Page 40 of Hartley

“The guards will never let you speak to him without their boss present.”

“Maybe they will if we ask Sheldon. He can be there with us. He already knows about the note. It would be easy to ask him to help us, and maybe Ollie, instead of involving others. The more who know about that paper, the more who will want to tell Jordan.”

“You want to tell him.” He pointed at me.

“Of course I do. I love him, and this is right up his alley, but if I go to him and he tries talking to Lane, there will be yelling, threats, and possibly bloodshed. I really want the community to get the money Lane said he’d give Jordan for his family’s deaths.”

“Do you think Lane will tell us the truth?”

I shrugged. “What do we have to lose? He could surprise us and be honest. I think he has been this whole time. He’s notlike the others in his family.” Not that I knew them for a point of reference, but he didn’t strike me as someone who would shoot out a guy’s kneecaps and gut him like a fish.

“If Sheldon says no…”

“Then we tell Jordan. That way, we have a backup plan. Either way, we’ll hopefully get answers. And if Lane doesn’t know shit, we still tell Jordan.” I wouldn’t know what else to do on my own. Forest would suggest a crazy idea I’d never participate in.

No, this was the plan, and we were sticking to it. At least, I hoped.

19

HARTLEY

“No,” Sheldon said, with his arms crossed and his lips pressed into a line.

“Come on,” I whined. It wasn’t pretty, and I didn’t care. I needed to get in to see Lane to ask him what he knew about the piece of paper.

“None of that will work on me. Not the puppy dog eyes, not the begging, nope. And you can’t use sex, so that’s another check in the hell no box.”

I scrunched up my nose. “Do you seriously think I’d cheat on Jordan? If you knew the way he?—”

Sheldon put his palm over my mouth. People had to stop doing that to me.

I slapped his arm away. “Anyway, I’m getting into that room to talk to Lane whether or not you go with me.”

“Really, how?”

“It’s sad how you underestimate me.”

“Sheldon,” my brother cut in gently. Sheldon’s eyes went to Forest. My brother was my secret weapon. Sheldon wouldn’t be able to resist him. He gave him the paper, after all. “You’llbe in there with us. Invite Ollie along. We just want to talk to Lane, nothing else. He has no weapons. He doesn’t even have a phone. What could he possibly do with you two in there with us?”

“Say something you don’t want to hear.”

“We passed that when you handed me this.” Forest held the square of folded paper between his fingers.

“There could be more. Shit you don’t want to hear.”

“Or he could know nothing. Either way, we have to cover our bases. It’s either we go in there and have a civilized conversation with Lane, or Jordan goes in there and makes him bleed.”

Sheldon shrugged. “We don’t need him. Jordan hasn’t told anyone about the money. If it disappeared, no big deal.”

I let them keep talking while I kept an eye out. Sure, there were cameras everywhere, but I’d walked all over this building in the past. I doubted my every move was reported to Jordan. And if it was today, I would have the information necessary to tell him everything after speaking with Lane. If Jordan was still pissed, which he would be, I’d blow him or tell him to fuck me. Nothing relaxed that man like coming his brains out.

“You’re going to have to talk fast,” Sheldon said. Wait, was he saying what I think he was?

“I know,” my brother replied.

“Jordan’s going to find out you’re in there. Barry isn’t manning the security desk, but no one is supposed to talk to Lane without Jordan’s permission. It’s a strict drop off meals, make sure he’s okay, and leave.”

“Jordan’s not here though,” I cut in. “He’s at one of his companies doing financial shit.” There I was, sounding smartagain. You’d think I’d be better about this stuff, considering I ran my own business. Meh. Whatever.

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