Page 90 of Tackle

Not meeting Emerson’s eyes, Britney pulled a few napkins out of the dispenser and swiped at her nose before saying, “Keith approached me a couple of months ago. He lives in the same apartment complex as me and my mom. He was always nice. He knows she’s sick and tried to help me out when he could. He’d bring us food from the restaurant that had expired but was still good. Or he’d come over and help fix something that broke when the landlord would take his sweet-ass time about it. You know,” she shrugged, “things like that.”

She paused for a moment to take a shuddering breath. Emerson didn’t take her eyes off of her even though Britney’s gaze stayed focused on her hands, spinning the bottle, refusing to look across the table at them.

“One day, Keith caught me when I was leaving and asked if I wanted to make some extra money. He knew I’d jump at the chance. I’d shared a lot during our talks. How my job paid shit and between that and Mom’s piddly disability checks, with the cost of our bills, meds, and doctor’s visits, we were falling further and further into debt. He told me about a new restaurant that had opened up down the street from his place and said they were hiring and that he wanted me to take the job. I asked how taking one shit-paying job for another would help me make extra money.” She finally glanced up at Emerson. “No offense.”

Emerson could only nod, unable to speak past the lump in her throat, knowing where her story was headed.

“He said the extra money would come from him, paying me to be his eyes and ears.”

“So essentially to spy,” Oz snarled.

His anger was palpable. Emerson could feel it radiating from him in waves. She stroked her thumb over his in hopes of soothing his anger.

Britney nodded. “Yeah, something like that. Anyway, it did sound like easy money.” She looked at Emerson again. “You actually pay better than my last job, and with what Keith promised me, I knew I could catch up on some of my bills, so I agreed.”

Emerson felt Oz tense beside her but she was no help, her anger growing by the second too.

“He didn’t ask much of me at first—small things like a hair in someone’s food—but when your place started tripling his business, he knew he needed to do something to get his customers back. The rat scare was the first incident.”

Emerson sat up in her seat and she felt Oz squeeze her hand in warning.

“I was supposed to make a big fuss about seeing a rat. Then Keith called in a complaint to the health department.”

“And the droppings?” Emerson asked, gritting her teeth.

“I planted them the night before the inspectors arrived.”

“I suppose you were also responsible for vandalizing the heating unit,” Oz gritted, causing Emerson’s gaze to fly to him, this time, squeezing his hand in caution.

They lost Britney’s eyes again as she stared off toward the kitchen. “Yeah, that was me.”

“And Holly? Was Keith responsible for her too?” Just the thought of that woman still made Emerson’s blood boil.

Britney’s head snapped back. “No.” She seemed almost relieved to be able to admit that. “She was a coincidence. Keith actually commented about how he couldn’t have planned her better himself.”

“But he did plan something else,” Oz prodded. “The food poisoning complaint was him too?”

“I called it in because he had called the last time, but yeah, that was his idea.”

“I don’t understand what he hoped to gain from all of that,” Emerson said.

“At first, I think he just wanted you to lose business, hoping to gain back some of the customers he lost when you opened. But after a while, it seemed to turn more personal.”

“Personal how?” Oz barked.

Britney shrugged. “It was an impression I got. Like he would rant about how popular the pub was getting and that if it wasn’t for you,” she trained her eyes on Oz, “its business wouldn’t be half what it was.” Her eyes moved back to Emerson. “I think he was jealous and wanted to make you suffer.”

A cold pit formed in Emerson’s stomach and she latched tighter onto Oz’s hand.

“I think that’s why things kept escalating. At first, like I said, I needed the money and most of what he asked was harmless, but when he approached me about setting the fire, that’s where I drew the line.”

“That’swhere you drew the line?” Emerson blurted, her anger getting the best of her.

Oz wrapped an arm around her shoulders drawing her close, trying to calm her, but she soon discovered, Oz was just as pissed, when he accused, “But therewasa fire so obviously something changed that.”

Britney nodded. “Blackmail.”

That even got the cop’s attention. He shifted on his feet.

---