Page 22 of Bad Seed

“Your mother has been pushing the issue ever since my heart surgery, and I do have to accept the reality of my situation, but I hadn’t thought seriously of it until now. If all of this trouble is happening without me on-site, I don’t want the hotel to go downhill, and it’s a good cover for Harley Banks’s arrival. You can reassure Beaumont that his presence is appreciated and ask him to assist her with any requests she might make of him. If he’s up to something and he panics and starts cleaning up and hiding what he’s been doing, we might never find out what it was. And, as for the daughter’s behavior, I’ll message Brendan myself. I don’t want him to feel threatened or pressured in any way, and I also don’t want to lose him.”

“Understood,” Liz said. “I love you, Daddy. Say hi to Mom for me. I miss you both so much.”

“We miss you, too,” Ray said. “Our best to Michael.”

When the call ended, Liz began implementing her father’s instructions, and Ray looked up Brendan’s phone number in his contacts and sent him a text.

Brendan, I’ve been made aware of ongoing problems at the hotel and your problems with Justine Beaumont. Rest assured this is being dealt with. However, if anything new occurs or the stalking continues, let me know. This is also confidential info, but I want you to know I’ve hired a corporate auditor/private investigator to look into the hotel finances. Her name is Harley Banks. To the staff, she will simply be an auditor preparing the paperwork for putting the hotel up for sale. I gave her your name in case she needs on-site assistance. I would appreciate any help you can give her. Since my health problems, I’m not ruling out the need to sell, but that’s all in the future. Right now, I’m trying to stop a leak in the system before it becomes a flood. I don’t want to lose you. You are a very valuable member of my staff and a well-loved member of my extended family.

Ray.

***

Brendan was finishing up for the day when he heard his phone signal a text, but he was in the middle of prepping for tomorrow and let it go, then forgot about it. He’d driven his car to work because he needed groceries before he went home and was on his way to the supermarket when he remembered the text. As soon as he parked, he pulled it up and read it.

He was relieved that Ray Caldwell had been made aware of the trouble and grateful for the reassurance that he wasn’t being held responsible for someone else’s actions. It wasn’t the first time he’d wondered if Ray would keep the hotel.

Now it appeared a lot of it hinged on what they found out about the current management. He wondered about the auditor, and then shrugged it off. She wasn’t there to police Justine Beaumont. It was her father who was going to be under scrutiny, whether he liked it or not.

He got out and was walking across the parking lot toward the store when he felt a hand on his back, turned around, then smiled. It was Amalie.

“Amalie! How’s it going, Sister?”

Being called anybody’s sister, when she’d grown up without siblings or even knowing who her parents were, was a constant delight. Amalie loved being Sean Pope’s wife, and his mother and brothers were the icing on the cake.

“All good,” Amalie said. “Up to my eyeballs in tax returns already. I was getting ready to leave when I sawyou get out. I just wanted to say how good it was to have supper with you the other night. We don’t see you as much as we’d like.”

“Gotta keep the people fed,” he said.

“Understood. But we had a fun time with Ava when you brought her up. She wound up spending the night and sleeping with Shirley, but you probably guessed that would happen.”

“Not the least bit surprised,” Brendan said. “Mom is our lifesaver for every family emergency and every family drama we’ve ever had.”

“She’s a treasure, for sure,” Amalie said, and then glanced at the time. “It’s getting late. I don’t want Sean to worry, so I’d better scoot.” She gave Brendan’s hand a quick squeeze goodbye, and then staggered but didn’t turn loose.

Brendan watched her eyes lose focus, then close and waited, still holding her hand, still wondering what she would say. The whole family knew and accepted that Amalie had the “sight.”

Then she began to speak. “Someone’s coming who’s going to need your help. Don’t shy away from what happens between you. It’s meant to be,” she said, and then opened her eyes and looked up. “Gotta go. Sean’s waiting,” she said, and walked off as if none of that had just happened.

“Lord,” he muttered, and then regained his composure and went into the store.

***

That night as Brendan was getting ready for bed, he thought of Amalie’s prediction and couldn’t help but wonder who was coming and how she would play into his life. Maybe it was the auditor, or not. Only time would tell.

But Ray’s text had confirmed his decision to turn over the threatening message he had found on his door. He wanted all of this on record, should Justine decide to escalate some stupid kind of revenge. And just to be on the safe side, he sent his brother Sean a text.

I need a security camera set up at my place. If you’re not too busy, could you do it tomorrow? It’s my day off. I have a stalker at work and have already received one threatening note on my door, but I can’t prove she left it there.

Within a minute, Sean answered.

What the hell, Brendan? Who is it? And yes, I’ll be there first thing tomorrow! Have you told the police? If not, get your ass down to the station with that note and make a report. It’s protection. And who’s your stalker?

Brendan sighed. This was the push he needed.

The new hotel manager’s daughter, Justine Beaumont. The one I mentioned to you the other day. I swear to God, something is wrong with her. All of her behavior is almost manic, and I’ve turned her down so many times in the past five months that she’s out for revenge. She even pulled a knife on me about a month ago. She’s nuts, and that’s all I’m going to say about it.

Sean fired back one last text.

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