“No! I wouldn’t do that.”
“But…” Stevie looked around the small bedroom as if she could find answers in the soft, well-used comforter and beaten, scratched dresser. “But if you didn’t tell Janus, then who is this private investigator that did? He said that he’d received a visit from a private investigator! Janus showed up! Here! Today!”
She started pacing again, her worry drowning out her anger.
“I don’t know, Stevie. But I’ll find out. In the meantime, call Lincoln. Let him know that you might need help. He’ll be there for you.”
“Right,” she whispered.
“I’m going to call you in the morning when I have something. What is the best time to do that?” she asked.
Stevie bit her lower lip and forced her mind to think. “Um…I take my class to lunch at eleven twenty each day. I have about a half hour of free time then.”
“I’ll call you tomorrow at eleven thirty with whatever I’ve discovered. Until then, don’t worry,” she urged. “I’ll figure out what’s going on, I promise you.”
“I can’t…” she stopped, bowing her head. “I can’t afford your services, Frankie.”
The other woman chuckled. “Don’t you worry about my fee, Stevie. Everything will be charged to Edward Meyers.”
Stevie ended the call and sat down on the edge of her bed, not sure what to do. She was still too tense to sleep, but she tossed her cell phone onto the bed and started her normal evening routines. Still, her mind was going a mile a minute. Why would Edward Meyers have hired a second private investigator? What was that wily bastard up to?
Chapter 16
Frankie didn’t wait to be announced. Not this time. As soon as she stepped off of the elevator, she headed for the old man’s office.
“Ms. Winward!” the assistant yelped, leaping to her feet. “I don’t have you on the schedule!”
Frankie ignored the woman entirely and kept going. Frankie didn’t even slow as she approached the double doors to Edward’s office.
“You can’t…” the assistant called out, stiffening with outrage. “What are you doing?” she demanded. “You can’t just go in there!”
Frankie kept going. Obviously, no one dared to enter the private sanctum of the all-powerful Edward Meyers without permission. The assistant didn’t even think to physically block the doors. Frankie threw both doors open and stalked in.
“We need to talk,” she announced as the doors slammed shut behind her. Edward was staring out the window as he sipped from a glass that Frankie suspected was filled with scotch or bourbon. Her gaze narrowed on the glass. “It’s seven o’clock in the morning!”
Edward stared at Frankie, obviously startled. But he rallied quickly.
“Get out! This is my private office and I don’t want to be disturbed!”
Frankie ignored him. “Too bad. You hired another private investigator,” she said conversationally as she moved to mirror his stance in front of the other window. She didn’t bother to sit, refusing to let him play god today.
“That’s right!” the man snapped, his red-rimmed eyes narrowing on her. “You were working too slowly! I wanted answers!”
“What’s his name?” she demanded.
“Tony Malleto!” Edward hissed, then grinned at the horrified shock on Frankie’s face. “That’s right! A man will get the job done right! You’re fired!”
Frankie laughed. “Tony is the most unethical private investigator in the city!”
“He’s a former police detective!”
“Yeah!” she replied echoing his tone. “Who was fired from the police force for illegal activities!” Frankie shook her head. “Tony was caught roughing up prostitutes and demanding sex in return for not arresting them! He wasn’t even working vice at the time! He’s scum!”
“He got me results! He says he’s really close to finding one of my sons. He just needs a day or two! What have you got?”
Frankie rolled her eyes. “You are an idiot!”
She turned on her heel and left the office, disgusted and furious at the mess he’d created. Stevie was a good person and didn’t deserve what this excuse of a man would put her through. And she had to do something to stop Tony from doing whatever he was about to do. Frankie didn’t doubt that he was up to something nefarious.
Sometimes, this job really sucked! Actually, there hadn’t been many good moments lately, which gave her a moment’s pause. If the job was no longer fulfilling, why was she still doing it?
Sighing, she continued on. That was a question for later, she told herself. Right now, she had a crisis to avert.
Twenty minutes later, Frankie paced back and forth across the reception area. This office was much nicer than Edward’s. Frankie enjoyed the irony of the old man trying to entice his abandoned sons to take over his empire with the promise of wealth, when both of his located sons were far wealthier than he was.
Good! She didn’t like the man, but Lincoln was a good person. This Janus Meyers…? She had yet to determine his worth.
“Mr. Meyers can see you now,” the assistant announced.
Frankie stood up, trying to hide her frustration with what was going on.
Stepping into the elegant office, Frankie was impressed with the clean lines and incredible view! Wow!
“How can I help you, Ms. Winward?” The tall, handsome man asked.
Frankie’s attention turned to the man and… she froze. “Oh wow! You’re really Janus Meyers!” she whispered in awe. “Goodness, I loved watching you play!” she continued with a smile, moving towards the man who was still a legend in the industry.
“Thank you,” he replied politely, those silver eyes of his shockingly similar to his brother’s. But Lincoln had several interesting flecks of yellow while Janus’ eyes were pure silver. Just like his father’s.
“I was under the impression that you had information on an urgent matter?” He prompted.
Frankie pulled herself out of the celebrity induced silliness. “Right!” she replied, closing her eyes for
