“Eighty grand or thereabouts.”
Roger whistled. “Holy shitballs! That was a huge wedge of money, hon.”
“It was. She was worth it. He deserved it after what he went through after the accident. I didn’t begrudge him spending the money on himself.”
“Has anyone possibly approached him about buying the car in the past?”
“No, if they had, he didn’t tell me. He would have shown them the door anyway. There was no way he would have got rid of her.”
“What about friends or neighbours, has anyone paid more than a passing interest in the car lately?”
“Been infatuated by it, you mean?”
“Along those lines, yes.”
“No, not that I can think of. Otis was the type who allowed strangers to have a ride in the car. He was super thrilled to own her. I didn’t see that as a negative, maybe I should have.”
“It would be a start if you could think of anything out of the ordinary which has happened concerning the car in the past month or so. Did someone invite Otis to have a race or something along those lines?”
“Oh no, he would never have treated her that way. He respected her and always drove her carefully.”
“Thanks. Okay, I’m sorry to have broken the news to you like this at work, but I appreciate you taking the time out of your busy schedule to speak with us.”
“When can I see him? You know, to say goodbye…”
“I understand. The pathologist will call you directly and make the arrangements. Again, we’re sorry for your loss. Here’s a card. Call me if you think of anything else or if someone strange contacts you regarding the car.”
She gasped. “They wouldn’t, would they?”
“I doubt it, but just in case.”
“I’ll call you immediately. Will I be safe, staying at the house, or should I move out?”
“Perhaps consider staying with a friend for a few days, until things on the close settle down.”
“You can stay with me, honey,” Roger offered.
“Thanks, Rog, you’re a special friend.”
“We’ll be in touch soon.”
Katy and Charlie left the couple and walked back to the car.
“Was it my imagination, or was he overprotective of her?” Charlie asked once they were out of earshot.
“They did seem a little close. I’m getting the impression he’s besotted with her. All she could talk about was the car and Otis, so I’m not sure it’s reciprocated on her part. Needless to say, I believe it’s something for us to consider.”
7
“How many times do I have to tell you? You worry too much. Yes, I’m aware of the deadline you’ve given me. We have most of the cars, only one more to collect, and that will be sorted today at the latest.” Anderton knew how to pacify his contacts when the need arose. He also knew when to vent his anger on his men, especially if they let him down, like Caves had.
He hadn’t regretted his decision to kill a member of his team, not now the newcomer had slotted into place and was excelling at his job. He felt in control of his future once more. It hadn’t always been the case, but recently, he’d shown his worth. Starting up this new sideline had improved not only his well-being but his bank balance to boot.
Apart from the minor setback of not nicking Thatcham’s boat, everything in his world was smelling of roses.
He reached for the phone and dialled a number he knew off the top of his head. “Hey, baby, are we all set for tomorrow evening? I have something special planned for you.”
“Hi, I was just sitting at my desk, thinking about you. What’s on the agenda?”
“It’s a surprise. Want me to send a car for you?”
“No. I’ll make my own way over after work, if that’s all right. No, wait, will I need to dress up for this surprise?”
He laughed. “I was thinking the opposite. Dressing down, or should I say, wearing no clothes at all would be my choice.”
“Cheeky. It had better be worth my while. I’ve had a tough week so far.”
“I know you have. I’ll make sure I pamper you, I promise.”
“Sounds like heaven. Hey, I have to go, I’m needed elsewhere. Oh, go on, pick me up tomorrow then.”
“Always busy. Not sure how you have the time for me.”
“Fishing for compliments again?”
He smiled at the sexy tone permeating her voice, and his dick stood to attention.
“Until tomorrow.” He hung up, leaned back in his chair and imagined what lay ahead of them. Tomorrow night would be the night.
A knock on the door brought him back to the here and now. “Come in.”
Scar-face Stitch entered the room. “Boss, I thought you’d want to know we’ve got the heads-up on the final car. Want me to gather the men together?”
“Yeah, do that. I’ll be out in a mo. You all right, Stitch? It had to be done, you know that, right?”
“He was a good worker, boss. They’re hard to come by in this business. If you were going to punish him then you should have involved me, too. Both of us screwed up, not just him.”
“I had my reasons. Don’t make me regret my decision, right?”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to question your motives. I’ll get back to work.”
“Yeah, you do that. I’ll be out soon.”
Stitch exited the room and closed the door behind him. Anderton rose from his chair and went over to the window to admire the wondrous view he had of the city. Moving to this building had been the highlight of this year. It proved how successful he’d become since starting the new business. He’d found where he belonged, the joys of running a team willing to do his dirty work for him, which gave him all the rewards he’d been searching for over the years, and now he’d have the woman he’d been craving to share in his success.
He let his smile drop and joined his gang. Stitch was standing by the podium where Anderton conducted his meetings. He took up his position
