Page 42 of Tyler's Rule
She left us. We all took deep drinks of the cocktail.
I put down my half-empty glass. “Now we have fuel, I hereby start the meeting.”
My two friends raised their martinis in a cheers.
My mind ticked over to the plan. “Lovelyn, on the phone, you told me about your meeting with my grandmother. She said Presley had been to visit.”
Lovelyn nodded. “He took her an ivy plant.”
Cassie snorted. “Classic suck-up behaviour. Think he knows your grandmother intends to shut the company down?”
I twisted my lips. “For sure, and my guess is that he was trying to persuade her to change her mind.”
Cassie said, “Without it operating, he has no money, correct?”
“That’s right. His side of the family might get some in my grandfather’s will, or in the company wind down, but that isn’t guaranteed, and it would take forever. For someone who has lived off handouts all his life, he’ll be desperate.” I worked through my thoughts. “He was lurking around the docksidewarehouse when Convict was there. That alone puts him in the frame.”
Cassie tilted her head. “Why don’t ye sound convinced?”
“Two reasons. I never saw him at work. Like ever. But mainly because he’s lazy. Lazy people only do something when necessary. Like my uncle Wallace. He suns himself on yachts most of the year and is only here because his mum made him stay. And it’s true that the well has run dry now, but Presley was living that same life of luxury. Him actually working when he didn’t have to feels unlikely? I don’t know.”
Lovelyn curled her lip and shook out her lovely hair, blonde highlights over brown. “He seemed horrible from my very brief glimpse when he came here, but I’m not sure any of that gives him a true motive for murder.”
I exhaled in a rush. “That was my conclusion, too. His motivation seems to be getting the company operating again. I wish we could find him. I’d happily throttle the bastard.”
Cassie said, “They were our two main suspects—Sullivan and Presley. One involved in the trusted companies, potentially attending the auctions where trafficked women were sold, and now taken by Tyler for unknown reasons, and the other harassing ye for money, hanging around the dockside warehouse, and apparently having done a runner. Even without a motive, both appear guilty as sin. At least of something.”
One after the other, our phones went off. We swapped frowns, and I read my screen.
Convict: Come down to the main corridor.
Lovelyn stared at her phone. “Kane’s asked me to go downstairs.”
“Riordan has, too. He said right now.” Cassie raised her gaze. “What the hell could need us all to rush down?”
My stomach tightened.
A body, a rabid mob. Whatever it was, it couldn’t be good. The three of us exchanged a fierce look and left to investigate together.
Chapter 16
Tyler
In the passenger seat of my car, Dixie trembled, her hood up to hide her blonde hair, and her arms wrapped around herself while she peered out into the dark night at the warehouse we’d parked in the shadows of.
I buried my struggles over bringing her back, the secrets that couldn’t be hidden, faking calm for her sake. This was important to her. The warehouse was a safe space. There were crowds of people around the front, but the staff entrance was quiet. We could get inside without incident, and she could do what she needed to do.
Including leave me.
If she wanted, she could push me away in safety. My crew would force me to accept it. My obsession would be caged, and she’d still be safe.
Still, I couldn’t stop my words. “Sure about this? Say the word and I’ll get us out of here.”
“One hundred percent. I just need a minute.”
“Then we’ll take as long as ye need.”
My phone buzzed with a message. I read the screen.
