Page 149 of Nash Falls

“Elaine Fixx has my old job at Sybaritic. I know her. She’s good, smart, ambitious. And married. But she’s having an affair with Rhett Temple.”

“How do you know that?”

“I still have some contacts,” he said vaguely. “Now, I told you that Barton Temple had me lined up to take the CEO slot when he died. Fixx was the backup because Barton did not trust Rhett to handle things after he was dead.”

“So how did Rhett get his old job back? We tried to find out, but they’re not a public company, and we couldn’t get a search warrant without showing our hand. You got any ideas?”

“The board appoints the CEO. The majority of the shareholders appoint the board. Barton held a majority position in the Sybaritic stock. Rhett had some of the ownership, too, but not nearly enough to pull off his return. If Barton left the stock in trust for his other children? He had to do so with Angie Temple, his oldest child, who has an intellectual disability. Rhett might have found some way to gain control of any such trusts and with that the shares. Then he would be able to control the board, and name himself the CEO.”

“But Barton was married. Wouldn’t the widow have been left some of the stock, or be named as a trustee or hold a power of attorney for the disabled daughter?”

“Mindy was Barton’s very young third wife, and she’s all about spending money, not taking responsibility for someone else’s children, who are all older than she is. But if she did have any of those rights, Rhett might have found something to blackmail her with or done a deal with her. Mindy then could’ve transferred any power of attorney or stock rights she had to him.”

“Devious son of a bitch!”

“And on top of it I think he killed his father, but I already told you that.”

“So why did you bring up Elaine Fixx?”

“She might be a possible ally for you, if it can be worked right.”

“So, do you need anything? I wouldn’t blame you if you don’t trust me.”

“I’m good. You do what you need to do, and let’s regroup when you’re ready.”

“You know, Walter, you sound different. More… assured.”

“But I also know that right now I am the world’s biggest underdog.”

Nash clicked off and kept driving into the rim of darkness.

CHAPTER

73

THE NEXT MORNING NASH WORKEDout in his motel room using only his body weight. He then honed his close-quarter-combat skills against an imaginary opponent before disassembling and reassembling his weapons with his eyes closed. Nash knew he would have to find a gun range to keep up his skill set.

After that he went for a HITT run of five miles, alternating between sprinting and jogging, backward and forward. He had never felt lighter on his feet, or heavier in his heart.

I had a child and now I no longer do. My life is pretty much over, but I can get this done.

Back at his room he showered, and, since it had suddenly turned warm and humid, Nash changed into a tank top and cargo shorts, and walked to a local diner to get breakfast, leaving his guns locked up back at his room. He sat in the rear of the diner with his back to the wall and observed everyone coming and going as he assessed threat levels. He studied where every exit was along with possible weapon sight lines. He had never thought about any of this before, but now it was second nature.

When a police car pulled up in front and two officers came in to eat, Nash’s gaze went to his phone and stayed there.

You look nothing like one of the most wanted men in the country, so just chill.

To prove this point, when one of the officers walked past him, probably to use the restroom down the hall, he stopped, glanced at Nash, and smiled.

“Nice tats,” said the cop.

Nash looked up, and eyed the sword and shield tattoos on both the man’s exposed forearms. “Yours too. Good ink.”

The cop smiled again and headed on.

Nash didn’t leave until after they did. As he was walking back he thought,That was a victory, not a close call, Walter. Or Dillon, rather.

He drove to the Sybaritic building and parked across the street. An hour later Rhett came driving up in his Porsche and entered the parking garage. Fixx was not with him. Nash assumed she had probably returned to her own home after the previous night so the two could keep up the subterfuge of just being work colleagues. He again wondered where Fixx’s husband was. He had met the man at some company functions. He had struck Nash as a volatile sort who might lash out at any man bedding his wife.