Scorpion: A Rough Romance (Montana Bad Boys Book 2)

by Piper Stone

  “And I tried to track down Brandy. She wasn’t at work, no sign of her at the townhouse. I don’t know what to tell you,” Hawk said as he leaned forward in his seat. “Do you think this is about insurance?”

  “No. Jasper was involved with some holding company. The fact he changed his will, dragging Brandy into it likely pissed someone off.”

  “Unless she’s in on it.”

  “Then why drag her cousin here? Why would she do that? Bad blood?”

  “There’s always bad blood in families, my friend. You know that.”

  That was the truth. The fact my father had refused to tell me what had had happened between him and my uncle continued to weigh heavily on my mind.

  “Speak of the devil,” Hawk murmured, nodding his head toward the hallway.

  Brandy was walking down the corridor. In her hands were several files. When she came close, I could see the look of fear on her face.

  “Do you want me to leave?”

  “Hell, no. Let’s see what she has to say.”

  Her gait slowed when she came within a few feet, her grip on the files white-knuckled. “Scorpion. Hawk.”

  “You want to tell me where the hell you’ve been?” I snarled, trying to rein in my rage.

  “I continued to call about Caroline’s condition, but I knew that getting some answers was important.”

  I took a sip of coffee before bothering to look her in the eyes. “And?”

  She continued to tremble as she moved between us, sitting down. “This may not be the best place to talk.”

  “You really think there are ears in this hospital?” Hawk asked, half laughing.

  “I don’t know how many people are involved, Hawk,” she retorted.

  Involved suggested conspiracy.

  “Just tell me what you found,” I demanded.

  Sighing, Brandy nodded. “There is another will. Jasper came to me only days before his death. He knew the time was near and after he heard about the mission in Afghanistan, he wanted to do everything to protect you and give you an opportunity.”

  “An opportunity?” I barked.

  She nodded. “He loved you. That much I know. He talked about you so often. I’d developed a friendship with him of sorts. Maybe I wanted to be closer to the posse. I don’t know, but he was a sweet man. Anyway, he’d entered into a business decision that he was regretting, concerned that an agreement he’d signed wasn’t in the estate’s best interest. Or yours.”

  “The agreement we found in the box.”

  “Yes and no,” she barely whispered.

  “Meaning?”

  “I think that was an original agreement that was designed with thoughts of selling the various additional parcels he owned. My guess is that Caroline told you that.” Brandy waited until I nodded. “I also don’t think Jasper knew what he was getting ready to sign.”

  “Okay, why?”

  “Let me tell you about the will first that he asked me to draw up. You were left the bar with the two parcels, as well as the ranch with all the contents, including the Corvette just like the one drawn up by the same firm I work for.”

  Hawk darted a look in my direction then glanced around the perimeter.

  “But there’s more,” I chortled. “That’s what the agreement is about. Correct?”

  “Yes. You see, Jasper was an astute businessman. After he was released from prison, he worked hard in order to rebuild his reputation, saving every penny he could. He always wanted to own a bar, so when Raunchy Ride became available, he took a chance,” she continued.

  “I already know this, Brandy. It’s not worth arson.” The coffee tasted damn bitter. What I could use was a drink.

  She leaned even closer, patting the file. “You need to listen to me.”

  “I’m listening, but this needs to be good,” I retorted, noticing the shake of Hawk’s head.

  “The new will wasn’t executed but will supersede the original when it is. Jasper wasn’t certain that you’d want to have anything to do with Raunchy Ride, but he hoped you would. He asked me to wait thirty days from your arrival before executing the will then provide the details of the second part.” She hesitated before pulling a group of papers from one of the files. When she handed it to me, she smiled. “Basically, if you decided to remain a minimum of six months, you’d become the heir to his other fortune.”

  I narrowed my eyes before glancing at the papers.

  “Fortune?” Hawk choked. “What are we talking about here?”

  Brandy’s eyes were imploring as she continued. “As Caroline told you, Jasper started purchasing parcels of land when it was possible. Ten, fifteen years ago, the area wasn’t considered worth much. However, it’s now become a destination spot for tourists. You’ve noticed the various hotels, restaurants, and shops within miles of Raunchy Ride.”

  “There are acres of land surrounding the bar,” Hawk said in passing.

  “Yes. Likely all owned by Jasper’s holding company, which also invested wisely. He was a humble man and didn’t want anyone to know how rich he was. Quite frankly, it came as a shock to me when he showed me various files, although what Caroline provided was much more extensive. I didn’t question him, Scorpion. There was no need to. I also didn’t feel it necessary to do any research on the properties, simply provide the necessary requirements for the will. That was a mistake. I should have questioned him further on why he had concerns about an agreement he entered into. I guess I thought that it could all be handled after you were in town and the thirty days had passed.”

  “Is that why you asked Caroline to come?” I wasn’t certain how to take the news.

  She nodded several times, glancing away. “Months before Jasper passed, I had lunch with him. He mentioned wanting to revamp the bar, including hiring decent bands. Our conversation turned to Uncle Steve’s promotion firm out of Nashville, Music City Promotion and Tours. Whether it was fate or karma, his eyes lit up because he’d been friends with Steve when my uncle lived here years before. My uncle left Montana before Caroline was born, but they’d remained close. When Jasper was insistent that he contact Steve, I admit that I wondered if Caroline would be able to entice you into staying.”

  I laughed softly. “Why?”

  “Because she’d been through a rough time after being tossed out of Steele Rhythm.”

  “Caroline was in Steele Rhythm?” Hawk asked, his eyes lighting up.

  “She’s an amazing guitar player and singer. Sadly, the asshole lead singer was...” Brandy chuckled. “Caroline can tell you the rest.”

  “She already did,” I said under my breath.

  “That’s because she cares about you,” she added.

  “What the hell does this new will have to do with why the ranch was just torched?” I growled.

  “I wasn’t entirely certain until Caroline brought in the agreement. There were initials on the bottom. Then when I saw you with Douglas Graham, I knew something was terribly wrong. I had to be very careful what I was doing, but I went to the courthouse. The land is prime for a developer to come in, which is originally what Jasper had contracted to happen. Jasper always intended on leaving his family a legacy, Scorpion, but he didn’t think you’d want to own a corporation, which is why the original will only included the ranch, the bar, and two parcels. He was going to sell the larger parcels to the highest bidder and place the funds in a trust for you. At least that’s what he indicated to me. This agreement isn’t what he believed he signed.”

  My hackles were already raised. “Because Douglas Graham changed it.”

  “Yes. I know there’s more to this, but at this point, I can’t see a connection with the incidents that occurred, including the fire last night. That’s what we need to find out. I even took what I have to my dad, he’s a judge, but finding evidence of Douglas’ involvement is imperative and tricky. He’s very good at what he does.”

  “Sounds like you know him far too well, Brandy,” I hissed.

  “I know his tactics better
than anyone, Scorpion. He’s a ruthless son of a bitch, but is he capable of breaking the law, stealing from his clients? That I don’t know, at least not for sure. What I do know for certain is that the properties in question could be worth a hell of a lot more than what Jasper was led to believe.”

  “Why the fuck is that?” Hawk asked.

  I glanced back at the papers, a cold chill shifting down my body. “She’s right. A perfect motive for making certain I didn’t want to stay around Montana.”

  “There’s one more thing that Jasper wanted you to have. While it hasn’t been thirty days, I have the distinct feeling that you’re sticking around.” In Brandy’s hand was a sealed envelope.

  I found it difficult to take, my hand shaking when I did. “Do you know what’s in it?”

  “No, I would never betray his confidence that way.”

  Hissing, I jerked to my feet before glancing toward Caroline’s hospital room, saying a silent prayer then shoving the envelope inside my back pocket. I was going to honor my uncle’s memory and destroy the people responsible.

  “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Hawk demanded.

  “I’m going to pay the asshole a visit. No one fucks with my family.” I moved away, Brandy scrambling after me.

  “Then I’m going with you, brother,” Hawk stated, flanking my side.

  I gave him a hard look before nodding. I wasn’t certain what we would face.

  “Don’t do this, Scorpion. If you’ve figured out what I’m talking about, you know there is more to this and I’m still trying to piece together everything. From what I can tell, this is a criminal case. Let the authorities handle this.” She gripped my arm.

  I gazed down at her, pulling away gently. “This is something I have to do, Brandy. Period. Like I said, no one threatens the people I care about without paying the consequences. The woman lying in that bed risked her life to save Jasper’s horses. She almost died in my arms. I also lost the woman I love because of greed. You already know I’m a dangerous man. Might as well continue living that life. I will find out what’s going on. One way or another. I need you to check something out for me, Brandy. I think Caroline saw someone at the fire last night. Find out if any of the firemen saw anything.”

  “Okay. You really do care about Caroline, don’t you?” Brandy asked.

  I hesitated before answering, although there was no doubt. “With all my heart.”

  “Then you need to know where to find Douglas,” she said. “He’s not at the office. If I had to guess, I’d say his was at his mountain retreat, a location only a handful of people know about. I’m begging you not to do anything that you’re going to regret. Think of Caroline.”

  “That’s exactly who I’m thinking about.”

  “There is something else you need to hear that’s very significant,” Brandy said. “Just listen to me because I think I have an idea.”

  * * *

  “How convenient,” Hawk huffed.

  “Close to Jasper’s ranch. Easy access. The asshole.”

  As soon as Douglas started to open the door, I kicked it in.

  “What the fuck?” he demanded. He jumped back, gasping for air as Hawk and I barged in.

  I shoved him hard against the wall, my hand wrapped around his throat. “You fucking burned down my house and almost got a woman killed.”

  “What? That’s crazy,” Douglas insisted.

  “He’s not kidding, buddy,” Hawk added.

  His glare told me everything I needed to know. I dug my fingers into his neck, wanting nothing more than to snap the bones. “Is it? Tell me, did you have the guts to do the work yourself, or did you hire someone, like Billy Kane? I’m sure he was chompin’ at the bit.”

  There was a slight twinkle in his eyes. I was certain of it. “Why don’t you take your hands off me, Scorpion, so we can talk about this like men. I’m sure you men are thirsty.”

  “I suggest you don’t try anything stupid,” Hawk snarled.

  While I removed my hand, I refused to take my eyes off him and continued to crowd his space.

  “Why don’t we go into the living room?” Douglas asked, concern in his tone.

  “This isn’t a social call,” I commented.

  “Well, I need a drink. Unless you’re planning on shooting me, I’m going into the living room.” Douglas hesitated a few seconds then walked away.

  Hawk gave me a look. “Be careful, brother. Don’t lose your cool.”

  “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be just fine.” I took long strides, a snarl curling on my lip as I walked into the expansive space. The posh cabin had the perfect views of the mountain. With the massive stone fireplace and bearskin rug, leather furniture, and a stunning location, I’d say this was a romantic getaway.

  No wonder Brandy had seemed so off kilter. She’d been involved with the man.

  “What are you getting at, Scorpion? That’s tragic about the ranch, but I had nothing to do with that.”

  I yanked several pieces of paper from my back pocket. “We have you dead to rights that you altered the original agreement Jasper thought he was signing. You led him to believe that what he’d agreed to was a simple resale of the land he owned surrounding the bar.”

  “That’s exactly right,” Douglas said as he turned around, swirling whatever liquor he’d poured for himself.

  “No,” I stated as I walked closer. “You neglected to tell him about the oil and mineral rights that you retained the right to.”

  While I didn’t know the man, I could tell when almost anyone was lying. The single twitch meant I’d pressed the right button. “I’m sorry,” he managed.

  “Now, if I had to guess, I’d say that you already know that there’s oil on that land, which would make the new owner a very rich man. That would be you, Mr. Graham. Perhaps you were that developer you convinced Jasper was on the up and up, just like you attempted to convince me that the bar had no real value.”

  He appeared to be very uncomfortable, his mouth twisting out of frustration.

  I walked closer, giving him a knowing smile. “What I don’t know is how you managed to convince Jasper to sign the agreement in the first place. Did you wait until he was on his deathbed and out of his mind? Did you prey on a helpless man who only wanted to do the right thing for his family? Maybe you simply forged his signature.”

  “You don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said with no inflection.

  “Really? I think I do since your ex-lover has been gathering evidence on you and your conniving actions, which are no doubt illegal.” I was starting to enjoy this.

  His eyes opened wide, his hand shaking. “Lover? That’s ridiculous.”

  “Well, Brandy Alexander is very good at what she does, Douglas. You, on the other hand, are a horrible fuck of a person and if it’s the last thing I do, I’m going to make certain you spend your life behind bars.”

  His face was pinched, reddening. I had the asshole dead to rights.

  “I didn’t start that fire. I also didn’t have anything to do with the brick being thrown through your window.”

  I cocked my head, studying him intently. “Fascinating. I never mentioned that a brick was thrown through the window. In fact, very few people know about that incident, except for the perpetrator. That would be you.”

  Douglas glared at me for a few second before finally laughing. “You’re such a fool, Cooper. Everyone knew you had no desire to remain in Montana, including Jasper. For some crazy reason, he wanted to have a family so damn desperately after his wife died that he latched onto you. He told me you were like the son he never had. It’s too bad you weren’t close as a family, that father of yours I mean. Then again, since Jasper stole the woman your father was engaged to, I guess that would put a kink in the old family holiday celebrations. As I said, Jasper and I were very close.”

  The motherfucker.

  While I could feel my body tensing, I refused to allow him to see me sweat. I remained quiet, keeping a smile on
my face.

  Douglas was perturbed that I didn’t react. “Jasper was a good ole country boy. Although he parlayed his love of the land into making him a tidy fortune, even managing to set up a holding company in order to keep his business transactions private while investing, he had no fucking understanding of what he had. And yeah, he was going to die. I didn’t have to force him into doing anything, Scorpion. I simply told him that he was doing the best thing for his investment and he believed me. He also gave me his power of attorney.” He laughed in a mocking tone as he lifted his drink.

  I wanted nothing more than to shove my fist into his throat. I was forced to remind myself why we were really here. “You breached your fiduciary duty by lying to your client. That’s was your first mistake, an offense that will get you disbarred, which will make the power of attorney null and void. Your second was thinking you could force me out of town. I’m here to stay. You crossed the line by burning down my house. My house, the one my uncle left to me. And you’re going to be behind bars for that crime. And do you want to know how I am certain that’s going to happen?”

  He laughed, shaking his head, as if there was no chance that he could be found guilty of anything. “I’m all ears, Scorpion.”

  “Because evidence was found at the fire. You see, the fire investigator is very good at his job.” I turned away, grinning toward Hawk.

  “That’s bullshit! I had nothing to do with any of that ridiculous violence. If you want to look for someone, Cashen Kane is your man,” Douglas threw out. “Maybe he hired that wretched son of his to handle the crime. Billy was worthless. I knew Jasper had been holding on to paperwork. The stupid asshole couldn’t even get off his lazy ass to find it.”

  Bingo.

  Waiting a few seconds, I finally turned around, glaring at him.

  “He’s the asshole who was determined to get you out of town. All I wanted was to finish a business transaction.” Douglas gulped a good portion of his drink.

  “Why?” I demanded, closing the distance once again. “Why the fuck did both of you need me to sell that property so damn badly?”

  His mouth twisted once again, his entire face reddening. “Because the land can’t be rezoned if that bar is sitting there.”