In A Fix - Mary Calmes Page 0,9

think if I used it when I was speaking to Astor—I honestly don’t recall. But I definitely used it with Chase.”

“That’s fine,” he scoffed dismissively. “He probably didn’t even notice. He’s been miserable since we left Bridgeport this morning, and I’m about done trying to figure out what the hell’s the matter with him.”

And yet, I knew. Chase wanted alone time with his friend, and that was not what he was getting.

“If he didn’t want to come, he could have just told me when we made these plans.”

“Perhaps he’s not a Vegas fan.”

“But he is. We all are. We always have a good time here.”

“Well then, I’m sure he’ll come around,” I offered, trying for supportive.

“It’s fine either way,” he said with a sigh. “And I didn’t come in here to bore you with trivial details. I came to thank you for being here.”

“You’re paying for me to be here,” I said flatly, because I wasn’t doing him a favor, and we weren’t friends. This was business.

“Yes, I know, but it’s short notice, so that means you had to agree, or you drew the short straw. Whatever the case, I’m appreciative,” he said. “I know most agencies insist on three or four men for a weekend security detail. Torus was the only one that didn’t have that caveat.”

And that was because Jared Colter subscribed to the belief that one person was less conspicuous and therefore better protection than a whole platoon of muscle that drew attention rather than diverted it. There were exceptions, of course, but for the average client, that one additional set of eyes could make all the difference.

“The tentative agenda is brunch, then drinks, gambling, more drinks, then later in the evening, dinner at Cut over at the Venetian, and then we’re rounding out our evening at a nightclub.”

“Understood,” I assured him.

“Again, thank you for taking the job. Your firm has an outstanding reputation for not only excellent work but, more importantly, discretion.”

“May I ask why?”

“I don’t follow.”

“Why discretion? Why the cloak and dagger?” I wanted to know, because it didn’t make a lot of sense. “You’re the son of the founder and CEO of Stanton-Downey, and you run the venture capital arm of the company. I suppose there could be a number of reasons for you to have security.”

He nodded. “The issue is that I have a project coming up and the board of directors isn’t excited about it, so the stipulation is that if there appears to be any sort of threat to me, then the project won’t be approved.”

“I don’t understand.”

His smile was almost sheepish as he brushed his hair away from his face. “My sister, Lane, she’s the black sheep of the family, to put it bluntly, because, horror of horrors, she runs a charity that builds youth hostels and shelters for the homeless.”

“She sounds like a monster,” I teased him.

He chuckled softly. “Well, I’m finally in a position to help her, as all the decision-making for charitable donations was transferred to me at the beginning of this year.”

“And you want to fund your sister’s building projects.”

“Yes, I do.”

“Which will be great for the community, as well as being excellent PR for Stanton-Downey,” I said, summing up what seemed logical.

“Exactly.”

“But? There has to be a but.”

His grimace made me smile. It was nice that he was easy to talk to. A lot of my clients were not. “If the board can prove that I’m in danger, then they can vote to back out of the deal.”

“How?”

“Well, if you knew my sister, you’d know why already, but basically the lots she’s been bidding on puts her in head-to-head competition with members of the Italian mob there in Bristol.”

I waited for the punchline.

“I’m not kidding.”

I snorted out a laugh.

“No, really,” he stressed, scowling at me. “Bristol isn’t the safest community in Connecticut. Far from it, in fact.”

“Isn’t ESPN’s headquarters in Bristol?”

“That doesn’t mean it’s safe,” he said snidely.

“Sure,” I agreed hesitantly. “But I live in Chicago, and I’m betting Bristol is safer.”

“Perhaps, but where she’s trying to build, she’s received threats on her life.”

“Why?”

“Well, if you were the criminal element, would you want structures going up that might draw a considerable police presence, as well as social workers, and potentially the media?”

“No, I would not.”

“You see?”

“All right, but back to you,” I said, sitting down on the end of my bed.

“I told the board that I was going to fund the project, both the purchase of the land and the building on it, and their