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“Okay, I can do that. Is there anything else you need feedback on?” I know she can’t tell, but even me being within eyesight ofthat chunky rat is a testament to how much I like Spencer and how bad I feel about how this all went down.
“I’ll email you if I do.” Her eyes are still attached to her screen. I should’ve never started this cold-shoulder war with Spencer. She’s even better at it than I am.
“All right, well, you know where to find me.”
I trudge to my office, defeated. My mood is further worsened when I open my emails and see another fresh set of images from the PI, Hodge. Grabbing my desk phone, I dial him immediately, and as usual, he picks up on the first ring.
“What am I looking at?” I ask, staring at the picture of Ruby, looking disheveled, meeting with a suspicious-looking man in an alleyway.
“I don’t know, boss. I thought I should bring it up. I’ve been tailing Peter, but like I said—he’s squeaky clean. I got a gut feeling I should follow the old lady one day, so I did. The man she’s meeting with is a known drug dealer.”
“Ruby bought drugs?” I peer more closely at the image. No money or packages seem to be exchanged.
“Nah, boss. They were just talking. I’ve got nothing else. I can keep tailing her if you want?”
“Keep following your gut feeling. I want you focused on Peter, but if Ruby starts acting outside of the norm, dig up whatever you can. And if you ever suspect Claire is in danger, the police are your first call. I’m your second. Clear?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Thanks, Hodge, I have to go,” I say as I see my dad hovering at Spencer’s desk. To add insult to injury, Spencer’s smile is wide and toothy. She’s clutching her chest, laughing hard at something my dad said. He turns around and to my horror he’s holding her guinea pig in his arms, looking at it like a brand-new baby. Okay, so obviously my rodent phobia doesn’t come from my dad. We make eye contact through the closed glass doorsof my office and Dad waves. I hold up my palm and he hands Spencer back her rat-pig and makes his way into my office.
“Your assistant isdelightful. Sweetest little thing. Did you know she’s part Cuban and black? I asked her where her pretty complexion came from.”
“I’m aware,” I bite out. “You’re engaged. Should you be describing other women as sweet and pretty?”
He slumps into the chair opposite my desk. “First of all, Jules doesn’t have a jealous bone in her body. She knows where my heart is. Second, what’s wrong with you? Still feuding with your assistant? Because if you’d stop with the silent treatment, you’d learn she’s a gem.”
I want to tell him it’s the opposite, actually. Spencer’s the one with the icy demeanor lately. But I’m not in the mood to explain myself. “What’s up?”
“Legal contacted me this morning. What you unearthed about the Graystone and Lakeshore properties was impressive detective work.”
“That was all Spencer. She went through those voicemails and put the pieces together.” If anyone deserves credit, it’s her.
“Smart girl.Give her a raise,” Dad says firmly. I don’t have the heart to tell him that at the rate we’re going, she’s probably going to quit on us the moment she finds a comparable job.
“Anyway, I’ve had inspectors in and out of those properties all week. Lakeshore is fine. It’s salvageable with repairs, but Graystone is pretty much condemned.”
“Condemned?” I push away from my desk, folding my arms over my chest. “Isn’t that a little dramatic? I was just there and the apartments are functional.”
Dad brushes against the top of his lilac button-down, probably getting guinea pig hair all over my office.Great.“It’s lipstick on a pig,” he explains. “My concern is safety. The plumbing isn’t up to code, the electrical has suffered because ofit. I want to gut the entire thing, rebuild properly, and then offer all the tenants we displace the first opportunity to sign up for our brand-new, rent-to-own condominiums.”
“Dad, if we force an evacuation, we’re on the hook for relocation assistance, we’ll have to return all deposits, and we might have to reimburse portions of leases. It’d be a major financial loss. There’s no other way to do the repairs.”
Dad rubs his hands together, palm sliding across palm. “Nate, some decisions aren’t about money. I’m not willing to risk the tenants’ safety. Yes, we’re going to take a major financial loss. But we’re going to sleep in peace knowing a newborn isn’t going to have damaged lungs from inhaling mold, or the ceiling isn’t going to concave and crush a family. This is the only way to stay ahead of accidents we aren’t anticipating. We’re closing the complex. That’s my final word.”
I finally nod in agreement. “So be it, then.”
“Get on the phone with the property management company. We’re also issuing them a formal apology for putting them in this situation. I also want a thorough investigation of all our construction partners. Moving forward, I want to make sure all our partners are squeaky clean. No more crooks.”
I cock a brow. “Does that mean you won’t be placing any more spies in Harvey’s employment?”
Dad clears his throat, trying to swallow down his smirk. “I sent Harvey a very nice gift basket with smoked Alaskan salmon and rare truffles.”
I slip him a sly smile. “Because truffles absolve your deviant behavior.”
“Pretty much.” Dad rises. “All right, I’m headed to a meeting. I meant to ask you about Santa Barbara this weekend. Are you available?”
“Why? Are you in the hunt for yet another project?”