Of course, I thought about just divorcing him and sucking him dry, but I also wondered how this would all play out. I pulled out one of the close-up shots of Beck and Erin and stared at it. Would Beck really consider leaving his family for a younger version of me? Perhaps he would tire of this girl. Was there any hope of salvaging my old life, and did I even want that life, such as it was? How much did I really love him if I had allowed this to happen in the first place?
It was too much for me to just give up without really knowing where I stood. I figured Beck’s loyalty to me correlated directly with how much he felt for this girl, or at least, how much she felt for him. I needed to see them together. I wanted to talk to this girl myself, to see if she knew about me and Conner, and find out what her intentions were. Maybe this was just a fling for the both of them, or perhaps I was being set up for a big fall.
Determined to protect myself, I drove home and scoured the Internet. I found and hired an attorney to help get my affairs in order, in case I did decide to file for divorce in the future. I also made arrangements for Conner to stay with a friend so I could take a short swing down to Napa, California. Beck was planning another business trip there over the weekend. I wanted to see for myself just how in love Beck and this girl really were.
And if given the opportunity, I would have a few words with her myself.
Chapter Sixteen
Hannah
Nervous tension coursed through me during the short flight from SeaTac down to Oakland, California. I couldn’t help but think that I was somehow pulling at the very thread that would unravel my life. But no matter the qualms that plagued me, my resolve to see it through remained intact, so I rented a car and located the resort in Napa where my husband usually stayed and Erin Anderson was currently employed. Beck was supposed to return home in two days which gave me enough time to either find them together or question the girl alone. Either way, the next time Beck and I saw each other, all the cards would be laid on the table, and I would have to make a decision.
Armed with one of Sam’s photographs, I walked around the lobby searching for Erin. Quite a few people turned and stared at me, which was unnerving, but I surmised they were employees who saw the strong resemblance between us. I checked the bar and restaurant but found no sign of her. Since I had made no headway on my own, I decided to check with one of the bartenders, a good-looking young man who barely looked old enough for the job.
I held up the photo for him to see. “Excuse me. Where might I find this woman?”
He glanced briefly at the photo then assessed me from head to toe, his attention freezing on my face. “You her sister?” he asked.
“No, I’m not.”
“Are you family then? You look so much alike.”
“Yes, I do realize that, but no, we aren’t related.”
“Oh, well then I’m sorry, but I can’t give out any information.”
“Why is that?”
“It’s company policy,” he explained as he wiped a towel across the bar. “We recently had a problem with an employee and someone who came looking for her here. The police were involved, and there was a bad scene afterwards, so policy now prevents us from giving out information. But if you’d like, I can get a message to her.”
He threw the towel over his shoulder and began stacking glasses along a shelf above his head, but he never once took his eyes off me. I thought his offer over and decided against it. The bartender might tip my hand if he described me to her.
“Thanks, but that won’t be necessary.” With a wave and polite smile, I left the bar.
I walked back through the lobby, out the main door, and into the warm sunshine. Seconds later, a waitress from the bar approached me from behind and tapped hesitantly on my shoulder.
“Excuse me, ma’am?” she whispered. She took a small step back as I turned around. “I heard you inside talking to Jared. Would you mind if I take a look at that picture?” She raised her hand toward me and wiggled her fingers.
“No, not at all. Please…” I handed her the photo.
The girl looked back and forth between me and Erin’s picture. “That is so weird,” she said.
“Hmm, yes, I agree. So tell me, do you know her?”
She nodded. “Well, yeah, sure. Everyone here knows Erin. Some a little too well, if you know what I mean.”
I raised a brow at her. “Do you know where I might find her?”
The girl looked around to make sure no one was watching or listening before she turned back. “Yeah, she’s cleaning out her locker. She was just fired. Management is waiting to escort her off the property.”
“Really? That’s very interesting. Do you know why she was fired?”
The girl propped a fist on one hip and flipped her ponytail back over her shoulder as a false smile twisted a corner of her mouth.
“Well, she has some legal issues and,” she said emphasizing the word, “she just got into a huge argument with a guest. It was pretty heated and really embarrassing,” the girl—looking around carefully—delighted in telling me.
“Really? What happened exactly?”
The girl leaned in, like we were old friends sharing a sordid secret. “Well, her boyfriend, who, I might add, is a regular guest here, well, it seems he caught her with another guy. God, he was so pissed. You should have seen him. He screamed at her in front of everyone.” The girl was positively giddy as she shared her news.
“Really? Umm…listen, would you mind walking with me for a few minutes? I wouldn’t want to get you in any trouble for speaking with me, and I’d love to ask you a few more questions.” I linked my arm through hers, reinforcing the image that we were good friends.
“Sure thing.” She pointed in the direction in which we should walk to get away from prying eyes and ears.
“So what’s your name?” I asked.
“Tracy.”
After walking some distance, I stopped and turned to her. “Well, Tracy, I gather you don’t like Erin very much.”
“Is it that obvious?” she asked, and I raised one brow in answer. “Well, no, I don’t like her at all, and I’m thrilled she’s leaving. She’s been nothing but trouble since she got here.”
“Oh? How so?”
“Erin’s a slut, always running around with the club’s guests when she’s off work. That guy I told you was her boyfriend? Well he’s just one of many. That other guy was another. A new one. I’m just surprised it took this long for one of them to catch on. The hotel makes a lot of money off them and she keeps them…uh…satisfied, so they don’t mind none. Hell, they practically pimp her out themselves, though I heard Erin got caught swiping credit card numbers from clients, and that a guest caught her and confronted her about it.” Tracy looked distant for a moment, caught in a memory as she tapped her index finger against her chin. “There was a really bad accident and someone got hurt, like real bad or something...” She shook her head and turned back to me. “I don’t know, but Erin was involved somehow. That’s what I heard anyway. I’m telling you, that girl’s nothing but trouble.”
Hatred flashed like a light in Tracy’s eyes as she rambled on. I was most interested in Erin’s boyfriends. Knowing how often he was here, I bet Tracy would recognize Beck if I showed her a photo. I pulled my wallet out of my purse, selected a picture of Beck, and held it up for her.
“Tracy, have you ever seen this man?”
Recognition sparked within her as a smile spread across her face. “Yeah, that’s the boyfriend who caught her, the dude who screamed at her earlier. He’s here quite a bit.” She handed the photo back. “Who is he anyway? I mean, you obviously know him so...” She shrugged.
“He’s my husband,” I informed her dryly.
“Oh my God, really?” She giggled then drew herself up short. “I mean, well, I’m sorry, it’s just that… I can’t get over how weird that is, you know, that you two look so much alike and all. I mean, he’s your husband and her boyfriend? Kinda freaky, don’t you think?”
“Yes, I do.” I replaced the photo and held out my hand. She shook it with a hesitant grip. “Tracy, it has been a pleasure. Thank you so very much for your time.” I smiled and turned away, but she caught my arm with her hand.
“Wait! You don’t want to talk to Erin? Because I could take you down there. I’d love to see the look on her face when—”
“No, no, Tracy, please. I don’t want her to know I was here just yet. You understand.”
“Um, okay, sure.” Tracy looked disappointed, but shrugged. “Whatever.”
“Thanks again.” I turned again to leave, but quickly turned back to ask one last question. “Say, Tracy? How long ago would you say it was that my husband and Erin had their little disagreement?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe an hour or so, I guess. He was really pissed when he left. I saw him check out of the hotel before the big fight so he might be on his way home...just so you know.”
“Thanks.” I turned away and walked through the parking lot.
I guess I had my answers. Beck was in over his head, and the girl was just having a little bit of fun at his expense. It was funny how everything changed in those moments I spent talking with Tracy. I climbed back into my rental car and looked through Sam’s photos one last time, stopping on a close-up shot of Beck as he kissed Erin’s cheek.
I flicked his image with my finger. I had only contempt for him now. The feelings I’d been carrying around with me the last few days soured all of a sudden, leaving a bitter aftertaste. I knew now why I’d never tried hard enough to save my marriage. I didn’t really want to save it. I realized I was just having a hard time letting it go after all the years I’d invested. It was simply an old habit I needed to break, a bad one.
I snorted at the photo and shook my head. I was amused that Beck had caught his little girlfriend cheating on him. Serves him right, the bastard. I knew what I wanted to do. I was going to divorce Beckham. I would leave him, The Plateau, and all the ugliness of both far behind me. I pulled out my cell and called my attorney, waiting several minutes before her assistant put me through.
“Hi Sarah, this is Hannah Maguire. Those divorce papers you drew up for me last week? Yes, file them immediately, please. And I want full custody of Conner. Please see that it’s taken care of today. Okay? Great. Thanks.”
I hung up with a satisfied smile, feeling better than I had in years.
Chapter Seventeen
Tyler
I requested a meeting with Alexi to sort out the details of handing Erin over to Dmitri. He summoned me to a waterfront warehouse south of Market. As I stood waiting, his black Mercedes appeared out of nowhere, like a phantom emerging from the swirling fog. With his bodyguard remaining tucked away in the warmth of the idling car, Alexi emerged, stepping out onto the chilly parking lot with his standard grin.
I confirmed our previously discussed plans, and he promised his crew would provide any information and assistance I might need. I had only to ask. Alexi seemed quite smug that I would go to such extremes over the girl, but I assured him that it was not solely for revenge. I had an even greater issue motivating me now.
Dmitri would likely receive a large sum for Erin—blood money—none of which I wanted for myself. My terms were of a more personal nature, one that he certainly would not like or welcome. But I’d waited a long time for this opportunity, and I wasn’t about to let it go.
“In return for the girl, I want Dmitri to release Nick from any further responsibilities within the organization. I want him out, Alexi. Completely,” I demanded. “And I want his debt wiped clean.”
He didn’t have any reaction that I could see. He simply stared back with the same smile as always.
“And what if you cannot provide what you are promising? If we make arrangements for the sale and receive payment, there is no going back. You understand this, my friend?” he asked, his tone dripping with the implication that there would be consequences if I didn’t hold up my end of the bargain.
I nodded. “Yes, I do.”
“Well then, I need to speak with Dmitri and see if he is averse to the idea of letting Nick go. I am not sure he will be too receptive to the idea. Even with all the years of bad blood, he quite likes your brother,” he said with a casual wave of his hand. “But I wonder, does Nick know about this little condition of yours?”
“No, he doesn’t. And I don’t want you to say anything to him about it. I need time to get him warmed to the idea. But he’ll see reason…eventually.”
Alexi chuckled and threw me a reproachful look. “I would not be too certain of that if I were you. You will hear from me tomorrow.” Then with narrowed eyes, he scrutinized me. “You know, you look a bit out of sorts. This is a very delicate affair. I suggest you sober up before undertaking it.” He began to walk away but turned back with a raised brow.
“I must say, I am a bit surprised by how you are handling the death of your beloved wife. Your brother once complained that you were rather hard on him after his accident a few years ago. And yet now, you take to the bottle like a baby, just as he did. It must be a family thing, eh…my friend?”
He laughed, turned away again, and waved two fingers in the air as a parting gesture. “Tomorrow then,” he said, his shoulders shaking as he laughed and laughed.
My lip pulled up into an involuntary sneer of disgust as I watched Alexi climb back into his Mercedes. I wanted to believe it was a reaction to his accusatory tone, his smug grin, or my distaste at the mere sound of his voice, but I knew it was the message itself that had found its mark.
It shamed me to admit that he was right, that I was the very definition of a hypocrite. But as much as I recognized my shortcomings, it was not enough to deter me. There was no hope in my heart, no reason to stop my downward spiral and straighten out my life. The very realization only made me want to drink more. And I did, for the rest of the day and most of the night. I was surprised I even heard my phone ring early the next morning. I fumbled around blindly and knocked it off the nightstand before finally retrieving and answering it.
“Yeah,” I ground out, wincing at the pain that tore through my head. I pressed the heel of my free hand against my brow.
“Good morning! Or maybe not, eh?” Alexi laughed as I moaned into the phone. “I am sorry if I have awakened you too early, but it might make you feel better to know that Dmitri has agreed to your terms and has already made a deal with a special client to whom he owes a favor.”
I reached for a bottle of pills turned over on the nightstand and struggled with the cap. “Go on,” I replied.
“This is Dmitri’s best customer we are talking about here. Very wealthy. Very powerful. A man not to be crossed. And he expects his merchandise delivered within one week. One. Week. Not a day more. You understand? There will be no renegotiations of any kind, so do not fuck this up, my friend. Your life and that of your brother may very well lie in the balance if there is any trouble. You understand all this, do you not?”
“Yes, I do. Thank you,” I offered as respectfully as I could, though it stuck in my throat to do so. I popped a small pill into my mouth and swallowed it dry. “I’ll be in touch in a day or two,” I said, returning my hand to my forehead and falling back onto the pillow.
I ended the call with apprehension, but I believed this to be my only opportunity to accomplish what I had failed to do years ago, to free Nick from the Russians’ control, while also getting the revenge against Erin that my heart so ruthlessly craved.
Chapter Eighteen
Tyler
Nick and I spent the following day discussing how we would find Erin and bring her down into The City. I’d never actually seen her before and knew very little about her, only where she worked, though Alexi had promised me a photograph so I could easily identify her. My plan was to get acquainted with her schedule, locate her at work and follow her home, see if she lived with anyone.
I needed to determine the best way to grab her. It would be difficult to just nab her off the street or
even out of her home. If she was single, perhaps I could try to pick her up at a bar and lure her away. I couldn’t decide until I knew more about her, so I left to find her at work.
I arrived at the spa early on a warm spring morning. It was just as lavish as Jillian had described with a long, palm-lined drive that led uphill to the Mission-styled building. Glass and wrought-iron doors opened to a towering entry hall with a large sculpted chandelier and polished marble floor. Tuscan columns were set at steady intervals and led up to a long reception desk finished in burnished granite. It shone in the warm light of the stained glass rotunda some thirty-five feet above. And a gentle musical soundscape was piped into the voluminous space, creating the peaceful, Zen-like atmosphere. The place screamed of money, as did the clientele, fashionably dressed in high-end designer clothing. Not the kind of place in which I could ever envision Jillian.
I walked through the massive lobby and passed through another set of wrought-iron doors out onto a cobbled brick patio decked with iron tables and large market umbrellas. I offered a weak smile to several female guests who turned to stare, nodding politely as I passed. They were still craning their necks in my direction when I glanced back over my shoulder. Though I remained unshaved, I had showered and cleaned up reasonably well, dressed in khakis and a button-down shirt. My hope was to remain unnoticed, to blend in, but I realized I was drawing too much attention to myself.
I left the crowd behind and wandered the tastefully landscaped grounds until I found a large parking lot designated for the resort’s staff. From there, I watched dozens of employees enter the main building through a basement level service door, but as far as I could tell, Erin was not among them.
I had only one photo that Alexi had forwarded to me through Nick. It was a grainy surveillance image of mediocre quality, but I could tell her features well enough to discern her from the others. I scrutinized everyone, glancing back and forth between each employee and the photo in my hand. I’d made no progress after loitering in the employee lot for nearly an hour, so I ventured back into the lobby from the main entrance. I walked around for a few minutes, scanning the fine art that adorned the stucco walls before I picked up a magazine and settled into one of the large club chairs that dotted the lobby. The entire area was visible: the reception and concierge, the entrances to the spa and pro shop, as well as the restaurant and adjoining bar.
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