Page 63 of Mocha Kisses

I frown and turn on the screen, staring at the search bar. Luna’s name has been typed in but where happy pictures of her and Griffin were spewed all over the internet, it’s taken a dark turn. It hasn’t even been an hour since we left the venue and the press has somehow caught pictures of all of us leaving in disheveled states, promoting the idea that Luna’s money issues are the true reason she returned.

That Luna, Griffin’s editor, somehow wormed her way into his life and into his heart to pay back bad family debts. Her name is being dragged through the mud and I can’t believe how fast people have turned on our woman. “This has to be Yana, right?”

“I would assume so. Nothing else makes sense. My question is that I don’t understand how this hasn’t been caught. How has she flown under the radar for so fucking long?” Rome plops onto a bar stool, his gaze moving back to the loves of our life. He won’t admit it yet but I know that his feelings for Griffin are just beginning, that they’ll blossom, and that he’ll start seeing the gray-eyed writer the way I do.

I roll my tongue along my teeth, thinking through the multitude of companies that have passed through here trying to buy up the land. There’s only ever been one prevalent one but that doesn’t dismiss the others.

“What are you thinking?”

“That Yana has had this shit set up for a while. I wouldn’t put it past her to set up multiple fucking companies to make it seem like many people are vying for the forest.” Knowing that she’s also been playing middleman for Paula’s Agency makes so much more sense.

I grit my teeth together and stalk toward the bedroom, ruffling through several papers on the desk that I brought home. I hate bringing my work home but needing to be closer, I made an exception. I emerge with a thick folder of all the proposals over the last six years, wondering how I didn’t make the connection.

Rome steals the folder from me when I get within reach and starts scouring through the pages, looking for any similarities. Nothing has ever jumped out to me before until I start looking at the handwriting, noticing the strange way the ‘a’ is written regardless of where it ends up in the word. I grab a few pages and flip through them, hating that they all match. They’re definitely filled and filed by the same person. I don’t recognize any of the signatures or the numbers included. The companies mean nothing to me as they all checked out from some basic research.

“This shit is twisted,” I mutter as I take a seat beside Rome. Pulling out my phone, I look up one of the locations and frown when it says that it no longer exists. “Rome, check a few of those, would you?”

Twenty minutes later, we discover that only one of those locations still exists. The addresses can be pulled up on Google Maps but many of those businesses have closed down or transferred to other management. It’s one reason why interest was never picked back up in Spring Haven. Rome lets out a deep sigh as he dials the number on the remaining location and shrugs when gets voicemail. He tries a second time, the device clattering to the table when a voice comes over the speaker.

He quickly ends the call as I glare at him. “I hope you fucking blocked that goddamn number when you called her or she knows that we’re on to her.”

Rome throws me a sheepish smile. “I’m not stupid. Yes, I blocked my number. However, how the fuck did you not make this connection before? You’ve met Yana.”

“Briefly. In passing. I’ve never spoken to her on the phone and the few times she showed up in Spring Haven, she hadn’t acted like a cunt. Griffin felt comfortable enough around her that I didn’t need to be here every waking moment. Luna also hadn’t stumbled into our lives. Doesn’t make me feel any better how she wormed herself into our little piece of happiness to buy some fucking land. Do you know how fucking evil you have to be to do this shit? And for what? Greed? That’s bullshit.” I slam my fist down on the table and then turn to the two on the couch. They barely stir.

Rome stands up and heads for the coffee pot. “I think this is going to take a little more time and energy than we currently have. And could you take off the fucking suit? You make us look like a bunch of slobs.”

“Youare,” I joke before slipping off my jacket. Silence falls between us as the other two’s snores fill the room. It’s a domestic scene I wish I could enjoy or even join as I figure out our next steps. “I think we actually have to call Paula’s Agency. I don’t want to but I need to know what they know.”

“Are you ready to protect those two regardless of what happens? If we’re wrong about any of this and Paula’s Agency truly is sending people after her, you’ll have brought them to the front door.”

“I’m ready, regardless of what happens. You?” Rome gives me a pert nod and then focuses on making a fresh pot. It’s nearly dinner time but I don’t think any of us have much of an appetite. I dial a number I haven’t called in years, a job that I completed successfully by finding and dragging back a man trying to get a pass on his debt. He thought taking out a few thousand with a fucking loan shark was a free payday. He learned that lesson hard and I still don’t feel bad about dropping him off at their doorstep when he told me it was ‘just a joke’.

The dial tone rings a few times before Carson picks up. “Fancy hearing from you. Lawyer thing not work out? I’ve got several people we’re looking for.”

“Luna St. Claire.” I don’t want to play the dance we used to. I’m calling for information. That’s it.

“Right to it. Yeah, we’re looking for her. Her dad racked up a bunch of bills and then took off but he’s either dead or withering away so… offspring it is.” The cackle on the other side angers me.

“He’s not dead, actually. Saw him maybe an hour ago? Piss poor excuse of a man just didn’t want to pay.”

“No shit? Then the girl would be off the hook. You fucking her? I heard she’s got a sweet ass.”

I clench my fist and take a very deep breath so I don’t bite off Carson’s head. I need his cooperation in this. “Sure, I need some information.”

“What’s in it for me? You gonna take up a job? I could use the help.”

“No, but if your information is what I’m looking for then I think you’ll like the result.”

“A challenge! I’m intrigued. Speak, my companion.” He’s treating all of this like it’s a joke. It’s not. If he doesn’t like the connections I make with the information he gives me, there’s a likelihood they will absolutely target Luna.

“I have three questions. First, how long have you been following Luna to retrieve the money.”

“Following? You make us sound like stalkers. I sent a person or two after her, needed her to know this shit was real. But she’s one of the only ones that pays regularly even if it’s pennies. We leave her alone minus the reminder text every so often. She moves like the wind, that girl. Always looking over her shoulder. What’s she got herself into?”

I’m not telling him that. It’s just good to know that my initial thoughts are correct. “And of some of your other loans, how many are paying them back?”Question two.

“Most? Irregularly though. Real slow on the uptake but we haven’t had to threaten anyone in a while, it’s nice.”

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