Page 121

Duncan set his mouth in a thin line. "Yes, but they have the authority to get information. They don't need to obtain it illegally."
"Fair enough," Knox added. "I need a break."
"Crap!" I exclaimed.
"What?"
"My computer's battery just died. I was going to look up Smith's résumé and see if that gives me any ideas."
"The man’s a million years old and constantly rubbing it in anyone’s face that he knows the CEOs of most Fortune 500 companies. If anyone can get insider info, it’s him. Anyway,here, use my laptop." Knox handed his computer to me. "I need a break. Anyone else want something from below?"
"An energy drink, please," I replied, then got back to work.
I opened up a browser on his laptop, but just before I did, a folder caught my eye. It was titled "Boutique Relax Inc." I gasped, a pressure forming in my chest.
"What's wrong?" Knox asked as he was about to leave the room.
"Why do you have a folder titled 'Boutique Relax Inc' on your desktop? Didn't mean to snoop, just... well, it's right there. Do you know them? It’s an investor that is interested in my inn," I said.
Knox hesitated. Finn groaned.
"Fucking hell!" Duncan exclaimed. "You actually went through with it?"
Finn gave him a shocked look.
"Way to spill the beans, brother," Knox said. "Chase will kill us."
“Why the actual fuck would you put a folder on your desktop?” Finn asked.
“I was about to make an encrypted file and put it there for easy access. And I forgot. No one uses my laptop usually.”
"What are you talking about?" My heart was beating so fast I feared I might get dizzy. I set the laptop on the table, pushing it away. I didn't even want to look inside the folder. "You do know them. Did you ask them to invest in my hotel?"
Knox closed the door, leaning against it. "No, actually. It's much worse."
He and Finn looked apologetic. Duncan was furious.
"Please tell me what's going on," I begged.
"I think Chase would like to talk to you himself," Duncan said.
"Really? You expect that to happen after we practically told her we're involved?" Knox asked, sounding annoyed.
"Just tell me, please," I said.
"Chase had an idea," Knox began.
"Which I didn’t approve of," Duncan pointed out.
"He knew you wouldn't accept a direct investment from him," Finn added.
I scoffed. "Of course I wouldn't."
"Then he had a good point that talking wouldn't have helped," Duncan muttered.
"Yeah, so he set up a shell company," Knox said, "pretending to be an investor. And the irony is not lost on us right now."
I bolted from the chair. "You're joking."