Page 45 of Love, Lies, and Celtic Knots

"Nah, man. I'm just stocking the glasses before the afternoon crowd rolls in. We have a few corporate groups scheduled, so if you wanna come back around two or three, I could use some help then."

I shrug. "I might be available then. Depends on what the boss has for me." I throw my thumb over my shoulder pointing to the fermenting room.

"Oh, hey!" Tony reaches below the counter. "This just came in the mail for Brennen. Would you take this to his office? The door should be unlocked."

My brows shoot up. How the hell did I forget that I needed to check out Brennen's office? My dick gives one final throb in protest as blood finally circulates back to my brain.

That's how you forgot, genius.

"Sure. I can do that." I pick up the package and note the sender: Sapphire Development. My instincts tingle at the company name, especially after all the rumors I’ve heard about money problems. Maybe Brennen is getting offers to buy the winery. Ryan will flip his shit if this is true.

I stroll leisurely to his office and give the door a quick rap with my knuckles. It wouldn't look good if I just barge in and Brennen is sitting at his desk. After several seconds with no answer, I test the knob, and like Tony said, it is unlocked.

Damn, rather than being a fucking mess like I assumed it would be, Brennen’s office looks like it’s been organized by a perfectionist. Everything is in exact order with the desk completely cleared and clean with several efficiently labeled manilla folders sitting in a file sorter.

Good lord. It’s so orderly that it sends a shiver down my spine. I’d bet this office would easily pass a military white glove test. They say a person's desk gives you a good idea of what their brain is like. If that is the case, then Brennen is the ultimate control freak.

I glance over my shoulder, making sure no one is around as I step in and slowly close the door behind me. Just to be safe, I press the lock button on the knob and lean back, wondering where to start first.

My gaze swivels back to the desk. It's a good enough place to begin, even though I have no idea what I’m looking for.

Before I touch anything, I take numerous photos at different angles of the room, then pull out the folders. Making sure addresses and names are visible for Ryan's investigators, I snap more shots as I leaf through the pages, careful not to disrupt the order.

One manilla folder, with Fieldstone Competition scrawled across the top, catches my eye. The papers inside let me know exactly where Brennen is today. He took Sophie's case of wine to Atlanta this morning where it's competing with some of the East Coast's best wineries. I snort a laugh. Sophie's wine will win hands down. In fact, I'd wager her wine could go up against the best Europe could produce.

I take several more photos and carefully set the folder back into place. That's one mystery solved.

I step around the desk, pulling back his chair, and spot a solitary green folder lying in the seat. It's labeled Sapphire Development. I glance back at the box I brought in. Sure enough, it's the same name.

This is interesting…

As I thumb through the contents, I see it's chock-full of official banking statements, financial reports, and legal documents. Well… it certainly looks like I've hit the information jackpot here. I start reading as I snap pictures of the various documents. From what I can tell, Brennen has been working to pay off a floating note on the winery, which wouldn't raise any alarms for any business. It happens every day.

But what isn't normal is the letter from the bank detailing how Sapphire Development, a group owned by Ms. Candace Prescott, bought the loan's note. And there it is, son of a bitch… Brennen has less than ninety days to come up with the money before Ms. Prescott acquires full ownership of the winery.

The letter was dated over two months ago, which means Brennen has less than thirty days to figure out this mess before the family loses their heritage.

Fucking hell!

I snap away quickly as my phone’s camera allows, my mind whirling at the shitstorm the winery is truly in. A developer is about to swoop in and take over if Ryan doesn't act fast enough. The amount owed is ten million dollars plus whatever interest has accrued.

But this explains a lot. Brennen's stress level, the layoffs, the leggy blonde who I'd bet was Ms. Prescott, and the mysterious competition which would provide some revenue when Sophie's wine won.

I rearrange the documents back into the folder in a close enough manner and scan for anything else in the room to add to the jackpot of intel I'd just gathered. Although, I’m fairly certain I'd discovered the root of the entire problem.

With a disgusted sigh, I pull open the door and check for any prying eyes before I shuffle down the hallway and out the winery's back door. I need privacy for the phone call I'm about to make, so I head for the large white gazebo at the back of the property. It sits in the middle of a large pond that's lined with picnic tables, weeping willows, live oaks, and royal palm trees.

I spend several minutes emailing the photos to Ryan as well as a photo I've found on the internet of Candace Prescott, then make the call.

Ryan answers on the second ring. "Yeah? Did you find something?" The man's impatient tone is one of his defining characteristics, but his mood is about to sour dramatically.

"Hey, man. Yeah, you could say I found something. Check your email," I answer. "We have a serious problem on our hands."

Chapter 9

Sophie

Ifinish filling the last barrel with our new red blend, and I watch Alex roll it carefully to its storage spot for the season. This new wine is an experiment, but with the new blending grapes, it has a classic light acidic flavor that is perfect for warm weather. These beauties will sit for four to six months, depending on how quickly they age. The storage room temperature is climate controlled, so there shouldn't be any fluctuation and plenty of generators on hand if the winery loses power… like during hurricanes.

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