost her mom and dad. She needed, if anything, stability. I was the only one who could give her that. Ask yourself, did you really want to be saddled with a little girl to take care of?”
“Don’t bullshit me. You got something out of the deal. Maybe a nice little life insurance policy?”
I rolled my eyes, hardly able to believe what I was hearing. “You think I took her for money? Really? Have you looked around? Do I strike you as someone who needs money? Anyway, it was barely enough to bury them. I’ve been her support from the beginning.”
Collin was thoughtful. “I still think you should have told me.”
“Fuck, Collin, you’ve never been the warm and fuzzy type. I did what I thought was best for the girl.”
“Yeah, right.”
“So, why did you go out there?”
He pulled a cigarette from his pocket and lit it. “I knew you were holding out on me, and I wanted to see what it was. Before I leave town, I need to know who is holding which cards.”
“What you saw there and here, is mine. This morning, you sat in my office and I handed you the tools to make your own. What’s up with that, now? Just going to walk away from it?”
“Who’s walking away? Fuck, no. I’m taking it because it’s mine by right.”
I swallowed my words that threatened to choke me. “All right, if that’s how you want to think about it, makes no difference to me.”
“So? Where’s my ticket and the money to start with? I’ll have expenses, you know.”
I sighed inside but didn’t let him see it. I knew he was trying to start something with me and I wasn’t going to let him pull it. “Go on up to Cabana. I’ll be there in thirty minutes and have it for you.”
He nodded, dropped his cigarette onto the mahogany deck and ground it with the heel of his shoe. It was just one more in your face directed at me. I wanted to push him overboard but I was so close to getting rid of him. I let it go.
When he hit the dock, I leaned over the edge and puked my guts out into the water.
* * *
I spotted Collin at his usual table. He always liked the corner because his back was to the wall, the exit was immediately to his right and he could see everything and everyone who came into the lounge.
As I walked toward him, he jabbed at a young redhead with balloon knockers who was perched next to him. She looked at me, got up and moved away. Shit, he’s brought hookers into Utopia. I felt like I was part of some old Western scene where the sheriff approached and the bad guys scattered. Why did this all feel so lethal? This guy was my brother.
“Get your chores done, bro?” he greeted me.
I sat down and waved at the bartender, who sent over my favorite glass of Chardonnay. It was cool and tart on my tongue, and I tried to relax despite the hammering of my heart. I was about to place the biggest bet of my lifetime and the stakes were high; higher than I could possibly protect.
I reached into my inside pocket and placed an envelope on the table between us. Collin reached for it. “Not so fast,” I said, placing my hand over it. “We have a few things to agree to before. Call it an employment agreement, and it favors you more than me, actually.”
“What kind of agreement?”
I opened the envelope and withdrew a document, smoothing it out so I could read excerpts to him. I motioned with my finger and my attorney, Melborne, joined us from where he’d been waiting at another table.
“Collin, may I present Mr. Dean Melborne, my attorney and yours to ask any questions. Mr. Melborne, my brother, Collin Campbell.”
Collin’s face flushed. I knew he was angry and that was exactly what I wanted to see. It told me he was desperate and men in desperation often made mistakes. He badly needed what was in that envelope; there was no question of that.
Melborne sat and nodded toward Collin, but I lifted the document and summarized certain passages. “Collin, this document agrees that you are to be a twenty percent stockholder and manager-in-training of a new resort, to be called LaPetite. It will be located in Paris and the property has already been scouted and purchased. You and your staff will be accommodated at a nearby hotel and offices have been rented until such time as the resort is completed enough to provide what you need. The team of investors I represent will be seventy percent stockholders and have no representation other than me. I have to sign off on anything, including design, purchases, salaries, branding and marketing. When, at such time as I feel is appropriate, you are capable of handling these details, my supervision will end and you will become general manager. This point is to be determined by the investors. Also, at that time, your equity will increase to forty percent and the resort shall be self-supporting with no further backing by the investors.”
“Sounds fine,” he said anxiously. “I’m going to need some seed money for myself to get settled.”
“I know. This envelope contains a check from the investment company made out to you in the amount of five hundred thousand dollars. It’s expected that you guarantee to be on site in Paris fifty weeks out of the year and once the resort is complete, you will reside there and be on hand for the day to day operations. If you do not fulfill this participatory condition, your involvement with the resort will cease immediately, you will be expected to repay the five hundred thousand and you will agree to surrender any and all interests in the enterprise entirely. Can you agree to this? Do you have any questions of Melborne here?”
Col
lin was so intent on getting the money and getting out, he pulled the document from my hands, scribbled his signature, grabbed the envelope and got up to go. He never said another word.
Collin was gone. I looked at Melborne. “Do you think this will work?”
He ran a hand through his close-cropped gray hair and sighed. “I wouldn’t take odds but it’s the best we could come up with.”
“Okay.” I exhaled and stood to leave. “I’m going home.”
Chapter 21
Harper
I awoke to the sensation of lips tasting the side of my neck. It felt delicious, and I shuddered with its sensual touch. There were fingers opening the nightshirt I’d slid into before I had lain down and with each button came a waft of cool air and the touch of fingers sketching circles on my skin. I kept my eyes closed. It seemed to make all the sensations so much more potent. I could feel his weight over me, pressing in the mattress on either side of me. I knew I’d been relaxed in my sleep but he felt much heavier. “Brayden, I love it when you’re like this,” I murmured and he chuckled.
It wasn’t Brayden’s voice and my eyes flew open. It was Collin!
I tried to scream, but the hand over my mouth barely allowed me to breathe.
“Aw, now don’t worry, sweetheart. I’m not here to hurt you. If I had time, I’d show you that you got yourself the wrong brother. But I’m just here to help you sleep. So, you just lie there. A little pinch now and then you’ll fall back asleep. Don’t you worry now, Harper, honey.”
I tried to push him off me but he was more than twice my weight and I couldn’t move. I saw him look down at my arm and then I felt the needle. The room started fading and that was it.
Chapter 22
Brayden
It was the annual Keys Children’s Charity and I’d long lobbied to have the crowning dinner and event to be held at Utopia. It had been a major coup to beat out the various Golden Coast hotels and convention centers and bring it to Utopia. I’d asked Harper the day before to be sure and be ready. With all the excitement, I wondered if she’d remembered. I texted her cell, but there was no response. I tried to call and it went to voicemail. I imagined she was in the shower and waited before trying again. In the meantime, the dignitaries were arriving in a string of black limos. It was definitely a red-carpet event and the paparazzi were in a frenzy, snapping publicity photos. Overall, it was an excellent opportunity for Utopia to be known worldwide. These were the people who formed the core blood of the resort industry.
Linda Thomalin, the grande dame of the entire affair was wobbling toward me. The woman had to top three hundred pounds but they were well-packed into a plus-size set of shapewear. Even so, she should have skipped the red stiletto heels, as her weight drove each step into the carpet like a spike on a railroad track.
“Oh, Mr. Campbell, this is simply marvelous. I’m so glad we decided to hold the event here at Utopia this year,” she said, using that affected accent that seemed to come over new money when their bank account hit the first ten million. She was wearing a floor-length red-sequined gown, far too flagrant for her shape or for good taste, but she was the decision maker, and I had to overlook the rest of her deficits.
“We’re very glad to host, Mrs. Thomalin. It has long been a sought-after prize. We hope the committee will decide to make this an ongoing tradition.”
“Yes, yes, we’ll see,” she piped up in an overly loud voice that matched the rest of her. She waved her fingers at me and moved on to socialize. It was a relief. I tried Harper’s number again. No response. A nightmare of cold dread slid down my spine. There was no way she’d been in the shower this long, and certainly not since she should have already been here. I would give her ten more minutes and then I was going in. I texted Captain Bob to make sure he was standing by at Vermillion. He didn’t answer, either.
Then I knew something was wrong. Very, very wrong. I found a couple of assistant managers I could trust and turned things over to them as I raced to the dock. I used the resort cabin cruiser, blocking guests as they arrived in their own boats. Within a few minutes, I was speeding to Vermillion.
I continued to text Captain Bob, Mrs. Sims and Meghan without response. Harper wasn’t answering anything. I felt chilled despite the heat of the evening and barely tied up the boat as I arrived at my dock.
Racing for the house, I threw open the slider and found no one. I took two stairs at a time up to Meghan’s room, but it was empty.
Bounding downstairs, I thought my heart would explode with the panic coursing through my veins. I tore open the door to the cottage and rounded the corner. Emotion overcame me at what I saw.
Harper was on the bed, but not moving. I fell to my knees at her side and felt for a pulse. Thank God, she’s just asleep! I shook her. “Harper! Harper, honey, wake up!”
She didn’t respond, but continued her even breathing. My mind was racing. Where were the others? Scooping her into my arms, I jogged for the boat and put her on the bed in the main cabin. Back on the lawn, I stood stock still, forcing my swirling panic to rationalize a plan. Grabbing my cell, I called my security detail and ordered them to get to Vermillion on the double and find Mrs. Sims and Captain Bob. I knew there was no reason to look for Meghan. She was not on the island. It had to be Collin—or at least I hoped.
Back at Utopia, I had Harper taken to my special suite and ordered the doctor to see to her. Security was already at Vermillion, and I was waiting for an update. I tried calling Collin’s phone, but didn’t expect him to answer. He didn’t. I’d grabbed Harper’s phone and found Stephanie’s number.
“Hello?”
“Stephanie?”
“Yeah. Who’s this?”
“Brayden. Is Collin with you?”
“Yeah, right. That bastard cleaned out my purse and took a hike. If you see him, kill him for me, will you?”
“Stephanie, look, I don’t have much time. I think Collin is behind something pretty bad. I need your help. Have you ever noticed him having any association with unusual people – like maybe men who come by for a few minutes and then leave? Does he come and go for short periods of time? Anyone?”
“Sure. I thought he had other women. I got pissed and told him not to come back, but he ignored me and broke in the door when I didn’t let him in. You know he’s got a gun, right, Brayden?”
“Yeah, I know. When was the last time you saw or heard from him?”
“Oh, shit, let me think. I guess it was day before yesterday. Tell you the truth, I thought I might finally be rid of him and was sort of glad. He can be a real ass.”
“Do you have any idea where he meets people or any phone numbers? Did he ever use your phone?”
“Oh, yeah, all the time. He said his phone was broke and he’d give me their number.”
“Stephanie, are you at the apartment?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m sending a car for you immediately. I want you here at Utopia and bring that phone. We need every phone number he might have called in or out. Your sister needs you, Steph. If I’m not mistaken, Collin has had her drugged and she’s with the doctor now. The car should be there in about five minutes. Be outside and ready, please.”
“Jesus, Brayden! What’s going on?”
“Just be ready.” I disconnected and sent the car for her. Checking in with the doctor, there was still no change with Harper. The doctor said she was stable but had been drugged heavily and would come out of it on her own. I ordered him to stay by her side and left word at the front desk to send Stephanie to my office.
She was there in fifteen minutes. She tapped on the door and I jerked it open, holding out my hand. “Give me your phone,” I ordered and snatched it from her.
“Jesus, Brayden, what the hell is going on?”
“I don’t have time right now to explain it all, Steph, but I think Collin is in over his head. And he may be taking us all down with him. Please, go out to the front desk and I’ll have someone take you up to my suite where Harper is. Make
yourself at home, order food, drink, whatever. I have a serious situation on my hands, and you can be the biggest help if you look after your sister for me.”
Her mouth was hanging open but she snapped it shut and nodded. I could see then what Collin had seen in her. She totally lacked individual motivation; she responded best to orders. I imagined he had run her to the ground.
I left orders at the front desk and sat down with Steph’s phone, typing a list of the phone numbers in her recent calls directory that were obviously unusual. If he was doing what I thought, these people would not use phones that could be tracked. Their numbers, including area codes, would be random.
I berated myself. I should have anticipated this could happen.
I knew Collin was in over his head. Damn! I knew better. Collin was attracted to anything that was anti-social, illegal and immoral. It was his signature personality. I hated to admit it, but my brother was a sociopath. His need to live on the fringes had driven him to excess. Drink, smoking, drugs and gambling. It was the last that was getting to him first. I knew he was out there placing bets when he had no money to back it up. He’d come to me often enough to “borrow” money to get himself bailed out. He’d started small and the longer he did it, the bigger the thrill he craved. It was an addiction and his poison was the danger, not the money. I’d had suspicions for some time that he’d gotten himself in the hole with the Mafia. Perhaps even the Russian Mafia. That was what had me scared.
I’d given him money and known while I was doing it that it was like giving a bottle of Scotch to an alcoholic. I’d hoped that either Collin would see the opportunities open to him and change his course or that he’d take the big fall and have to go into hiding, which would keep him out of my hair. I felt like an asshole, but I had people to protect. He didn’t. He didn’t even see himself worthy of his own protection. You can’t save someone who wants to commit suicide; not if they truly want to do it. All you can do is close your eyes and look away.