Captivated by Love (Grangers Book 1) Page 14

  Using his hand, he waved her words away. “It doesn’t matter now.” He pulled a sheet of paper from his jacket. “I need you to sign this,” he said offering her the document.

  She didn’t take it. “What is it?”

  “It’s a document rejecting claim to everything my mother left you.”

  Carson frowned. “I’m an attorney, Pence. I would never sign anything without thoroughly reviewing it first. And what makes you think I would reject anything Emma left me?”

  “Because by right, it belongs to me. Besides, the man you married is loaded. You don’t need my mother’s money.”

  His words angered her. “Keep your paper, Pence. I’m not signing anything. Give me the name of the attorney handling your mother’s estate and I’ll contact him to see what this is about.”

  “I’m telling you what this is about. There’s no need to contact him. Like I said, you aren’t entitled to anything, Carson.”

  “Evidently Emma felt differently. Have a nice flight back to Florida, Pence.”

  He stared at her for a long moment and then after placing the paper back in the pocket of his jacket, he glared at her again. “You think I don’t know, don’t you?”

  “And just what don’t I think you know?”

  “How you’ve been taking advantage of my mother over the years, using your influence over her to get your law degree and no telling what else.”

  Carson frowned. “What are you talking about?”

  “While going through Mom’s belongings, I found the paperwork about that foundation she set up, just to give you those scholarships for your college and law school.”

  Carson’s heart began pounding painfully in her chest. “You’re mistaken.”

  “No, I’m not. I got the paperwork to prove it, as well as verification from her attorney.”

  Her head began spinning. What Pence was claiming couldn’t be true. Yes, she’d gotten scholarships all through college and law school and yes, they’d come from the same foundation. But there was no way Emma had had anything to do with it. “I filled out the forms and applied for the scholarships just like everybody else and--”

  “You would have gotten them regardless, and you know it. You used my mother to fund your education and now you think I’m going sit by and let you get your hands on money that should be mine. Well, that won’t be happening. Sign the document and give me what’s rightfully mine or else.”

  Carson narrowed her gaze at him. “Or else, what?”

  “Or else I’ll let everyone know how you milked money out of my poor mother, deliberately taking advantage of her and using her the way you did. I understand that since your husband got released from jail after being found innocent, he’s become something of a hero, even being on television doing talk-shows and all. He’s regained his family’s favorable reputation. I would hate for them to be embroiled in a nasty scandal because of you.”

  “What kind of a scandal?”

  “The one where I tell everyone about how you took advantage of my mother by taking her money, and now you’re after your husband’s money. I understand that he’s a lot older than you. I could say that the only reason you married him was for his wealth.”

  Carson tried controlling her anger. “How dare you imply something like that?”

  “I dare and I will. Unless, you sign this,” he said, pulling the document from his jacket again and shoving it at her. “I will let everyone in this town know just what a heartless little gold digger you are.”

  She glared at him and refused to look at the paper in his hands. “Shove that up your ass, Pence, because I’m not signing it.”

  “When I finish with you, Carson, even your old man will question the reason you married him.”

  She lifted her chin. “You don’t know my husband.”

  “Don’t need to.” He put the paper back into his jacket. “You have twenty-four hours.” He pulled out a card and left it on her desk. “You can reach me at this number when you’re ready to sign.”

  “Get the hell out of here Pence, and don’t come back.”

  He stood. “You’re making a mistake.”

  “No, you just did. Now get out.”

  She watched as he stormed out of her office.

  #

  Sheppard stepped into Canary’s Bar and Grill and glanced around. He didn’t see the guys and figured they hadn’t arrived yet. That was understandable, since he was thirty minutes early.

  His first full day at the office had practically flown by. He’d done a lot of reading and had sat in on various department meetings. He hadn’t expected the welcome back party the employees had thrown over the lunch hour. It was good seeing all the old staff. Several of those who’d retired had returned today just to see him. It always overwhelmed him how many people who’d worked for him had believed in his innocence.

  “Welcome to Canary’s,” a waiter said, interrupting his thoughts. “Do you want to sit at the bar or would you prefer a table, sir?”

  He glanced at the waiter’s name tag. “I’d like a table, Morris. I’ll be joined by three others in a few minutes.”

  The young man beamed at being called by name. “Yes, sir. Please follow me.”

  Some of the young men he’d mentored at both Glenworth and Delvers had worked as servers or waiters at hotels, fast-food chains or restaurants. They’d told him that it would annoy them when customers looked down their nose at them, trying to make them feel inferior. That complaint had stuck with him and now, whenever he dined out, he referred to his waiter or waitress by name. It was a matter of respect.

  After being seated, he was tempted to call Carson and tell her how his first full day back at the office had gone. But then he glanced out the window and saw Striker, Quasar and Stonewall crossing the street, walking in sync. These days, the three men were closer than brothers.

  Sheppard could recall when things hadn’t always been that way. When the three couldn’t get along and Striker and Stonewall had even gone so far as to make plans to kill each other. Luckily, one of the other inmates had apprised Sheppard of those plans and he’d intervened. It had taken a lot of time and even a couple of threats before they’d come around. And to see how close their relationship had become over the years filled him with both pride and gratitude. The three of them, along with the twenty-something others he’d helped during his confinement, were doing well. Since being released, all of them were living productive lives, going back to school, earning college degrees and volunteering to give back to their communities. A couple of them had even gone into politics.

  Quasar already had a college degree when he arrived at Glenworth. Striker and Stonewall had earned their associate degrees while confined and once they’d gotten released, they had continued their educations. Stonewall had a master’s degree in education and Striker had a MBA. He knew, when time permitted, Stonewall sometimes worked as a substitute teacher at various high schools and Striker taught a class or two at the junior college.

  Quasar, the youngest of the three by a year, spent his free time--when he wasn’t chasing after women--doing volunteer work at the youth center in town. Sheppard knew they enjoyed working for Roland’s security firm as bodyguards…or protectors, as Striker preferred being called.

  He watched them enter the establishment. Sheppard stood to greet them and when they reached his table, they exchanged bear hugs.

  “Are we late or were you early, Shep?” Quasar asked grinning.

  “I was early,” Sheppard said when they all sat down. Quasar had started wearing his hair long and it fell past his shoulders. Long hair wasn’t allowed at Glenworth and seeing this new hair style on Quasar took some getting used to.

  “So how was your first day back at Granger Aeronautics?” Striker asked, leaning back in his chair.

  “It was okay. I still have a lot of material to review. So much has changed since I left.”

  “That’s expected. You were gone fifteen years. That’s a long time,” Stonewall said.

/>   The waiter came and took their drink order and like Sheppard had done, Striker, Quasar and Stonewall thanked the young man, calling him by name. “So how have you guys been doing?” Sheppard asked after the waiter left.

  “So far, so good,” Striker said. “I’m going to teach a class at the junior college next semester since our work load is down. Now that the election is over, there aren’t any local candidates needing protecting.”

  “I’m teaching a class as well,” Stonewall said, smiling. “It’s good to have a second profession.”

  Quasar didn’t say anything for a minute and then he admitted, “I’ve thought about buying a house. One of those fixer-upper deals to flip later. That will probably take up a lot of my time. It seems everyone’s attention is now on the Erickson case.”

  Sheppard had been keeping up with the news. He was well aware of the federal case against mobster, Murphy Erickson. The trial was to start after the holidays and it was anyone’s guess how long it would last. Jury selection was underway and he’d heard those selected might be sequestered anywhere from six to twelve weeks.

  Erickson was reputed to be the leader of an organized crime ring. Over the past three years, he’d been implicated in over a dozen deaths. He was arrested a year and a half ago and it had taken all this time for the federal prosecutors to build up their case to present to a jury.

  “I’ve been keeping up with that. Although I believe a man is innocent until proven guilty, I hear the Feds have a strong case. They don’t intend to let him walk,” Sheppard said.

  “I heard that as well,” Striker said. He paused a moment and then changed the subject. “Anyone heard from Drew lately?”

  Andrew Logan was another one of the guys who’d served time at Glenworth with them. He’d started his life of crime at the age of ten, when stealing had become his favorite pastime. Youth detention centers had practically become his second home. Now Andrew had a master’s degree in criminal justice and worked on the right side of the law as a police detective in Alexandria.

  “Yes, he called me earlier in the week to see how I was doing,” Sheppard said, trying to decide who had given him the most trouble, Andrew or Matthew Fontane. Though getting through to them had nearly killed him, he’d refused to give up on either of them.

  The table got quiet when Morris delivered their beers. When he left Quasar asked about Carson. “How she’s doing? It’s been a year, right? Didn’t you just have an anniversary?”

  Sheppard nodded after taking a sip of his beer. “Yes, it was yesterday. I took her to dinner to celebrate. She’s doing fine and still running her law firm and doing pro bono work at Delvers.”

  “I wish I had her energy,” Striker said grinning.

  The last thing Sheppard wanted to think about was his wife’s energy. She claimed she worked hard to keep up with him in the bedroom when it was quite the opposite. They were definitely making up for lost time.

  “And speaking of someone else who has a lot of energy, I can’t believe your Dalton,” Stonewall interjected. “Jules was out of town last weekend working on a case, and we had a card game at his place. I was ready to call it a night around three but these two--” Stonewall indicated Striker and Quasar, “--were determined to play all night to win their money back.”

  Sheppard leaned back in his chair as he listened to the good-natured arguing between the three. It felt good being here, sitting across from them, sipping beer, talking and listening while they joked around with each other. He would never forget his time at Glenworth and doubted they would either. That time was in the past now, and like him, they had moved forward. He knew they liked the work they were doing at Summers Security and it sounded like their personal lives were going okay as well. More than anything, he wanted them to find what his sons had--good women to love. Life was short and there was nothing like having a good woman by your side.

  “I’m ordering some fries,” Stonewall said. “Anybody else wants to place an order?”

  All of them knew of Stonewall’s love of junk food. In a roundabout way, he was telling them he was placing an order so they would place their own. Because he didn’t share.

  #

  Pence Denmark walked into his hotel room, pulled out his phone and punched in a number. The call was answered on the second ring. Without saying hello, the person said, “You better have good news for me.”

  A vein throbbed in Pence’s temple. He wished he had never borrowed money from Karl Halifax. The interest on the loan was exorbitant and compounded daily. He didn’t have the money he claimed he had anymore, nor the money he figured he could get from Carson

  How would she react when she learned his mother had left her over a half-million dollars? She’d left him the same amount but as far as he was concerned, he should have gotten it all. He was no longer married to Carson. They had divorced years ago, so there was no reason for her to have been named in the will.

  “Things aren’t going as easy as I thought they would, Halifax.”

  “That’s your problem, not mine. You’re behind in your payment Denmark, and I want my money. Your gambling habit is your business. When you borrow money from me to pay your debts, and you don’t pay me back on time, it becomes my business.”

  “You’ll get your money. I just need more time.”

  “How much time?”

  “At least two weeks.”

  There was a pause. “I’ll give you one additional week and that’s it.”

  The phone went dead in Pence’s ear.

  17

  You want to tell me what’s bothering you Carson?”

  Carson glanced across the table at Sheppard. As planned, they had met for dinner at Fleurie’s. This was one of her favorite restaurants and as usual, dinner had been wonderful. She had basically cleared her plate and had ordered dessert. However, instead of the wine she usually ordered she had decided on hot tea. The last thing she wanted was for her queasy stomach to return.

  She studied Sheppard’s features. The lines at the corner of his eyes as well as the firm tightening of his mouth meant he’d picked up on something. She didn’t think that she was acting any differently than usual. How could this man know her so well?

  Carson knew the answer without even thinking hard about it. Sheppard made it his business to know the people he loved, and her, specifically. They’d shared a connection that went a lot deeper than just the physical, mainly because in the beginning, they’d had to. Being involved with him those five years while he was at Delvers gave them time to forge the kind of relationship that was rock solid and could endure just about anything. They had no secrets from each other. So there was no reason not to tell him what was bothering her.

  “Pence came to see me today.”

  She saw his eyebrows raise in surprise. “Your ex-husband?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  She told him what Pence had said. “I honestly didn’t know Emma had established those scholarships for me. Pence’s parents weren’t exactly wealthy, although I know they had money invested.”

  “Yet she cared enough for you to do what she did. It’s not your fault,” he said.

  “But Pence is going to try and make it look like it was something I did, like I deliberately took advantage of his mother’s kindness. I loved Emma and would never have done that.”

  “And she evidently loved you. Your ex-husband is an ass who is jealous of the relationship that you and his mother shared.”

  Carson took a sip of her tea, then admitted, “I called John Davis, the man I remembered as Emma’s attorney. He verified what Pence said about the scholarships. He said Emma never wanted me to know what she’d done, but that establishing those scholarships for me was absolutely legal. Pence might not like it, but there’s nothing he can do about it.”

  “I agree.”

  “But he will try to make things unpleasant for me. He threatened to cause a scandal, making me out to be a gold digger who took advantage of his mother. He’s also threate
ning to spread the rumor that I only married you for your money.”

  Sheppard snorted. “He’s stupid to think I’d believe something like that.”

  “I don’t think he cares whether you believe it, Sheppard. He wants to smear my name. Some people will believe anything. Even lies.”

  He put down his fork and reached out, taking her hand in his. “And you think I care about that? If you recall, for fifteen years everyone believed me to be a killer. So trust me when I say, I honestly don’t give a damn what people believe.”

  “But I do, Sheppard. For you. For me. For us. And for our family. Years ago, the Grangers’ name took a hit. You’ve made it respectable again. I don’t want someone like Pence destroying it.”

  She drew in a deep breath and continued. “John Davis also said that Emma had written me a letter that she felt would explain everything. He’s sending it to me. I should receive it tomorrow.”

  “What about Denmark?”

  “He’s given me twenty-four hours to agree to his terms. I’m just hoping he will come to his senses and return to Tampa. I don’t want to see him again.”

  Sheppard didn’t say anything as he cut into his steak. He doubted Denmark was out of the picture. There was a reason he’d come all this way. And he wouldn’t go home until he got what he wanted.

  Sheppard knew it was time to put his skill as a strategic planner to work. There was no way he would let Pence Denmark hurt Carson again.

  #

  Pence slowed down the rental car when he reached the entrance to Sutton Hills. “Well, I’ll be damned,” he muttered, looking across the wooden fence at the elegant family estate. “Looks like Carson has done well for herself,” he muttered.

  That made him even angrier.

  He cut off the engine and rolled down the window to get a better view of the Granger estates. He’d done his research and knew that Sutton Hills encompassed over two hundred acres near the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It had been a thirty-minute drive from Charlottesville, and he had to grudgingly admit that the land was breathtaking. Looking around, he figured that the estate probably had security cameras, so going down the long, winding driveway wouldn’t be the smartest move.