Page 47 of Brutal Heir

“Not even Bill?” he asks, sounding skeptical.

“No.” I shake my head.

He goes quiet; likely his mind racing. He would have expected the old law dog to check in if the shit hit the fan. So, if Bill hasn’t called, does he know what’s going on?

“What about the security admin you ran around with?” he asks, freezing me on the spot.What about her?I stop the words before they come out of my mouth.

Of course, she would come to mind. This isn’t about me and her. She’s just the next logical choice. I hadn’t thought about it, but, I guess, when Bill’s not around, she’s the next one in charge.

“I haven’t called her,” I admit. “Figured I’d check with you first.”

He cocks his head. “Do you know anything about her?”

There’s a loaded question if there ever was one. I know she doesn’t carry a gun and doesn’t watch where she’s walking. I know she sleeps in that cute little dress that lets me get to her tits without any trouble at all. And I know how it feels to be inside her tight little cunt. That moment when I was riding her while she was asleep comes to mind. Then the image of her on the counter.

Yeah… Obviously, that’s not what he means.

“Her name keeps popping up every time something happens. Even when the old man was still here.” And, as annoying as it may be, “She seems to have her nose in everything.”

“Hrmph.”

For not being a local, she’s pretty damn nosey. Doesn’t help that Bill is always sending her out to do shit. Even though he knows there’s still places on this ranch where she has no business poking her nose.Sage is going to check on the guard.Sage is interviewing the suspect. Sage is going to meet you and document the incident.She’s damn near everywhere…

“Sage. What the hell kind of name is that?” I ask, not reallyexpecting an answer.

He snorts. “I said the same thing.” He turns thoughtful. My shoulders tighten. Something bad’s coming. I can feel it. “Kelly Oil has some shit going on.”

“Oh?” I knew it.

Addler checks behind him, as if he expects Elena to show up suddenly. Somehow, I don’t think she will.

“Derrick says they’ve got money missing they can’t account for. So far, everything leads back to South Texas. Specifically, the ranch, since it’s the newest acquisition.”

“Shit.” My family’s embroiled in the kind of life that deals in cash. I have millions I can’t account for in this country. It caused me a problem when I wanted to buy a place of my own. I’m lucky the de Marcos have enough money coming in that they can fold my part into theirs.

“That’s why I showed up at the office early,” he explains. “If they have something to hide, they’d have to do it before Monday.”

“Girl from the office.” I glance toward the house, wondering if she’s got a part to play. “She tangled up in this?”

“Not that I can tell.”

Not that he can tell… Wonder how hard he’s looking. Because from what I walked in on, I’d say he’s not looking in the right places. Or maybe what he found sent him in another direction.

“Sure you’re not running blind?” I ask him point blank. It’s a legit question, considering I have my own stake in the thing with Kelly Oil.

“I’ve been checking the books. Once Bill’s back, we’ll see if there’s anything he’s seen that could seem suspicious.”

“Good.” I’m glad nothing’s come up with her. Although I know she and Addler have some history, I like the girl. She didn’t think twice before diving in to get her hands dirty to get the cow out of the mud. And the first thing she thought of was making sure we had food and water. “She makes a hell of a sandwich.”

“Yeah.” He grins. “She does.”

Well, with that out of the way, we need to figure out the next step. “So, what do you want me to do?”

“Keep an eye out.” He shakes his head, as if there’s still no clear path. “If you find out anything from security, let me know.”

Let me check. I dial her number, but get voice mail. “I’ll try her again in a few.”

“Okay, thanks.”

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