Page 9 of Strip It Down (Spoiled by My Blue Collar Man #4)

Sayer

Dad is at the table when I get back to the kitchen. “I called MaryKatherine. She’s going to bring some clothes first thing in the morning. Her daughter is about the same size as Gentry. That will get her by until you can get her shopping.”

I nod. “She insists we do the timecard training. She mentioned some inconsistencies. Have you two talked about them?”

“Yeah.” He studies his cup a moment. “I think she may be right.” He looks up.

“I’m sorry, son. I may not have been paying close enough attention.

After my little heart attack, I noticed some things, but there was always an explanation and a ‘we told you’.

I thought I was slipping. Getting old. It’s partly why I was glad you were coming home.

“Don’t get me wrong, having you and our little one have made my life so full. But I always intended for you to have the business. To keep or to sell as you pleased. I feel like I’ve let you down by not being able to pay enough attention. My mistakes.”

“Who’s telling you that you forgot or that they’ve told you something different?”

“Clive. He’s been with me about five months.

Called his references and they were all outstanding.

Thought he might become my lead, until I knew you were headed home.

He’s slowed down a bit lately, was a real go getter in the beginning.

Then the new guy, John. Everyone calls him JonBoy. Clive recommended him.”

“What kind of things have they said you forgot?”

“I didn’t order enough beams and not enough drywall a couple times. Stuff like that. A couple times they reminded me I approved overtime.

“I’m sorry, son. I guess I just haven’t’ been all there since the health scare.”

“Dad, you are the most together man I’ve ever met.

You would have been one hell of a commander.

What you need is a break. Don’t worry about any of this.

You go on your vacation, have fun, and send pictures.

In fact, can you and MaryKatherine take a few days before the cruise and maybe spend extra time in Vancouver?

You haven’t had a vacation in ten years. You deserve to relax.

“You’ve told me how sharp Gentry is. She and I will try to hold down the fort for a few weeks.”

“Vancouver could be fun. I’ll talk to MaryKatherine in the morning.”

“Go get some rest.”

I check the security on both the house and the outbuilding before calling in a couple of favors. My tech buddy who helped with the security is going to stop by and install some hidden cameras and other upgrades when no one is around.

Next, I pull out Dad’s ledger book and look at the staff names. Someone has already flagged the two names I’m looking for.

Tate answers on the second ring. “Everything good?”

“Yeah, she’s home with me. Were you able to find anyone that saw Greg slash her tires?”

“No one that would talk.”

“I don’t suppose anyone heard or saw the break-in?”

“Naw. Not a surprise. His old man was crooked as the day is long. His uncle, the last sheriff, well let’s just say I’ve seen some of his reports.

He was something else. He had almost a full time job covering for his nephew, the rest was covering for himself.

But hey, they were Archers. Big men in this town. Until the town started changing.”

“What’s Greg into?”

“Officially, he backs businesses for part of the profits. Unofficially, he shakes them down or finds ways to cheat them.”

“Dad has a couple guys working for him. I don’t think I know them. One is a Clive Dillard and John ‘Jonboy’ Tones.”

“Good old Clive and JonBoy. Scum and little scum as I like to call them. Good friends of Greg although they keep that on the down low. How the hell did your dad hire them? They both have rap sheets.”

“I think it was around the time of his heart attack, and he needed help. But I know Dad, he always checks references.”

“Yeah? Pull those references and I’ll bet every one of the numbers is disconnected. Look, your dad is an honest man, he’s doesn’t think like these crooks. Greg learned the con and shake down from his daddy and has perfected it. He also holds a grudge and is willing to take things a little farther.”

My every nerve ending goes on alert like on the battlefield. “What do you mean?”

“I believe …. Be careful. Watch… watch your six.”

“Tate. Tate tell…” The line goes dead.

After checking every door, window, and the security, I head upstairs. Ayla is fast asleep. I pause outside the door to where Gentry is sleeping, placing my hand on the wood as if I could touch her. The same need to see her sleeping just like my daughter is strong, but I don’t have the right.

Something is going on in this town and with my business. I need to stay alert. The sooner I get Dad and MaryKatherine out of town the better. Then I just have my Gentry and Ayla to watch out for.

I’m up early from a restless night. Slipping the baby monitor into my shirt pocket, I go to the kitchen. Glancing out the window I see the sheriff’s SUV parked in my drive. He nods to the passenger side as I approach.

He hands me a coffee from Dad’s favorite place. “I was at the office when we were talking. I’ve only had this position eight months. I’m still not sure who I can fully trust. What I’m going to tell you is off the record and I’ll deny it if you repeat it.

“The previous sheriff, Greg’s uncle, left in kind of a hurry.

When I started the position, I found that my office has a private bathroom.

It’s convenient, but it’s small and I’m tall.

I can get a little claustrophobic. The bathroom has a drop ceiling.

I decided to check if I could raise the ceiling.

What I found was a fireproof strong box.

“Inside there were papers. Let’s call them get out of jail papers.

Some were proof of Greg Archer senior’s corruption.

He was selling drugs and had a small prostitution ring.

He would woo innocent women, fuck them, get them addicted and use them for prostitution or to get info on friends and business partners to set them up for public exposure and his blackmail. I’ve learned a lot of names.”

“Gentry’s mom? He used her?” I ask.

“Yes, she was one of the first. Did you know she died when her trailer home caught fire a couple years ago? She’d been unwell for a long time as a result of the drugs, but with the help of Gentry she was getting healthier and perhaps starting to talk.

“The box also had info on how the fire may have started with the help of Greg junior. It had notes on Gentry’s sister and three other girls who were working for Greg junior, just like his dad had girls working for him.

Those girls supposedly left town to make it big in California.

About the same time of the trailer fire and haven’t been heard from since. ”

“You thinking murder?”

“Yeah, but I have no proof. Unless we can find the bodies of the four girls.

“Why’d he leave the box?”

“Another big question mark. I’ve got someone I trust looking for him. Could be he’s as dead as everyone else who knew anything.

“On a lighter note. Greg has something going with Bill at the restaurant where Gentry was working. Heard some rumblings of a scam but I’m not sure exactly what.

People are always afraid to talk about the Archers.

I have a feeling Gentry may have stumbled onto it and that’s what really got her fired. ”

“I’m worried about her,” Tate continues. “Greg has basically threatened her twice. She may not realize the tires and showing up at her door for what they were. I’d guess that the destruction of her apartment was a warning to you.”

“Me?”

“He likes to show off what he can get away with. He thinks he’s untouchable. He also hates you for the beatdown you gave him when you were just a kid.” Tate chuckles. “Damn that was sweet. You have no idea how many of us cheered you on. Sorry you lost out on the football position. We sucked anyway.

“I’m telling you because I want this bastard. But I have no proof. Just me putting puzzle pieces together with some inadmissible evidence. Unfortunately, I’m also hamstrung with a couple people on my staff I can’t trust.”

“Well, aren’t you just a ray of sunshine,” I snap.

“So, what are you going to do?” he asks.

“Get proof of Greg’s crimes. You got a judge you can trust?”

“Yep, and she doesn’t care what someone’s last name is. I can also tell you the two officers names that I trust one hundred percent. I’ll have a little talk with them as well.”

I glance up and see Gentry look out the kitchen window. “I’ll be in touch.”