Last Call (29 page)

Robby turned the chair so it faced the ocean
and sat down next to her. “Maybe we should sell the property.”

Unclear as to whether Robby had actually
spoken or if the wind was whispering crazy thoughts into her ear,
Sunny cocked her head to the side and cut her eyes to him. She took
in the crease lines in his forehead and the worry lines around his
eyes and decided it wasn't the wind. “Why do you say that?”

He shrugged and tugged at a piece of sea oat
that had blown onto the table. “This place is a lot of work. It
takes both of us to keep it up. How are you going to do that by
yourself if I leave in the fall?”

As stressful as this whole situation was, it
was also a blessing. The door she’d been looking for had just
opened. “First of all, there’s no
if
. You want to go away to
college and that’s what you’re going to do. As for the bar…” She
looked around at the building and shrugged. “It’s not as much work
as it used to be. I’ll figure it out.”

“If we sold, you’d be free to move. You could
do anything you wanted.” Robby had grown into a fine young man. But
there were times, like now, when he looked like a scared little
boy.

“I don’t want to move. I like it here.”

He frowned, and she could almost see the gray
matter in his mind squishing around with thought. “You aren’t
holding out just to be stubborn, are you?” When she bit into her
bottom lip, he laughed. “See… I know you too well. Even if you
wanted to sell, you wouldn’t because you won’t give in.” He sat up
in his chair and leaned toward her, intensity radiating from him.
“That’s crazy, sis. Let’s sell it.”

“Okay, I’ll admit, at one point, I thought
that way. No one was going to bully me into selling. But that’s not
what’s keeping me here. Where would Liza and Johnny go to hide out?
Where will the kids go to play pool? Most importantly, where will
you call home?”

His face twisted with confusion, and he
leaned back in his chair. “Home is where you are.”

“We’ve moved around so much. Don’t you want
to feel rooted someplace? Someplace you can go when things are
tough and you need a good hug.”

He gave it some thought, then shrugged. “I’ll
have that wherever you are.” He kicked his feet up on the railing
and watched a seagull. “What about Gavin?”

Her heart fluttered at his name, but she
tried not to let Robby see any response. “What about him?”

“I guess it turns out he’s one of the good
guys. Are you two serious?”

“I don’t know.” She rested her head against
the back of the chair and let the sun shine on her face.

It was early in the relationship to be
thinking long term, but that hadn’t kept her from doing so
repeatedly over the past several days. Until today, the idea seemed
like a ridiculous fantasy. But now, she wondered if he might feel
the same way she did. He was willing to go to a lot of effort and
make a lot of sacrifices for her and Robby. Maybe the fantasy
wasn’t so farfetched, after all.

“He likes you. You like him.” Robby made it
sound so easy.

She rolled her head to the side and looked at
him from the corner of her eye. “If Gavin was in the picture, would
you feel better about going away to school?”

He gave her a sheepish, lopsided grin.
“Maybe.”

“I’ll make you a deal.” She snared him with a
mischievous look. “You go to college, and I’ll see what I can do
about getting Gavin to stick around for a while.”

Robby laughed and pushed himself out of his
chair. “I’m going to be spending a lot of nights at Chad’s.”

***

Unable to wait any longer, Gavin called Marty
while driving back to Myrtle Beach. “Hey, man, I know it’s only
been a few hours, but what've you got?”

“The phone number belongs to Miguel
Ortego.”

The discomfort Gavin had felt since hearing
about the red truck increased. “That doesn’t sound like Max’s usual
associates.” It did, however, sound like the name of someone who
would drive a low-rider truck.

“I’m still digging, but this guy is bad news.
He has a record ten miles long.”

Gavin’s grip on the steering wheel tightened,
as did the steel rod in his spine. He couldn’t ever remember being
this uptight, and this conversation sure as hell wasn’t helping.
“For what?”

“B&E, vandalism, harassment, arson.”

Arson?
Ice settled in Gavin’s chest as
he thought about the flames painted on the front of the truck. “Why
isn’t he in prison?”

“The police have never been able to make
anything stick.”

“Did you get his license number? Find out
what kind of vehicle he drives?”

“I’m still working on it. And before you ask,
no, I haven’t had a chance to look into the other stuff yet.”

“I know,” Gavin said, watching the lines in
the road flash by. “I’m on my way back to Myrtle Beach to see what
I can find in Max’s office. I’ll call you with anything that might
be helpful.” He was about to disconnect when a thought hit him.
“Can you send me a picture of this guy?” That would at least keep
them from fumbling around blind, not knowing who to look for.

“I’ll send you everything I have.”

“Thanks, man. I owe you.” When Marty laughed,
Gavin said, “I’m serious. I know I’ve been an asshole about keeping
in touch, but I intend to change that. We need to get together for
a beer. Or ten.”

Through the silence on the line, Gavin could
tell he’d shocked Marty. “We’re good. But I’ll take you up on the
beer.”

“Maybe we can meet up at the Blackout. We can
catch up and you can meet Sunny.”

“I’d like that.” Marty wasn’t one for showing
much emotion, but the soft inflection in his voice told Gavin his
response wasn’t just obligatory.

Reconnecting with his oldest friend would be
one more step toward reconnecting with the person he’d once been,
and Gavin was grateful Marty was receptive.

By the time he reached Myrtle Beach, it was
almost one. Cynthia was out doing… whatever Cynthia did on a daily
basis. Max was at lunch, and Angelina had left for the day.

Gavin let himself in through the kitchen door
and went straight to Max’s office. Callie was waiting by the french
doors.

“Have you been snooping since Max left?”

“No, I told you I wouldn’t.” She gave him a
smarmy smile and batted her eyelashes. “But if you’re here, Mother
and Daddy would expect me to be here, too.”

“Okay,” he said. “You win that point.” His
stomach twisted in a knot as he sank into Max’s chair and pulled
out the large, bottom desk drawer. He wasn’t concerned about
getting caught in Max’s private files, but he was scared shitless
about what he’d find. He knew Max had crossed the moral and ethical
lines. He just hoped he didn’t find confirmation he’d crossed legal
ones, as well.

The Anticue file was in the very front, and
it didn’t take long to figure out why Max had gone batshit crazy
over getting construction under way.

Peering over his shoulder, Callie asked,
“What'd you find?”

“Apparently, your dad didn’t put together a
group of investors as he claims. All of the land purchases have
been made with Holden funds.” Gavin twisted his head and peered at
Callie from the corner of his eye. “By the way, did you know you
own the old Anticue fishing pier?”

She took a step back and curled her lip.
“Excuse me?”

He laughed. “I’ll explain later.” He flipped
through the file, looking for copies of board meeting minutes. As
he suspected, there weren’t any. “He also hasn’t had the board of
directors’ blessing in acquiring
any
of the Anticue
property.”

“He needs the board’s approval?”

“Yeah. Even though…” Too late, he realized
who he was talking to and what he shouldn’t be saying.

“Gavin.” Her eyes were imploring, but her
voice was strong. “Please tell me everything. I think it’s time I
find out the truth about my dad and this business.”

He tossed the folder onto the desk and
swiveled the chair around so he faced her. It wasn’t his place to
fill her in, but she did have a right to know, and, God knows, Max
would never tell Callie the truth. “As CEO, Max has final
decision-making power, but the board likes to be kept in the loop.
They want details of all new developments. In all stages.”

Max had been operating on his own in Anticue,
and he’d sunk a fortune of Holden Enterprise funds into the
purchase of land and commissioners. If he acquired the property,
got the ordinances changed, and built a resort, he’d pull off what
no one else had been able to, and he’d be a hero. But if Sunny
didn’t sell, Max would have to confess his sins to the board, and
the hero would become a zero. At least in the eyes of a very pissed
off board of directors.

Callie rounded the desk and sat in the chair
Gavin normally occupied. Resting her forearms on the cherry wood,
she leaned forward and whispered, “Is it true that Mother can fire
Daddy?”

Gavin laughed, imagining the scenario in
which Callie had learned that information. He’d bet money, in the
midst of a heated argument with Max, Cynthia not-so-tactfully
reminded him of his place. Gavin nodded slowly and tried to figure
out the best way to explain this little landmine.

“The board can fire Max, and your mother has
controlling interest. So yes, technically, Cynthia can fire
Max.”

“You know Holden Enterprises used to belong
to Mother’s family.”

It wasn’t a question, but a statement of
fact, and one that caught Gavin off-guard. “Yeah, but I didn’t
realize you knew that.” Very few people knew the reason for, and
the details surrounding, the company’s name change from Pelletier
Resorts to Holden Enterprises.

“No one told me. I overhead Mother and Daddy
arguing one day.” Callie leaned back in the chair, and her eyes
misted over. “I was pretty young, and I didn’t understand much of
what I heard. As I got older, I started putting the pieces
together. I figured out that Mother’s grandfather started the
company and eventually, her father took over. Her brothers weren’t
interested in working, only in spending the family fortune, so
Grandfather put Daddy in charge.” She looked at Gavin expectantly,
as if waiting for him to confirm she had everything right so
far.

He nodded, so she continued. “Daddy felt like
the company should have his name since he was the CEO. The company
changed its name the year I was born.” She paused again, awaiting
further confirmation. “But even though Daddy is the CEO and the
company carries his name, Mother owns the majority of stock. Which
means, she ultimately has the control. Is that right?”

Well, well, well. Gavin had always known
Callie was a whole lot smarter than she let on, but even he hadn’t
given her enough credit. He rocked back in the chair and smiled.
“Pretty much.”

“So what now?”

“I need to copy this paperwork, then see what
else I can find in these drawers.”

Gavin didn’t want to take the folder, because
he didn’t want to tip off Max that he’d been here. But he needed
proof that the file and plans existed. Using his cellphone, he took
pictures of all the documents and sketches in the Anticue folder.
There were no official renderings, but Max had a basic sketch
drawn, showing how the resort would be positioned and what would be
included.

There wasn’t anything legally incriminating
that he needed to turn over to the authorities, and if Gavin
decided to go to the board, he had enough proof on his phone to get
them interested. A little digging on their part would turn up
everything they needed. It wasn’t like Max could unload all that
property in a day.

“Gavin?”

“Hmmm…?” He absently replied to Callie as he
replaced the Anticue file and started shuffling through the rest of
the folders in the drawer.

“I think it’s time I move out on my own.”

He paused his search and looked up at her.
She was standing by the door with her arms wrapped around her
stomach, as if holding herself together. Tears filled her eyes and
she looked like a heartbroken child.

He pushed out of the chair and opened his
arms. She barreled into him so hard and fast, she nearly knocked
him over. “Shhh…” He smoothed her hair and rocked her back and
forth. “The past day has been tough, huh?”

She nodded and sobbed. “Yesterday, I didn’t
think I really knew or could trust anyone. Daddy isn’t who I
thought he was, and before our talk, I didn’t know what to think
about you.” She looked at him through teary eyes and smiled. “I’m
still coming to grips with the whole sister thing, but I do think
you’re a good person and believe I can trust you.”

His heart squeezed, and he tightened his arms
around her in response. Trust was a funny thing, and he wondered if
she would still feel that way if she knew he
would
turn Max
over to the authorities if he followed through on his threats
against Sunny. Or, if Gavin found anything in the rest of the file
folders incriminating enough to warrant a legal investigation.

“I’m also beginning to think my mother isn’t
as self-absorbed as Daddy’s made her out to be. I haven’t been a
very loving daughter toward her over the years. I definitely
haven’t given her a chance to prove she was more than what he
said.”

Shock brought him to a stop, so he kick
started the rocking again. “You think moving out will give you the
space you need to figure all this out.”

She sniffed and wiped tears off her face.
“Exactly.” She twisted her mouth and chewed on the inside of her
cheek. “The problem is, I don’t have a job, nor do I have any
money.” She released her death grip around his waist and began
pacing. “I don’t think they’ll want to pay for an apartment, since
I can live here for free.” She shocked him again by adding, “I
don’t blame them; that would be crazy.” She sighed and rubbed her
arms. “I need to figure out a way to get some money.”