Resident Billionaire

by Cheryl Phipps

  “Then I have to work.”

  “Right. So, I’ll be left to my own devices, and we’re not even staying in town?”

  “It’s better this way. I don’t want anyone to know I’m here.”

  “You drive a car which sticks out in any town, and you think no one will notice?”

  He saw her point immediately and could have kicked himself. “You’re right. I don’t know what I was thinking. You muddle me up.”

  Caris snorted at his confession. “I think that’s an insult?”

  “It’s the truth. Look I’ve got a lot on my mind right now. I haven’t got time to play games.”

  She folded her arms and glared at him, the mood returned to chilly. “I wasn’t aware this was a game, but if that’s your take on it, fair enough.”

  He hated to see her upset and angry, but the meeting had changed things. He shouldn’t have brought her and made her subject to the potential ugliness he might be about to uncover. They drove in silence until they arrived at the motel. It was middle-of-the-road in comfort and had a small bar out back which also served as the dining room.

  Andy hefted her suitcase and his army duffel bag into the reception with a glum Caris beside him.

  A freckle-faced woman greeted them with all the southern hospitality she could muster. “I’m Cathy-Lee, you must be Mr. Carlile and Ms. Knight?”

  Andy took off his Stetson. “Yes, Ma’am.”

  “Pleased to have you. You all look like you need a hot bath. Both rooms have their own bathroom,” she said, proudly. “There’s plenty of towels, and we’ve got some of those fancy smelling things to make it relaxing. You just throw them into the water.”

  Caris wasn’t immune to the woman’s sunny nature, and she gave her back one of those smiles he lived for. “That sounds perfect. I have some clothes needing a wash. Do you have a laundry?”

  “We sure do, but you hand them over to me, sweet thing, and I’ll have them back for you tomorrow.”

  Caris hesitated, but the woman was so earnest that she handed over the sodden garments. “Thank you, that’s so kind.”

  Cathy-Lee waved her appreciation away. “Anything you need; you give me a holler. We’re booked solid, but I’m never too busy for our guests.” She handed Caris the keys. “Once you sign the register, take those stairs to the first floor and your rooms are to the left, at the quiet end of the hotel.”

  “Lovely. Thanks, again.”

  An older gentleman came from the office behind the desk to take the bags.

  “I’ve got them, thanks anyway.” His duffel bag had some items which weren’t regulation, and not particularly light, so he wouldn’t inflict it on anyone. Especially a man who was neither fit, nor in his prime.

  Caris led the way and opened both doors of the rooms which were next to each other.

  “Any preference?” Andy asked.

  “None. Shall I take this one?”

  “Go ahead.”

  He followed her into the first room and put her case on the stand provided. “I’ve got a few things to do, so I’ll see you in a couple of hours in the bar for dinner?”

  “Okay.”

  She didn’t look too thrilled to be dumped but he had to sort this out. He put his suitcase in his room, noted the connecting door, and dismissed the idea of opening it. Although, he had to admit it wasn’t going to be easy.

  He had a wash, made several phone calls, and was about to leave when Caris burst through the internal door he hadn’t thought to lock. Instantly he was on alert, every nerve in his body tuned in to protect her. “What’s happened?”

  She sat on his bed and crossed her arms. “You tell me. I’ve had time to think about things, and I’m not leaving until you tell me what happened at the lawyers.”

  “Mind your own business, kid.”

  “Don’t try to fob me off, Cowboy. I’ll sit here until you find it within yourself to trust me.”

  Exasperated, he grabbed his Stetson and picked at the braid. “It’s not that I don’t trust you.”

  “Then what is it?” Her voice was less insistent but strangely more compelling.

  “It’s personal.”

  “What does that mean? You’ve been part of our family for so long, there can’t be any ghosts in the closet.”

  “You’d be surprised.”

  “So, go on. Surprise me.”

  As much as he wanted to keep things close to his chest for a bit longer, she was wearing him down with her tenacious concern. She’d be with him for a few more days, and he couldn’t avoid the truth forever. As if speaking it could somehow make it any worse.

  “My mother’s alive.”

  Her mouth opened and closed, giving him some satisfaction. “Oh, my goodness. How? Why?”

  “Exactly how I felt when the lawyer told me. Apparently, the lawyer looking after her affairs back then suffered from dementia. The rest of the company didn’t realize how bad he’d got. When he finally retired, they found the mess he’d left, and it’s taking them years to rectify all the problems he’d caused.”

  “There are other people in your situation?”

  “Probably not quite the same as me, but it blows my mind to think how many lives he’s ruined or made harder by his illness. I’ll think about what, if any, action I’ll take against the company when I find out exactly what this all means to me.”

  Caris digested this, then softly asked, “And the lawyer? What will you do to him?”

  “The poor bastard probably suffered enough, but as it happens he’s dead. This apparently was the key to them digging into things further.”

  She whistled. “So, where is your mother now?”

  “She was in a retirement village with her sister.”

  “There must be more to her story then?”

  “Oh, there’s more.” He began to pace. It had been hard to hear, but it was harder to say the words. “What was documented states she’d moved to her sister’s home in Florida because she was scared of my father. She wanted to take me, but he refused. Interesting, when you think he had no clue where I was or if I had enough to eat most of the time.”

  She jumped to her feet. “It must be terribly upsetting, but isn’t it also incredible?”

  He waved her away. If he was to continue telling this story it was best he wasn’t given too much sympathy. “When she couldn’t find me because Dad had taken me to San Francisco, she asked the lawyer to trace us. In the file, there were notes from his discussion with her. He said he’d hired a private detective and gave her updates, but there was no indication of any progress. After a few years, the notes stopped. I’ve contacted every number there was, but the last place won’t give me any information. I’m going to have to go down there once I’ve made a few more inquiries.”

  “So, the lawyer didn’t do anything to find you?”

  “I’m beginning to think that’s the case. Whether the updates were fudged, I’m not sure, but it doesn’t seem like he did all he should have. And he certainly didn’t do enough. Maybe the guy he hired was taking the money but not actually looking. We may have traveled at night, and maybe Dad was careful, but it’s not like we changed our names and I did eventually go to school.”

  “Does it give any other details about your mom?”

  “She mostly worked as a waitress. Then there’s nothing more about her. The senior partner tried to locate her, but he couldn’t get anywhere either.”

  “Thank you for telling me.”

  “I know you won’t say anything to anyone.”

  “You’re not telling the family?”

  He stopped pacing once he realized he’d almost worn a track in the carpet. “Not yet.”

  “But…”

  He shook his head. “Come on, Caris. You know how it will be. You of all people should understand since you omitted to tell them about us.”

  She blushed. “Okay, no telling the family. For now. Why don’t we leave for Florida right away? You must be dying to see her?”

  He w
alked to the window and pulled back the curtain, not sure what he hoped to see. An answer which made sense? “To be honest, I’m confused about what I hope to get out of this. I came here to sign papers, not to resurrect the past. After all this time, do I really want to? I don’t know. Did she do enough to find me? Why did she leave me behind?”

  She came to stand beside him. “You don’t know the truth yet. You only know some of the facts, and it’s not like you to make up answers.”

  Reluctantly, he nodded. She was right. He was jumping to conclusion and he usually didn’t deal in ‘what ifs’. “I need to find out more about the circumstances before I confront her.”

  “Okay, but let me help this time. Please.”

  “It’s not necessary.”

  “Don’t be all macho about it. I’m here and not exactly doing a heck of a lot. Use me.”

  He looked into those light blue eyes and had a vision of using her, and it wasn’t in any way she was thinking of. Although, she did have a wicked twinkle going on. Somehow, she always made him feel better. Caris was a package all right, and he wanted nothing more than to unwrap her. But, he wasn’t about to take advantage of her while he was in this current state of mind.

  “Okay, you’re on. I’m going to talk to a few people around town. I’m sure they’ll be much more accommodating with a pretty girl on my arm.”

  She grinned. “You sweet talker.”

  “Quit that. Let’s get going.” He had to get out into the fresh air before her flirting took an even bigger hold of his senses.

  Chapter Seven

  They drove back to town and parked outside the grocery store. Next to this was a café, which wasn’t too busy, considering it was lunchtime. Going inside, they found a table by a large window.

  A woman straight out of the seventies, complete with white apron, came over to them looking bored with life. Her name tag read ‘Dolores’, which seemed appropriate. “You want coffee?”

  She had a pot with her, but Caris screwed up her cute nose at the dark brew.

  “Can I get a latte, please?”

  The woman sighed. “It’ll take a minute.”

  “I’ll take a regular coffee thanks, Dolores,” he said, hoping to mollify the woman.

  She gave him an appraising head-to-toe look then poured his coffee. She may have been smiling, or it could have been a grimace.

  “On second thoughts, I’ll take a regular too, please.” Caris was a quick learner.

  Dolores pursed her lips but filled another cup. “That all?”

  “Maybe some pie? If you made it.” Caris slapped on some butter and was rewarded for her efforts with a bit of enthusiasm.

  “Damn straight. The best apple pie in the whole of Texas, if I do say so myself.”

  “Two slices, please,” he said, as he gave Caris a wink behind the woman’s back. At least Caris was following his lead, and he hadn’t asked her to. Maybe she would be a help. Leastways, the jury was out about it being a good decision or not to bring her along.

  He was such a stickler for his own rules, he’d surprised himself by allowing it. Still, it wasn’t like they were after a drug lord or a fugitive.

  There was no hurrying Dolores, but eventually, the pie came out and he tucked in. Caris ate with less gusto as the waitress hovered over his shoulder.

  He drank the horrible coffee and swallowed hard. “Great pie, Dolores. Never had better.” He acknowledged to himself that this might have been one of the biggest lies he’d ever told.

  She blushed slightly. This time her eyes crinkled, and her lips actually slipped into a rough version of a smile. It wasn’t pretty, but it was an improvement on her resting face.

  “You want another piece?” she asked.

  “Sure, but could you put it in a doggy bag?” There was no way he could force down another piece of the hard pastry and tasteless filling.

  “No problem.” Dolores shuffled away and returned with a neat package. “Thought I’d put it in one of these takeaway containers. Pie ain’t so good when it’s smooshed.”

  “I’m mighty grateful. Say, I wonder if you knew my mom? She lived here many years ago when I was a kid.”

  “What’s her name?”

  “Patsy Carlile.” The name sounded funny on his tongue, and to his ear. The answer was instant, which was a huge surprise.

  “Sure. She lived out on Braxton Lane. We worked together for a few years, right here. I remember her having a boy. Tall for his age and fair hair. Wouldn’t be you, by chance?”

  “It is.” The next bit was harder and wasn’t helped by the pie feeling like it had solidified in his throat. “Could you tell me about my father and why he left town in such a hurry?”

  She gave him a cagey look. “I don’t think I recall much about him.”

  Andy pulled his wallet from his pants pocket, taking out five twenties and Dolores’s eyes grew big.

  She developed a chatty stance—hip resting on the edge of the booth, her hand almost beside the notes. “I heard tell he owed money all over town and had to leave, if you catch my drift?”

  Unfortunately, he did. “Do you happen to know who was after him?”

  “No, that’s all I know. Your mom was heartbroken when you disappeared, not so upset about your father. I reckon she had no bruises after that.”

  “I’m sure.”

  “He was a cunning man, your father. I’m sorry to say.” She didn’t look overly sorry as she pocketed the notes. “She’s been gone some time now.”

  “Yes, she’s living in Florida.”

  Her interest waned, and her mouth pinched in once more. “Nice for some.”

  “I’m visiting her tomorrow, but thought I’d take a look at the old place. See if I know anyone in the area.”

  “People come and go around here these days, but Braxton Lane seems to have stayed in that decade. Same people, same cars, same houses.”

  It was interesting that Dolores was part of the same decade, but couldn’t see it.

  “Let’s get out of here.”

  Caris was more than willing to leave her barely touched pie, and the first thing he did when they got outside was to biff the container into the nearest trash can.

  “Care to walk down memory lane with me?”

  “I’d walk anywhere with you, silly.”

  A grin escaped, and once more his foul mood was tamped down. It only lasted until he turned the SUV into his old street. Number seven might be lucky for some, but his life had come crashing down around him more than twenty years ago, right there.

  “Is that it?”

  He nodded. “Not much to look at, is it?”

  “I’m sure it was much nicer back then.”

  He was touched by her effort to say something positive about the run-down street with more pot-holes than tarmac, and litter along most of the curbs and verges. “Not really. Pretty much the same, actually.”

  “Oh.”

  “Caris, would you mind waiting here? I’ll knock on doors either side and maybe across the road. I shouldn’t be too long.”

  “If that’s what you want.”

  It was. He had no idea who would be behind those doors and grubby windows, and he wasn’t about to put her in harm’s way. “Thanks.”

  He forced himself out of the car and tried to put in his mind the idea that this was simply work—a job he had to do. It may have helped marginally, but when he spoke to the strangers who answered his knocks, it felt raw and personal as they recounted what he already knew.

  He returned to the car, shutting the door a little too forcefully.

  “You know what? This is not helpful. No one’s going to say any more than Dolores, are they? Let’s get back to the hotel.”

  They went straight to her room and began to outline a plan for tomorrow. While Caris checked her emails, Andy called the pilot and made sure he’d be available first thing and to get the flight plans lodged.

  Caris sat cross-legged on the bed, back straight, twirling her hair. It was somethin
g she often did without realizing and made their age difference seem more extreme, since he could no more sit in that position than skip rope. Yet, Andy wanted her more with each minute they spent together, and with a bed that handy, it was impossible for his mind not to wander to his favorite topic. Making love to her.

  She put her phone down. “Are you all right?”

  He shook his head to clear it. “I’m fine.”

  “You look like you’re in pain.”

  If only she knew that she was the cause. “This whole business is painful,” he bluffed.

  “Are you thinking about your dad?”

  “I try not to, but naturally with what’s happened he has to take the lion’s share of the blame. At least he would if he was alive. I’d make damn sure of it.” He hadn’t meant to say it aloud, but it did have an effect on his desire, which wasn’t a bad thing right now.

  “He wasn’t nice to you, ever?”

  “Not that I recall.”

  She pulled a face. “I never met him, but I saw the bruises. You deserved better.”

  “Growing up, I wanted to believe it was so. You know I ran away a few times? It was a crazy thing to do when you have no money. Each time, I ended up back with him before I could make it even part way back to Texas, hungrier and the worse for wear.”

  “It must have been scary, especially when you were so young, and in a strange town.”

  “It was scary, particularly once I’d calmed down. It was always after a bigger than normal fight, when all I wanted was to get back to Mom, no matter how. It seemed like the perfect solution at the time.”

  The conversation reminded him of the boy he’d been. Trying to be tough in a new city, with a father who couldn’t stand him, life had been miserable back then.

  “I bet if you’d asked my dad, he would have found her.”

  “You know, I think he would have, or your mom, but how could I ask strangers to do that? Then it was too late. When your mom took me in, I believed mine was dead, and it didn’t occur to me to think otherwise. Life sure can give you lemons.”

  She smiled, tenderly. “And, you made lemonade. Look at what you achieved.”