Page 5 of Gentle Fox

There were so many things wrong with this conversation but I didn't even know where to begin.

Her stepbrother.

That seemed like a relatively safe topic to discuss.

"Why would your stepbrother do this?"

I should've asked for a more in-depth background check on her before I left. I assumed the one we ran when she applied for the position was enough. I was wrong.

What was the age-old saying? Assuming makes an ass out of you and me.

That sounded about right.

"Because he's prone to hissy fits when he doesn't get what he wants." I waited for her to say more but she was back to looking at the carnage all around us.

"And what exactly does he want?"

"Everything," she sighed.

Any hope that she would be forthcoming with information was quickly dismissed. This was going to be like interrogating a prisoner.

"Could you be a little bit more specific? I can't help you if I don't know what's going on."

Annalee huffed and plopped her fists on her hips. It was the universal sign she was frustrated with me.

Two could play that game. I crossed my arms over my chest and met her stare with one of my own.

"I never said I wanted, nor needed, your help."

"Yeah, right." I dragged out the word and nodded to the apartment in general. "I think your apartment tells a different story."

"For once I think my father was wrong." I had no idea where she was going with that sentence and I told her as much with a pop of my eyebrow.

"He's the reason I applied for the job with your security company. He told me to get out of the area and start over new. Normally he's right, but this time maybe he was wrong."

Now I was more confused than ever. Her father died over two months ago and she only applied for the job last week.

"You're going to have to explain that one better to me."

Annalee rolled her eyes but at least she started talking. "The day before my father died, he mailed me a letter from his trip in Italy. He explained that it was time I did things for myself and to get out of this nightmare life and start over fresh. I figured he sensed something was going to happen to him and he wanted to impart some wisdom before he was gone. He knew the only reason I stayed local was because he was here. But then the post office takes forever to ship internationally, so of course I didn't get the letter until two and a half weeks ago. That's when I started looking for jobs outside of Louisiana."

Now what she said made a little more sense.

"None of that explains why your stepbrother destroyed your apartment."

"Pfft." Annalee mimicked my position and crossed her arms. "Because apparently, before my father died, he changed his will. None of us know when he did it, or why, but he cut Dennis out of it and left my stepmother with barely enough to keep her living the fancy life she's accustomed to."

Now things were starting to make sense. Greed changed people and usually not for the better. I made a note to check out her stepmother and stepbrother.

"What kind of relationship do you have with your stepmother?"

If she was going to keep talking, then I was going to get as much out of her as I could before she clammed up again.

"Are you familiar with the storyCinderella?" When I nodded my head yes, she continued. "That's the kind of relationship we had. Except instead of two evil stepsisters, I had one evil stepbrother. When my father was around, they were cordial with me, but the moment he left for a business trip, they treated me no better than a servant."

"Did your father know this? Is that why he took them out of the will?"

She laughed in my face.

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