Bo wondered if the Bennets would make that kind of offer.If he told them to leave him alone, would they?
He thought of the way they’d looked at him the other night up in their fancy ranch house.Big and sprawling and old but kept up nice.He’d never known anything like that.And they’d been all homey inside, all tall and intimidating.They’dalltalked down to him.Like they were in charge of him.Like they werebetterthan him.
Sam might like them, she might be hooked up with the Nate one, but Bo thought they just seemed like bullies.Theywouldn’t let him just go.Not if it didn’t suit their purposes.
But this guy… Bo looked at the guy across the table from him.No, he didn’t trust this guy either.He didn’t trust anyone here.“Make the offer then.”
The PI nodded.“There’s no reason for you to stick around Marietta, Mr.Lake.No reason to complicate this case.You have your answers and now you can go back to the people who really care about you.Who aren’t using you.Like the Bennets want to.”He pulled something out of a bag on the bench next to him.A big fat envelope that he set on the table between him and Bo.“If you need some incentive, I’ve got it for you.”
“Incentive.”Bo hesitated for a minute, then picked up the envelope.Inside was money.Cashandchecks.Checks made out to him.
“It’s a significant sum of money, son.And all you have to do is disappear.Never to be bothered again.”
Significant money.Bo had never been any good at making money.He tended to float from job to job, never really finding a place that suited.He knew his mom worried about him.Since Dad had died, she’d started worrying about what would happen to him onceshedied.Like he wouldn’t be able to handle himself.
This would solve that, wouldn’t it?She wouldn’t worry about him.
He wouldn’t have to worry so much about the straight and narrow.He’d be set.But who offered money without a catch?Bo wasn’t stupid.
Bo looked at the guy, the guy heknewwas not making any good faith offers.“Why?”
“Why not?These aren’t your folks.This isn’t your trial.The Bennets are misguided.Trying to stir up trouble where there isn’t any.Well, you’ve done your time, your duty.Now you can go.Let the judicial system handle this mess.It isn’t yours.”
Bo wanted to believe it.He didn’t actually, but hewantedto.Someone had pushed him here.Someone had wanted him here.
And now someone wanted him gone.It didn’t make sense, what this guy was saying.
But he was pretty sure that was real money.A stack of hundreds, plus a couple checks for thousands more.
“You cash those checks every three months, following the dates on them, and you stay away, the money will be there,” this guy said.“You’ll be set for life if you use it wisely.”
Set for life.He could go home.He could forget this had ever happened.He had answers, more or less.The only oneshe’dcome for.
What more did he need?
Not the Bennets.Not even Sam.Notreasons.Not even the truth.He had that now, more or less.
So why stay and be Sam and the Bennets’ errand boy?Why stay and face all this hard stuff that felt bad?Why not get the hell out?
“No strings?”Bo asked.
The guy’s smile spread.“Just one.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Honors Edge Investigations Office
Sam paced.She’dtried to work, but she couldn’t concentrate.She hadn’t gone to the trial today.She’d wanted to be available if Bo needed support.If something happened after his meeting with the PI.
She looked at the clock on the wall.He was supposed to be here by now.The meeting had been at ten, and it was nearly five.
Around noon, she’d driven out to the park, worried something had happened, but no one had been there.She’d used some subterfuge to find out he’d been at the hotel he was staying at, but he’d checked out.
Should she be worried about him?Should she go find him?
She picked up her phone.She’d texted him twice and left him one message.He’d read both texts.He hadn’t responded to either.
Which meant he was okay.Didn’t it?He just needed some space.Some time to deal with everything being thrown at him.Maybe he’d gone for a drive.
