The Fighter (The High Rise, Book 1) (26 page)

“Anyone else?”
he asks. When I shake my head, he starts printing out over twenty
pages of names and amounts owed.

“Thanks, man.
I owe you,” I say watching as he straightens the sheets of paper
into two neat stacks handing one of them to me.

“No problem.
Printed two copies for you. I hope this guy goes down.” He starts
packing everything up. “I’ve gotta go help this hot MILF I met
yesterday with her hard drive.”

“I’ll bet you
do,” I say with a chuckle. Then I add, “I hope you’re not still
wanting to be hooked up with Laney’s roommate.” God, just saying
her name hurts.

“Nah. She’s
old news, bro. But you can buy me lunch sometime,” he says
standing. He grabs the case handles of the laptop bags and puts the
small printer under his arm. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“All right,
man,” I say opening the door.

I sit back
down on the couch and look through the papers at the hundreds of
thousands of dollars that’s been collected and has yet to be
collected. Fucking scumbag. Then I call Matt and let him know I’ve
got the copies.

I move out of
The Estates Monday night and go stay with Aaron and Kam for the
week. I’ve needed to spend time with my niece anyway.

I’ve made a
few calls and found an apartment that’ll open up by the time I get
back from Big Bear. Then I’ll get all my shit out of storage, move
it in and move on with my life.

It’s Friday
and I haven’t heard from Matt all week even though I’ve got several
calls into him. He came by the job site Monday to pick up the
copies and that’s the last I’ve heard from him. I’m a bit worried
thinking maybe Kyle found out Matt has the copies and has had his
flunkies take him out but I’m hoping that’s just my imagination
running wild.

This morning I
got up and fed Isabelle so Kam and Aaron could sleep in. Isabelle
and I have developed a very unique relationship over the past week.
By that I mean every time I hold her she shits her diaper and the
rule in the house is whoever has the baby when that happens changes
her. I’m beginning to think it’s a conspiracy, but she’s only five
months old so how could she plan this? But then again, she’s a
woman and women can be evil, so there you have it.

When Kam and
Aaron get up at eight, I’m ready to leave for my cabin.

“Be careful,”
Kam, who’s holding Isabelle, says as I grab my bag up.

“Will do.” I
look at Isabelle. “You be a good girl for Mommy and Daddy. I’d hold
you and give you a hug, but knowing you, you’d take a dump and I’d
have to change you. Not falling for it today,” I tell her, leaning
down and kissing her chubby baby cheek as she reaches a hand out
smacking me on the head. Jesus. Women.

“Call or text
when you get there,” Aaron says just before I leave.

“I’ll text.
Thanks again for letting me stay.” I give Kam a hug and Aaron a guy
hug then take off.

I’m just
outside of LA when Matt calls.

“About damned
time, fucker,” I say after Bluetoothing and answering the
phone.

He laughs.
“Sorry about that. I was busy trying to make the world a better
place.”

I chuckle.
“You turn the spreadsheets in?”

“Yeah. I need
to tell you something too.”

I frown
because when people preface conversations with that statement it’s
never good. “What?” I ask feeling myself tense up.

“I’m LAPD,
Heath.”

I let that
little gem hang in the air for a moment.

“You there?”
he calls.

“Yeah. I’m
here.”

“We good?”

I shake my
head and answer, “Yeah. We’re good. I’m just wondering if there’s
anyone else out there who’s not really who I fucking think they
are.”

He chuckles.
“Sorry, man. I wanted to tell you several times but didn’t wanna
risk it. Not that I didn’t trust you. I just didn’t need you
knowing if someone questioned you, you know?”

“Yeah. I hear
you. At least this explains your ugly car.”

He laughs then
asks, “You wanna meet for a beer later?”

“No, sorry.
I’m heading up to Big Bear for the week. Maybe when I get
back?”

“Sounds
good.”

“Wait. Is Matt
your real name?”

“Yeah. Matt
Malasky.”

“Huh,” I
mutter.

“Also need to
let you know that they’re picking up Kyle today. Everything’ll be
shut down. We’ve got a lot of witnesses coming in also. I did a lot
of talking with other fighters while I was there.” He chuckles.

“Good.”

“And you might
wanna get hold of your girl.”

“Who’s my
girl?”

“That would be
one Laney Adele Kyle,” he states a bit sardonically.

“She’s not my
girl,” I bite out. “She’s just as guilty as Kyle is. She was
involved in everything.”

I hear him let
out a breath. “I talked to her, Heath. She thought the fighting was
a charity thing. Thought her uncle was giving all the money to the
American Cancer Society. She said your brother has cancer and
that’s why she figured you were fighting. Until that little
douchebag Crowley filled her head with bullshit. She said he told
her you were being paid to fight.”

“That
asshole,” I mumble trying to get a handle on everything he’s just
told me. “Why would she think Aaron has cancer?”

“She said she
heard you talking on the phone to him and you mentioned something
about white blood cells?”

I think for a
moment then it comes to me. “Yeah. His spleen was damaged in his
last fight. I told you he was pretty bad. She must’ve heard me when
Aaron called and said the doctor told him he was producing too many
white blood cells. Our grandfather died of cancer and I freaked out
a little when I heard that. But the doctor fixed it.”

Holy fuck. If
Laney’s innocent, I’m the world’s biggest prick.

“She’s
innocent, Heath.”

And there you
go.

Fuck.

“This next
part is total chick shit but if I’ve learned anything from my wife,
it’s to listen, so I’ve got to tell you that Crowley also told her
you were fucking some little blonde in case anything was mentioned
about that.”

Now I blow out
a breath. “Crowley’s gonna get his ass whipped when I get
back.”

Matt laughs.
“He’s being brought in too. He had his fingers in every piece of
Kyle’s pie. I’m sure he’ll get plenty of ass whippings in
prison.”

“Damn.”

“Okay, I’ve
gotta go. Just thought you needed to hear all that. You and Laney
get things worked out, you can thank me.”

I snort. “All
right. Thanks, Matt. I appreciate it. I’ll give you a call when I
get back.”

We hang up and
I’m left to think over all that was just said for the last hour of
my drive.

And for the
first time in a week, I start to feel some hope.

That night as
I’m sitting in the chair staring at the fire going in the
fireplace, I pick up my phone and text Laney.

Me: My
super-sucky for today… Super—Being at my cabin in Big Bear.
Sucky—Every day since I last saw you.

She doesn’t
reply and I don’t expect her to. But I’ll keep it up until she does
or until I get back and have a chance to talk to her face-to-face
and apologize.

Fishing season
opens in April in Big Bear, so Saturday I’m stoked to go. I rent a
boat from The Marina and proceed to haul in five rainbow trout
while I’m out.

Back at the
cabin after cleaning them, I dredge them in seasoned flour and pan
fry them in butter. Nothing better than that.

While I eat, I
text Laney for the second night in a row.

Me:
Super-sucky for today... Super—the rainbow trout I caught today.
Sucky—Every day since I last saw you

I know she
won’t answer and it’s okay. I just want her to know I’m thinking
about her.

More fishing
on Sunday and it goes even better than yesterday. I prepare the
trout the same way and have another great dinner with a side of
sautéed asparagus.

Me: S-S for
today… Super—There’s still a little snow on the ground. Sucky—I
miss you

Just as I lie
down in bed, my phone chimes and I pick it up to see Laney’s texted
me back.

Laney: Please
stop texting me. I’m changing my number

It’s a
start.

Monday I go
into town and eat breakfast before going fishing all day. Tonight I
sit out on the porch watching the sun set, a tumbler of Laphroaig
on the rocks in my hand.

Me: S-S for
today… Super—Watching the sunset tonight. Sucky—Wishing you were
here with me. I love you.

A few minutes
later, she texts back.

Laney: I hate
you. Stop texting me.

I’m getting
through to her. Thank God.