A Fortune to Die For (White Oak - Mafia Series Book 1) (10 page)

“Two things, but I’ll agree
if
you’ll look me in the eye and tell me you aren’t running yourself into debt by doing so.”

His concern touched her. There was really a nice guy behind all his misogyny.

She locked onto his brown eyes. “I promise you I am not running myself into debt by doing the right thing.”

He smiled and pulled out his phone. “Mr. Drecker, we still on for seven? Good. Could you bring the paperwork needed to lease an F-150? No, she still wants the Outback. But she kind of ran me off the road and broke the axle to my truck, so she’s going to lease me one until mine gets fixed… Yeah, she’s really different from the others. Gotta go. See you at seven.”

He ended the call with a happy grin, then called someone else. “Jimmy, any chance you can get off tomorrow? Great, you can drive Jeff’s car back to him and then we’ll go fishing.” He sighed. “Okay, I’ll drive Jeff’s car, and you can drive the truck. Great, see you tomorrow morning.”

He hung up and smiled as she wolfed down her dinner. “Take your time. Mr. Drecker runs a half hour slow.”

She stopped and glared at him. “Then why’d you make such a big deal about the time before?”

He grimaced. “Because I’m a bit of a jerk to women.”

Leaving them knocked up was more than just being a jerk, but she didn’t want to go there. And yet her mouth just couldn’t help itself. “Not a big fan of women, I take it.”

“Nope. Most untrustworthy creatures alive.”

She chuckled. “Then we have something in common.”

“You don’t trust women either?”

She rolled her eyes. “No, I don’t trust men. Liars and manipulators, one and all.”

He tilted his head. “So you think Lee is a liar and manipulator?”

“No, he’s okay.”

“You think I’m a liar and manipulator?”

She paused and focused on her food.

“Well?”

“Not to me. But I’m sure the woman you knocked up and abandoned would say you were.”

He was up from the table and gone before she realized her jab had hit too hard. Thank God, he wasn’t her ride home. Guys were such jerks!

The memory of Steve rescuing her from volcanic oil explosion when she’d stupidly poured water on burning oil returned. Had she even thanked him?

He’d done so much for her in the few weeks she had known him. Having Traver to compare him against, the officer had now acquired perfection status. Maybe she should have stayed in New Jersey…

Water under the bridge now. She’d committed to saving Helen’s beautiful forest. She couldn’t let the woman down. Even without the Lottery Curse, she’d never find a guy now. None could hold a candle to Steve.

Meg paid for the barely touched meals and left the waiter a 15 percent tip which had him smiling from ear to ear.

She headed back to the hotel, no longer feeling nonchalant about losing her ride. In the dark, this road didn’t seem nearly as safe as it had earlier. At least, she didn’t look like a hooker, only some daft idiot in a no-wrinkle suit stumbling over rocks, brush, and trash on the side of the road.

More than once, a car of young boys drove by screaming at her. Must be “scare the idiot” night.

“It’s not too far,” she repeated over and over as she picked up her pace. When she finally reached the lobby of the hotel, she breathed a sigh of relief.

“Miss Williams, a man has been waiting for you for nearly ten minutes,” the young woman at the check-in counter said.

Evidently Traver was wrong about Mr. Drecker running late. “Waiting where?”

“In the lounge.”

“Which is where?”

The girl rolled her eyes and pointed out the room with its neon blinking LOUNGE light.

Meg entered a dim area and looked for someone who appeared to be a car dealer. To be honest, no one fit the bill. However, she did see a familiar face.

Steve Williams.

She walked up to him.

He smiled and stood the moment he noticed her. “Miss Williams,” he teased.

She squinted as if expecting to be scolded. “So I stole the name of a very nice person who came to my rescue.”

His smile widened, and he motioned for her to sit down. Once they were both seated, he leaned forward, speaking softly. “I understand your troubles have followed you here?”

“Why would you think that?”

He tilted his head. “We got a call from a Sheriff Cobbs, claiming your car was tampered with, and it was a miracle of God you were still alive.”

Now she was the one utterly baffled. “Why would Sheriff Cobbs call the Danville police?”

Steve rubbed his face and then met her gaze. “He didn’t. He called the FBI. Before he retired, Cobbs worked for us.”

“Us? Don’t you work for the Danville police?”

“For a brief time, working undercover. It came to our attention the Danville police had received a significant largesse, and the monies were going into the pockets of certain local politicians.”

“What?” she yelled, causing everyone in the lounge to turn and stare.

“Great,” Steve muttered and leaned back. “Maybe we should continue this conversation in your room.”

She rose to leave, then sat back down. “We can’t. I’m expecting a Mr. Drecker to bring me a car.”

Steve pulled her from her seat. “I’m sure he’ll have the girl ring your room.”

“Which would work, but the rooms got switched. Oh wait, I can cover this.” She walked up to the girl at the counter. “If a Mr. Drecker arrives, please have him call Traver’s room and not mine.”

The girl’s eyes narrowed as she glanced at Steve and then Meg. “I will call whatever room Mr. Drecker requests.”

Meg realized he’d have to ask for Traver because he didn’t know her name. Satisfied she’d get the call, she led Steve up to her room. When she attempted to open the door, he objected. “This isn’t your room.”

“We switched. Long story not worth telling,” she said and opened the door and let him in. Noticing her suitcase was open and her underwear was on display, she quickly closed the lid and offered him a seat at the small table.

He smiled and sat down. “You look very nice, by the way.”

“Thanks, I went to see my lawyer.”

He frowned. “Why do you need a lawyer? Sheriff Cobbs isn’t charging you with anything.”

She explained her plans for Helen’s woods.

Steve leaned back and stared at the ceiling.

Meg watched him mull the matter over. She could almost see the little synapses bouncing about in his head. God, he was cute…and devious. The reason why he had connections in the FBI was because he
was
FBI on a case investigating the misappropriation of the money she had given her local police department so they could build a better police station.

“Can we get back to the Danville theft of funds?” she asked.

He shook his head. “The matter’s been handled, but you, Miss Williams, are a lightning rod for trouble.”

“It’s not me. It’s the curse,” she muttered.

“No, I think it’s you.”

She glared at him for his cheerful prophecy of doom, but he didn’t notice. He was too busy staring up at the popcorn-spackled ceiling.

When the phone rang, she yelped. “Sorry,” she said and answered it.

“This is Dan Drecker Senior. Is Traver there?”

“Mr. Drecker, this is Meg, the person who wants the Subaru.”

“Well, hello Meg. I’ve got your car right outside if you and Traver would like to take a look.”

“Traver’s not here, but I would definitely like to see the car and complete the paperwork. I’ll be right down.”

She thought she’d leave Steve staring at the ceiling, but he followed her out.

“I’m just buying a car,” she explained.

“At a hotel?”

“Yes, I went to the dealership, but they only had Fords, and I wanted a Subaru…”

“You had a Subaru in Danville. Weren’t you told you couldn’t choose the same car?”

She sighed. “Now that you mention it, yes, but I just had a horrible experience with a different make of car, and I don’t care about the risk factor. I want my Subaru back.”

“And why are you buying it at your hotel?”

“I don’t know. Traver set the whole thing up. I’m also leasing a pickup truck for Traver.”

“And who is Traver?”

“The guy I drove off the road. He bent the axle on his truck, so I’m going to lease him a truck until his gets fixed.”

“Tell Mr. Drecker I’m your lawyer.”

“What? No! He probably knows all the lawyers in this county, if not the state.”

“Not likely.”

“Really? When I admitted I didn’t know Traver’s last name, the girl at the counter provided the information with a dose of gossip to boot. She also knew who Mr. Drecker was. The only person she didn’t know was you. I’m telling you, these people know each other. So if you want to lurk in the shadows, fine, but I’m not screwing up my car purchase by lying to Mr. Drecker. I expect he’ll have enough issues when I wish to pay by wiring the money into his account.”

Steve furrowed his brows. “Okay, I’ll lurk. Just don’t focus on me.”

“Deal.” She stepped into the elevator, expecting him to follow, only he continued down the hall.

Men
!

She entered the lobby and searched for a car dealer. There, in a shiny black suit with a string bow tie and puffy gray hair sweeping up and back was either a TV evangelist or a car salesman.

His eyes swept across her, moved on, then returned. A smile came to his face. “Meg…you clean up nicely.”

Why does everyone keep saying that?

He first led her outside so she could admire her new silver Subaru Outback. Her old Subaru was green, which she greatly preferred, but the change of color might soften Steve’s disapproval on the matter.

“Looks great. Shall we find a table in the lounge or would you rather do this upstairs…in Traver’s room. By identifying it as Traver’s room, she hoped he would know Traver could arrive any moment, thus preventing him from getting fresh. She didn’t want to pay for her car in anything other than cash. However, Drecker struck her as the type who might overreach professional boundaries and invade her personal space.

“Traver’s room would be more private.” His thick meaty hand gently grasped her elbow and propelled her through the lobby toward the elevator.

Meg was having serious doubts about buying a car in a hotel room. She’d feel a lot safer if they conducted the transaction at a car dealership. As they neared the elevator, someone rushed past her, bumping into her side.

“Sorry,” a familiar voice muttered and ran to the elevator. Instead of holding it open for them, Steve pushed the close button.

Drecker tried to stop the doors from closing, but he was too late. “Son of a bitch.”

She patted her jacket pocket and realized Steve had lifted her card key during his collision with her. Unable to fathom why, she patted her pockets again. “You know what? The guy did me a favor. I left my card key in my room. I need to stop by and get a replacement from the desk.”

Drecker frowned. “You go on. I’ll wait here.”

Since she was given a moment to herself, she called Steve’s old cell phone number, hoping it still worked.

“A bit busy right now,” Steve’s voice spoke in a low sexy rumble.

“So am I. Someone stole my card. Do you need more time, or can I get a new one?”

“Get a new one before he decides to take you somewhere else.”

She didn’t like the way he said that. It sounded as though he thought she was about to get in serious trouble again.

As she asked for another card key to Traver’s room, she questioned why she was doing this. Why couldn’t she just buy a Subaru the normal way? There was something off here.

She took her new card from the smirking clerk and hurried back to the elevator. For a moment, she thought Drecker had left until his meaty paw secured her elbow again. “Just stepped off to the little boy’s room.”

Seriously, did grown men call it the “little boy’s room”? That was just creepy.

On the ride up, he grilled her on how long she had known Traver.

“Long enough to hear the stories about him knocking up women and leaving them high and dry.”

Drecker’s eyebrows arched at her comment. “Well, you didn’t hear such lies from my friend. Janie Hayes did get knocked up, but not by Traver. However, she insisted it was his and got a judge to make him pay for the child’s prenatal care by cleverly refusing to have a DNA test done due to the slim possibility of harm to the fetus.”

The elevator door opened, and they walked down the hall to her room as Drecker continued his story. “The baby was born a few months ago. Traver had to get a court order before she’d allow a cheek swab to occur. Finally, the DNA results came back today, proving Traver was
not
the father of her child. Something he’d been saying all along.” He stared at her. “I’m guessing the rumor mill failed to mention that part.”

“Wow…the rumor mill missed the truth by a mile.” She sighed heavily, regretting her words at dinner.

“May I assume his absence is due to your lack of trust in him?”

“I mentioned what I heard, but he stormed off before I could ask his side. I’m thinking he’ll be back after he drinks a few beers.”

“I wouldn’t hold my breath. He’s been sour on women going on a year now. Your betrayal, after all he’s done for you, will be hard to forgive.”

“My betrayal? All I did was
tell
him what I heard.”

She reached “Traver’s room” and opened the door. She walked directly to the small table and pulled out her laptop from her PC case.

Drecker, on the other hand, wandered about her room, checking out the drawers, the closet, and bathroom. “Don’t see none of Traver’s stuff here.”

Meg cringed.

“He didn’t bring any stuff. Can we get the paperwork done? I would really like the car.”

He sat down on the bed and lay back. “Not bad.”

“Mr. Drecker, please!”

“Call me Dan,” he said, not moving from the bed.

Meg rose and opened the door to her room. “Either sell me the car or leave. I’m in no mood for anything else.”

Warm hands settled on her waist, causing her to have a major heart attack.

“Drecker, you giving my girl a hard time?” Traver nuzzled her neck, smelling of beer.

“Mr. Drecker was explaining how the rumor got it all wrong about you, and I appreciated knowing the truth…although I would have preferred if you had stuck around to tell me yourself. However, I’m glad you’re back now so we can get me a car and you a leased truck.”

Traver laughed softly. “God, you’re a nice change.” He glanced at Drecker no longer lying on the bed. “Are we ready to sign some contracts?”

“That we are, my boy,” Drecker replied and pulled folded papers from his shiny suit’s inside pocket. “You just need to sign here and here for the Subaru. Sad to say, but the lease is a bit more complex, but I’ll walk you through it.”

Once she had signed the tiny print documents, he placed them back in his pocket.

“Don’t I get a copy?” she asked.

“Of course. I’ll make you one first thing in the morning. The total for both the car and the first lease payment is thirty-eight thousand, three hundred and forty-five dollars.  You can make the check out to Drecker Senior.”

“Sorry, I don’t have a checkbook. I’ll need to wire you the money.”

Drecker glared at Traver for a moment, then his big head shook back and forth.

“Meg, can you get me a candy bar from the vending machine downstairs?” Traver asked.