Fall: Rise & Fall Duet Book 2 (Shaken 4) Read online

  Should Lexie hear this? It was her personal life we were discussing, though she knew the details more intimately than any file Zegas had. She’d been through enough. No need to make her relive it, especially after the traumatic few days she’d had.

  “It was supposed to be a life sentence for both of them.”

  I was grateful he kept speaking because the only words I wanted to say were not productive and likely criminal.

  “And it’s no wonder Lexie’s parents aren’t happy with her. She’s the one who led the feds to the bust that took them out.”

  What? She couldn’t have been much more than a teenager. But the Lexie I knew would do anything to protect her brother. And from the sound of it, putting her parents away for a long time was a big step toward that.

  “Do they know?” I prayed the authorities hadn’t put her at risk by identifying her as a rat.

  “Not sure. But she testified against both of them in court.”

  Lexie.

  What kind of hell had she been through?

  “Life sentences?” I asked to reconfirm I’d heard correctly earlier. One ticking time bomb had already exploded, but another could be close.

  “Supposed to be life. Donnie got out for good behavior.” Zegas made an unimpressed face. “I’ve put a private investigator on him. The guy has one foot in prison and one out. He makes a wrong move and back in he goes.”

  “How does that affect Lexie?”

  I wanted the man back in a jail cell far away from Lexie and Eric. But more than that, I wanted her to be free from worry.

  “The judge for her case is a friend of mine and despises rotten parents, even of grown children. I’ve explained the situation and barring something extraordinary, she won’t serve any time. We can have her volunteer for anger management and community service as a goodwill gesture.”

  I should’ve been relieved to hear that, but something about it felt like false hope.

  “What about the witness? Garrison? Will he retract his statement?” That burned me up all over again. I understood he thought he saw what he saw, but he should’ve given Lexie the benefit of the doubt. He knew her. Was he bribed? Surely he knew that the man she hit was slime.

  “If we could get him to recant, that would be a positive step.” He pointed at me. “And before you get any ideas, stay away from him.”

  I scowled. Paying him a visit soon was most definitely a possibility. If I could talk to him, straighten the record, he’d have a different outlook on the situation.

  “Let’s not add witness tampering to your legal woes.” He polished off his drink and went to the bar to get a refill.

  How was it tampering to tell someone the truth? Again, another situation I could do nothing to rectify. It felt like my wrists were in invisible handcuffs.

  “Speaking of your legal woes.” He dropped back into the chair.

  “Fix Lexie’s problems first,” I said through my teeth.

  “Did you hear nothing of this conversation? I’m close. Nailing Donnie again will go a long way to doing just what you want.”

  I wouldn’t be satisfied until Lexie was free and clear.

  “Do you like this place?” Zegas looked around as if he were just noticing for the first time we were in my apartment.

  “More now than I ever have.”

  He rubbed the arm of the chair like he was testing the quality of the leather. “Don’t get comfortable because you may not be keeping it.”

  It wasn’t the money, though the loss would be noticeable. And it wasn’t the fine furnishings or the view.

  The apartment symbolized what I’d worked for. And Eric’s painting belonged on that wall in my study. In fact, they belonged on all the walls. Lexie’s shoes belonged kicked off in the foyer. Muffy’s and Millie’s toys belonged scattered in every room. I wasn’t going to give that up without a fight.

  “I’m keeping those damn dogs.”

  Teague had known I wouldn’t return them. They were a pain and disruptive and may cost me my fortune in hot dogs. But they were mine.

  “What?”

  “I’m keeping the apartment.”

  Zegas didn’t need to hear my revelation about the dogs, but I wanted it clear I wasn’t going anywhere.

  “Do you have any issues with anyone at work?”

  I furrowed my brow. That was an odd question. “No.”

  I was certain some employees didn’t like me, but that was the nature of business.

  “Who advises you about investments?”

  “Real estate? No one. Some team members might present potential properties, but the final decision is always mine.” Why would I trust my area of expertise to anyone else?

  “And beyond real estate? A stockbroker? Anyone like that?”

  I shook my head. “I have a portfolio my mother left me. But I dismantled it. Stocks aren’t my thing.”

  It wasn’t wise not to be diversified, but I always wanted my money to be in something I could see. There was risk in any investment, but I’d witnessed people who were left standing with nothing but worthless paper when their stocks collapsed.

  Maybe I had trust issues too.

  If I selected where my money went, the responsibility was firmly on me. I had my best interests at heart. A broker? His interests were his own. I’d never liked anyone acting or speaking on my behalf.

  “You don’t have any stocks?”

  “No.”

  “Currency? Bonds? Futures?”

  “No. No. No.”

  “I think I need to look up the definition of securities fraud again. Because if you don’t have any, how can you commit fraud?” He downed half of his drink.

  He was right. I needed one too, but I wouldn’t.

  Zegas set his glass on the coffee table. “When you say ‘dismantled’ what do you mean?”

  “As I needed money to invest in real estate, I sold the pieces I didn’t want.” It had been hard. My mother had personally put together that portfolio. She’d catered it for me. I’d kept the properties she’d included to save a part of her.

  “Did you pay taxes on those transactions?”

  I grunted. “A few times I had to sell more of the stock just to pay the taxes on the sale of the other.”

  “Do you have proof of payment that you can get me?”

  “Yes. Paper and electronic.”

  “Did your accountant handle these transactions or you?”

  “My accountant.”

  “Who benefits if you’re out of the picture at your company?”

  When had Zegas become an investigator? I felt like I was under a microscope.

  I thought about Hollingsworth Properties. Everyone wanted to play a vital role in their work. But in our organization, it wouldn’t function without me. That wasn’t pompous. Strictly fact.

  Beau had the ability to keep it afloat until she could steady the ship, but there were aspects I performed that no one else did.

  My father came to mind, but even if he never said it out loud, I had made him more money than he ever could on his own. He definitely did not benefit with me gone.

  “Dad.”

  I jerked my head toward the living room entry. Beau stood, arms crossed, daring me to argue.

  “I’ve never heard anyone say a bad word about you at the company.” She crossed the room and sat on the sofa beside me.

  I glanced in the direction from which she’d come, but neither Lexie nor Eric were in sight.

  “You’re not there all the time,” I said, refocusing. “And no one would speak ill of me in front of you.”

  She pressed her lips together. “I’ve been there a lot lately.”

  “I’d venture a guess you’ve never heard anyone speak ill of Father either.”

  She glared. Because I was right.

  “Why do you think your father wants Lincoln gone?” Zegas leaned back in his seat, drink in hand.

  “That’s a different question,” Beau said. “Dad benefits if Lincoln steps away from Holling
sworth Properties because he’s cocky enough to think he can maintain what Lincoln built and keep all the profits for himself. But I don’t think he wants you gone.”

  “My forensic accountant has looked over one year of your taxes. Everything looks in order.” Zegas smirked. “Well, I’m sure the IRS could find something to pick apart, but there’s nothing to be alarmed over.”

  That wasn’t earthshaking news. I hadn’t evaded taxes beyond what the law allowed.

  “One year doesn’t mean anything. And we don’t know if it’s the time period the authorities were investigating.” Matters such as these weren’t resolved overnight. I’d been in no hurry to prepare a defense, but now that we’d started, I just wanted it over.

  “Don’t you use Dad’s accountant?” Beau asked.

  “I do.” From the age I’d needed one, the man had handled my affairs. He was Father’s choice. Despite being capable of making my own selection, I chose to stay with my father’s. Because upsetting him over something like that wasn’t worth it to me. And with him, I never knew what trigger would set him on a warpath.

  “Could he have gotten your returns mixed up with Dad’s?” She sat up straighter with hope.

  I appreciated where Beau was going with that line of thought. It was a possibility, although a very unlikely one.

  “That would be a very big mistake to make.” I straightened my cufflinks.

  “Did the party move out here?” Lexie had changed into that awful sweatshirt that I loved and flannel pajama bottoms that were frayed at the bottom. And her socks still didn’t match.

  “If this is a party, it’s no fun.” Zegas lifted his glass. “I’m the only one drinking, so maybe my problems are worse than all of yours.”

  “I could phone Whitley. Insist he come over immediately.” I kept a serious face.

  Zegas appeared a second away from throwing his drink on me. “Good luck with that. He’s a family man now and there are boundaries”—he shrugged and stood—“I’ll never understand.”

  Would I?

  Zegas set his glass on the end table and stuffed his files back into the briefcase.

  “I’ll walk you out.”

  “I’m working on the primary residence angle to keep you here.” He latched the case. “I don’t say this often, but I’m not sure how well it’s going to work.”

  “What’s he talking about?” Beau narrowed her gaze.

  “Guess you haven’t told them everything. Oops.” Zegas picked up his briefcase. “That’s my cue to go.” He turned before he left the living room. “I still have something I need to speak to you about, but it can wait until tomorrow. I’m smart enough to leave while I still can.”

  He made quick strides out of sight. The door slammed behind him, and Muffy and Millie raced into the room to investigate the noise.

  “Start explaining. Now,” Beau growled. “Do I need to call Teague for this?” She pulled her phone from her jeans pocket.

  “No,” I said far too sharply.

  Lexie propped her hip against the chair Zegas had just vacated. She balled the hem of her sweatshirt in her fist. Lines of worry creased her forehead. “I should leave you two alone.”

  “No,” I snapped before I plowed a hand through my hair. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have spoken like that.”

  She blinked as if she hadn’t expected me to repent. “It’s okay. You’re under a lot of stress.”

  I nodded, though it wasn’t an excuse to take that tone with either of them. Unable to sit any longer, I pushed to my feet. The bar was tempting, but I bypassed a drink for the view from the windows.

  I kept my back to them, unable to face them with the truth.

  “It’s becoming likely I may lose my apartment.” And I have no idea where I’d go. Or what I’ll have left.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Lexie

  He could lose his apartment?

  Lincoln’s broad shoulders were set in a tense line. He refused to turn around, didn’t even snap at Muffy when he pawed at his leg.

  I couldn’t imagine him ever being in any financial danger. His credit card was declined at the dinner he missed, but that happened to everyone at some point because of fraud detection measures.

  To think he’d been shouldering that burden all on his own. How heavy his load must be.

  And he’s put all his focus on your problems the past twenty-four hours.

  He’d stayed with me in the hospital and made sure my business didn’t suffer today. Lincoln Hollingsworth was nothing like I’d initially assumed. He was the most selfless man I’d ever met.

  “You didn’t think Teague and I should know this?” Beau bolted from the sofa. “Did you refinance the apartment? If you’re behind, I’ll pay the note. All of it.”

  Anger was her primary tone, but all that was a cover-up for her hurt.

  I understood where both of them came from. If I were in Lincoln’s position, I’d keep it from Eric until I absolutely had to tell him, not because he couldn’t handle it, but because I wouldn’t want him to worry.

  If I were Beau, I’d want to know so I could help.

  While I wanted to be irritated Lincoln hadn’t confided in me, I didn’t have the right. We were still practically strangers. I certainly hadn’t unloaded all my problems on him. He just happened to witness my latest one. I would’ve never contacted him to get me out of jail . . . except for Eric.

  Lincoln hadn’t reached his desperation point. If he had, he would’ve shared about the apartment with his brother and sister because there was no other option.

  Muffy nosed Lincoln’s hand. He opened his fist to show the dog he had no treat. Muffy sat on his foot. Did he know Lincoln needed a friend, even if it was the furry kind?

  I watched helplessly as he struggled. How could I help? If he was behind on the mortgage, there was no way I could pay to catch him up. I didn’t know for sure but was pretty certain one month cost more than what we made in a year.

  Money wasn’t the only way to support someone, but I wanted to do something to help him solve the problems the way he’d done for me.

  Beau crossed the distance between them and shook his shoulders, trying to make him turn around. “Answer me, damn it.”

  I leaned farther into the chair, tempted to back out of the room and let them sort this out among themselves. Not only was I curious, but Lincoln hadn’t left me in my time of trouble.

  And he was most definitely in more trouble than he let on.

  No matter how she tugged, he was unmovable.

  “There’s nothing else to say on the matter.” He sounded as closed up and far away as I’d ever heard him. I hated that tone.

  “Oh no, you don’t,” she said. “If we have to stand here until kingdom come, you will tell me everything that is going on. Every. Single. Detail.”

  The angrier she became, the more he closed off. I felt it. Was it because he couldn’t stand to hurt her? Not that long ago, I would’ve said it was because he was an ass.

  “Hiding the truth isn’t protection,” I said quietly. “It’s just hiding.”

  His shoulders rose as he took a sharp intake of breath. Slowly, they fell as he let it out.

  “I don’t owe money.” His voice was resigned, almost as if he were just realizing the gravity of the situation.

  If Eric and I were about to lose our home, I’d be in a panic. It wasn’t the best, and we didn’t own it, but we’d lived there a long time. I wouldn’t pretend to know what it was like to be on the verge of our apartment slipping from our fingers.

  “If you don’t owe anything, how can you lose it?” Beau asked, her irritation climbing the longer he remained evasive.

  I wanted answers too, but couldn’t stand to see him struggling.

  “There was an issue with the title. And the insurance I purchased to cover such events was never ordered.”

  Beau put a hand to her head. “I don’t understand.”

  That made two of us. I’d never bought any real estate and had
no idea how the process worked.

  “The title wasn’t clear. And the insurance I paid to cover it wasn’t ever executed. I only recently became aware of the situation.”

  Muffy pawed at Lincoln again. He looked down at the dog as if trying to figure out what he wanted.

  “If there are liens on this property, you’d have found out about that a lot sooner. The lien holder would want their money,” Beau said.

  I was lost. I understood the words coming out of their mouths but couldn’t really piece together what they meant. It made me feel stupid and even more useless.

  Beau was so down-to-earth that I sometimes forgot she lived in another world. One with executives and multimillion-dollar companies, and strategies average people didn’t even know existed.

  “I don’t have an answer for that. But you know how long legal matters can be tied up in court. Especially complicated ones.”

  Legal matters, I knew. Long court battles and waiting for the state to make a decision? I had experience there. It had taken a year for me to be granted permanent custody of Eric as opposed to temporary.

  “Isn’t there a statute of limitations?” Beau pressed.

  “Zegas is pursuing all possible avenues.” Muffy pawed Lincoln again. “I need to take him out.”

  He didn’t look at either of us as he led the dog across the room.

  “We’re not done with this conversation,” Beau said.

  “We are for now.”

  The click of paws on the floor signaled an excitement that didn’t exist. The dogs were innocent, and I hoped they could help Lincoln in some capacity we couldn’t.

  “Can you believe him?” Beau threw her hands up and paced in front of the coffee table.

  “If you were in his position, would you want to admit it?”

  She flashed me an annoyed look. “No. But that doesn’t make it right. Or me less pissed off at him.”

  “He doesn’t want to bother you with his problems.” I wasn’t condoning his actions, though sometimes understanding why people did what they did helped.

  “He’s failed on that front. Because I am most definitely bothered.” She yanked on her long hair. “I gotta get out of here. I can’t handle him right now.”