Page 36 of Irreverent (Salvation Society)

“Elizabeth, I don’t know what this is about.” Clasping his hands in front of him, he takes a step toward her.

“You didn’t hire someone to break into my house?”

Becket searches the room, and his fidgeting intensifies. He picks at his shirt, rubs his hand around his wrist, and paces toward my side of the room. “I—I wanted you to… I made a mistake. I wanted to make it right, but then I found him with you, and I knew you’d never listen.”

“You didn’t really give me much to listen to.” Libby’s foot taps against the tile floor.

God, I hope I never get on her bad side.Although I should have realized that when I saw her clobber that guy over the head with a whiskey bottle.

Beckett shoves his hands into his pockets and straightens. “Fine. I wanted you to realize he’s dangerous to have around. No one was going to get hurt.”

“I’m the dangerous one?” I break my silence, leaning forward.

Beckett inches away from me.

“I think you got your wires crossed. You don’t hire someone to break into your ex’s house, a week after she was attacked on vacation and expect everyone to laugh it off like a practical joke.”

“I was heated and—” Becket snorts, throwing his hands into the air. “I made a mistake and things got out of hand. Are you arresting me?”

James and Ryan wait for Libby’s order, but she drums her fingers along the edge of the desk. “Right now, we’re just having a conversation, and hoping it doesn’t come to that.”

“Then, I have business to take care of.” Beckett wipes his forehead with his sleeve. He certainly hasn’t been acquiring his money through gambling.

As he turns to walk by me, I stand, so we’re eye to eye. “That business have anything to do with that major hotel deal that fell through when the college acquired the land?”

“That’s over and done.” He shifts, and glances toward Libby. “Not the outcome I wanted, but we hadn’t put any money into building, so it wasn’t the biggest loss.”

“And how did the investors take that?” Libby asks.

Beckett rubs his hand over his jaw, pulling at his skin. “They weren’t thrilled, but like I said—”

“Yeah, you said it, but I don’t buy it.” I look to Libby. “You buying it?”

“No.”

I turn to James and Ryan. “How about you?”

“Mind your own business, meathead.” Beckett shoves his way around me.

“It is my business if I had to intervene on Libby’s behalf because your business dealings put her in danger.”

“We can work with you if you tell us what happened,” Libby says. “Make us find out, and we’ll make sure your finances are thoroughly examined.”

Beckett’s jaw ticks. “I got in over my head. I had an investor lined up for the hotel, but I delayed breaking ground. When the whole thing fell through, they wanted their money back. I couldn’t do it.”

“Why not?” Libby asks. “You said no harm done.”

“Because...” His teeth grind. “I was having trouble staying afloat. I thought I could get ahead and replace it before anyone was the wiser, but the college expansion moved up their schedule.”

“You funneled the money into your other businesses?” Libby asks. “Why didn’t they just sue?”

Beckett nods. “They’re not exactly people who use the rule of law. When I found out they were using me to launder their money, I was already in too deep. When I couldn’t get them everything they wanted in July, they threatened you. I thought if we broke up, they’d leave you out of it long enough for me to make the arrangements.”

“You should have told me.” Libby clenches her fists at her sides. Her lips form thin, pale lines.

“I thought I could fix it. I couldn’t lose everything. I—”

“I’ve heard enough.” Libby waves her hand at the door and slumps against her desk. “Can you two handle this? Get his lawyer and the DA. Talk to Chief Markus and...”

---