How to Catch a Bad Boy

by Cat Schield

  Lani suspected she’d get nowhere if she told the truth. “Did you know your son has been living in Royal, Texas, for the past two years? He’s staying in a guesthouse at Elegance Ranch, a property owned by Russell Edmond.”

  The thing about wearing long false eyelashes was that they called attention to a woman’s eyes and what Lani glimpsed in Antoinette’s wide green gaze was longing, anger and a trace of fear.

  “I haven’t seen or heard from that boy in years so I don’t know what I can tell you.” The older woman studied Lani for a few seconds longer while curiosity and reluctance battled on her face. In the end Antoinette backed into the house with a curt gesture that invited without being welcoming. “You might as well come in. I don’t need to be air-conditioning the neighborhood.”

  “Thanks.”

  Crossing into the dim interior of the woman’s apartment was like stepping back in time. And not in a good way. Years of cigarette smoke clung to the ’70s wallpaper and burgundy carpet beneath her feet. As Lani made her way across the grungy patchwork of spills and threadbare spots, she couldn’t help but contrast the shabby one-bedroom apartment to the elegant guesthouse on Elegance Ranch where Billy lived.

  “Can I get you something to drink?” Antoinette asked, leaving Lani to wonder if she was being hospitable or if a lifetime of waitressing made the offer a habit. “I’ve got diet soda or water, or I could make some coffee.”

  “I’ll take a soda,” she said with a polite smile after glancing at the dishes piled in the sink. Hopefully the drink would come in a can because she couldn’t imagine there was a single clean glass in the place.

  After Lani perched on the gold velvet couch her hostess had indicated, Antoinette headed into the kitchen to fetch the offered drink. This gave Lani a chance to glance around. Billy’s mom said she hadn’t heard from him in years. Obviously she hadn’t benefited from any of the money he’d swindled as Bond Howard, Bobby Hammond or Brad Howell.

  Spying a cluster of pictures on a side table, Lani leaned over to peer at them. What she saw caused her to pull out her phone and snap several images.

  These were obviously a collection of Antoinette’s most cherished photos. They told her story, starting with a grainy shot of a somber-faced man and his beaming bride on their wedding day. Her parents, based on the fashion and quality of the photo.

  Next in order was a shot of a fresh-faced teenage Antoinette, posing in a cheer uniform with two other girls similarly dressed. The trio triumphantly held a trophy in their grasp, indicating Antoinette had known better times.

  Lani’s favorite of the bunch was a charming image of the woman snuggling a boy of about four or five. From his mother’s joyful smile, Billy hadn’t lacked affection growing up. But the photo that stopped Lani’s breath was the one in a fancy gold frame. It featured a beaming Antoinette and a much-younger Rusty Edmond.

  “That’s my boy,” Antoinette said, handing Lani an off-brand diet soda before indicating a wall of photos from Billy’s school years. “The last picture I took of him was the day he went off to college.” She gave a bitter laugh that turned into a classic smoker’s cough. “First one in my family to go.”

  “You must be very proud of him...” Lani trailed off, hoping Billy’s mom would fill in the details without the need for direct questions.

  “It gave him airs.” Antoinette stared at the pictures on the side table. “What sort of background check are you doing on my boy?”

  Lani resisted the urge to clear her throat. “The man who hired me is very particular about the people he does business with.” It wasn’t a lie. Kingston Blue had certainly had her checked out before hiring her.

  “I haven’t seen Billy in five years or so. He never came back much after he graduated college. Just walked away, as all men do...as his father did.” Antoinette darted a glance at the man framed in gold. “I should’ve known better.”

  “Does Billy have much to do with his dad?”

  Speculation gleamed in Antoinette’s narrowed eyes. “Why do you need to know something like that?”

  “It fills out the picture...”

  The older woman assessed Lani’s appearance once more. “I’ve said all I’m going to for free.”

  She blinked. “I’m sorry?”

  “If you’re a private detective, you’ve probably got an expense account.” The waitress licked her lips and smiled. “If you want to know anything more, it’s gonna cost you.”

  With Asher’s freedom on the line, Lani had a lot riding on this interview, and a photo of Rusty Edmond with Billy’s mother demonstrated there was a story here. To persuade the authorities to look at Billy, she needed something that piqued their interest.

  Moving with deliberate intent, Lani opened her purse and added up everything she had. Would nine crisp one-hundred-dollar bills be enough to get all the information she needed? Lani pulled out one bill and set it on the coffee table in between them.

  “Does Billy see his dad?”

  Antoinette’s hand shot out and drew the hundred toward her. The bill disappeared into her ample cleavage.

  “No.”

  Trying not to let her impatience get the better of her, Lani plucked out another bill and set it on the table. She made sure to avoid glancing at the cluster of pictures as she asked, “Does his father know about Billy?”

  “He knew I was pregnant, but he didn’t believe Billy was his.”

  So the answer to that was no. The photo of his mother with Russell Edmond was the only one of Antoinette with a man. Billy obviously knew or suspected that Rusty was his father. What was Billy up to? Why hadn’t he told Rusty that they were father and son?

  “Why not?”

  Antoinette crossed her arms over her chest and scowled. Another bill appeared in Lani’s hand. She set it on the table.

  “Tell me about Billy’s father.” She gestured at the picture in the gold frame. “Is this him?”

  “A real charmer with a sexy drawl. He was from Texas like you. An oilman with deep pockets. Good tipper.” The waitress purred, “He made me feel like the most beautiful woman on the planet.”

  While the woman relived what was obviously a high point in her life, Lani couldn’t help but notice the similarity to how she’d met Asher. Antoinette waxed nostalgic about Rusty’s hypnotic gray eyes and how his deep laugh had given her chills. Meanwhile Lani pictured how Asher had hungrily watched her through half-closed lids and wore down her resistance with his lingering, sensual smiles. “He liked to come to the casino where I worked and throw money around. He treated me good.”

  “That’s great,” she murmured, growing uncomfortable at their parallel experiences.

  Yet was it a surprise that when a wealthy man wanted a woman, he used whatever means at his disposal to have her?

  “Until I got pregnant,” Antoinette said. “Then it was over.”

  Abruptly Lani felt sorry for the woman. If she and Asher hadn’t been careful, that might’ve been her, pregnant and scared with an uncertain future looming before her. Given his restless nature and frat-boy attitude, would Asher have reacted any better to an unplanned pregnancy than his father had?

  At least she knew things would be different today. If she got pregnant, she had no doubt that Asher would not only want to be an involved father, he’d probably insist on taking care of her, as well.

  The thought warmed her. Even though she let him believe her opinion of him hadn’t changed, the concern he’d shown for those harmed by the troubles surrounding the festival demonstrated that he could care about someone besides himself. And really, if she took a good honest look at everything that had transpired between them that summer on Appaloosa Island, she knew she never would’ve fallen for him if he hadn’t treated her so well. In fact, once she stopped getting in her own way, she’d discovered that Asher made her feel secure.

  Lani plucked the rest of her cas
h out of her wallet and placed it on the table. “This is everything I have. Just answer these last few questions.” And then without waiting for Antoinette to agree, she launched into the rest of her inquiry. “Did you ask him for child support?”

  “Never thought of it.”

  That was so obviously a lie, but Lani resisted the urge to challenge Antoinette.

  “But you said he was wealthy. I would think you could’ve proved Billy was his son and benefited financially. How come you didn’t run a paternity test?”

  Suddenly Antoinette didn’t look so eager to keep going. “You ask a lot of questions.”

  “I paid you a lot of money for answers,” Lani countered in aggrieved tones as frustration got the better of her. Asher was counting on her to save him and everything hinged on what she found out. “Why no paternity test?” she repeated, slapping her hand over the pile of cash as the waitress leaned forward to snatch it up.

  Antoinette kept her gaze riveted on the money as she mumbled, “There were other men around the same time.”

  Yet a paternity test would’ve provided definitive proof of whether or not Rusty was Billy’s dad. Unless...

  “How much did he pay you to leave him alone and forget about the paternity test?”

  “You think you’re so smart, don’t you?” Antoinette snarled. She glanced at the money again and heaved a sigh. “Fine. He paid me ten grand to drop it and never contact him again. And Russell wasn’t the sort of man you crossed.”

  “So, you don’t actually know who Billy’s father is,” Lani mused.

  But Antoinette obviously hoped it was Russell Edmond. The ornate gold frame around the oil magnate’s image highlighted how much he’d meant to her. Billy had grown up seeing that face every day. It made perfect sense that he’d believe this man was his father.

  Had resentment festered with each passing year? Growing up poor, had Billy become obsessed about his wealthy father living in Texas? Had he planned how he was going to make friends with his half brother and eventually worm his way into the family?

  “Does Billy begrudge his father for not acknowledging him?”

  “No. Why would he?” But something about Antoinette’s answer didn’t ring true for Lani.

  With one last glance at the photo of Rusty and Antoinette, Lani lifted her hand off the cash and got to her feet. After a quick goodbye and no backward glance, Lani escaped the suffocating apartment with her thoughts whirling from all she’d learned. Finally Billy’s motive was clear. Not only had he taken revenge on his father’s family, but he’d also pulled off the biggest score of his life.

  No doubt he wouldn’t be sticking around for much longer. In fact Lani was surprised he’d stayed in town this long. With that thought came a rush of panic. She needed to get back to Royal as soon as possible and convince the authorities to take what she’d discovered and go after Billy. But first she needed to reach out to the one person who would benefit the most from what she’d learned.

  This might be enough to save Asher and she couldn’t wait to tell him.

  But two hours and three phone calls later, Asher hadn’t picked up once.

  As her plane for Dallas began boarding, Lani ended the last call without leaving a third message. She was determined not to jump to the wrong conclusions as to why he wasn’t answering her calls. But even so, anxiety sank its talons into her psyche, making her wince. There were a lot of possibilities for why he wasn’t picking up beyond the one currently stuck in the forefront of her mind—that she’d hurt him badly. Badly enough that he wanted nothing more to do with her? Lani desperately hoped not.

  * * *

  Asher couldn’t take his gaze off Ross, Charlotte and Ben. He’d never envied his brother as much as he did at this moment. That could’ve been him with Lani and possibly their own child if he hadn’t been so afraid of the changes required to move forward with their relationship. Without offering her any sort of vision of an alternative, better future with him, he’d selfishly asked her to change her plans for grad school and follow him to Argentina and beyond. Was it any wonder that she’d balked? He’d known how driven she was.

  If he’d put some thought into a plan, he might have found a better way to convince her than, I have plenty of money. You’ll never need to work a day in your life.

  He’d known immediately that was the wrong tact to take with her. But it wasn’t like he could set his heart at her feet, tell her he’d fallen hard and couldn’t bear to live without her. What if it didn’t last? What if she woke up and realized he wasn’t good enough for her? He’d dreaded the possibility that the love shining in her eyes would dim as disappointment set in.

  She’d stopped criticizing his lifestyle once they’d started dating, but her desire to help people and her passion for justice was all he needed to recognize that she didn’t approve of his lack of direction any more than Rusty did. And at the end of summer, when she left Appaloosa Island to live her mission-driven life, he’d been left wondering why he always seemed to be craving the love and approval of people who could never accept him for who he was.

  Lately he’d been wondering a great deal about what might’ve happened back then if he had changed. Grown up. Become the man Lani needed. Would she have started to take him seriously? Would they have gotten married? Had a child? He’d sure wanted to be with her. To demonstrate what life with him could be like, he’d taken her on a magical journey through the extravagances his lifestyle afforded him. The big boat, fine dining and luxurious suites at the best hotels, a private plane to anywhere they wanted to go... But he’d mistaken her delight in the finer things he offered with a shift in her nature. She might’ve been able to appreciate the amenities he had access to, but that didn’t mean those things would become more important to her than her schooling and the career in law enforcement she’d hoped to pursue.

  “It’s good to see Ross this happy, isn’t it?”

  While he’s been observing the happy family, Gina had walked up beside him. Despite her upbeat statement, she looked as gloomy as Asher felt. He threw his arm around her in comfort. Over the course of Lani’s investigation into the missing festival money, Asher and his sister had made a semblance of peace.

  “Obviously fatherhood and being in love suit him.” Asher noted a roughness to his voice. He swallowed a hard knot in his throat before musing, “Do you suppose either one of us has that to look forward to?”

  “I don’t know about you,” Gina murmured, “but I’m pretty sure I don’t.”

  “Why is that?” Asher turned his full attention on his sister and seeing her misery, took her hand in his. Squeezing gently in reassurance, he said, “You never know. Mr. Right could be waiting for you to notice him.”

  She responded with a bitter laugh. “With our family’s reputation sullied by the festival scandal, who could possibly want me now?”

  “Any man with half a brain would realize what a catch you are,” Asher said, surprised by his sister’s inability to see her worth. “There’s more to you than being an Edmond. You know that, right?”

  Not only was Gina beautiful and smart, she was kind and giving, as well. That she failed to recognize all she had to offer wasn’t a surprise. None of the three siblings had been showered with the sort of approval and love that would’ve given them the confidence to take on the world. Rusty never acted as if he gave a damn about any of them. Was it any wonder the three of them struggled to find love and develop successful relationships?

  “I really don’t,” Gina said. “I guess I never realized how much I benefited from being an Edmond until our name got dragged through the mud.”

  “I’m sorry this happened.”

  His sister looked stricken. “I know you. Stealing isn’t your style. I feel bad that I ever believed you were guilty.”

  “Don’t worry about it,” Asher assured her with a warm smile. “The evidence was so damning that there w
ere times I actually thought I had stolen the funds.”

  “Oh, Asher.” She laughed at his joke as he’d hoped she would and his spirits remained high even as she sobered once more. “But what are we going to do about proving your innocence?”

  “Lani and I have some ideas on that. In fact, we have a suspect.”

  Gina looked startled. “Who?”

  He’d promised Lani not to tell Ross what they learned about Billy, but he could share the information with Gina without violating their agreement.

  “We’ve been looking into Billy.”

  “Billy Holmes?” Her voice was louder and sharper than Asher would’ve liked and he immediately shushed her. “Why him?”

  “We found out he’s been operating under false names all over the country and getting women to invest in schemes before backing out and taking their money with him.”

  “Seriously?” she gasped, confusion blanketing her expression. “That makes no sense! He’s been Ross’s friend since college. I can’t imagine him doing something like that or being that type of person without Ross realizing it.”

  Asher pondered how Rusty had embraced Billy when the cranky billionaire rarely approved of anyone, including his own children. “Well, he’s obviously pretty good at charming people to get what he wants. I mean, he is currently living in the guesthouse on our estate.”

  “What does Ross have to say about this?”

  “I haven’t spoken to him about it and I need for you to promise me that you won’t say anything either. I can’t risk him tipping off Billy. He’s already left a trail of missing funds across the country. Nothing on the scale of what was stolen from Soiree on the Bay, but it has all led up to this moment. And with me in jail, he gets away with it.”

  Gina’s brown eyes grew wider as he spoke and Asher realized his voice had grown louder as he vented his frustration.

  “You need to go to the authorities with this,” his sister said, her eyes darting toward Ross and his family.