Dad chuckles. “The mailroom was never the same after one of you had worked there for a summer. Once Oliver did his time, they begged me not to let any of you work there anymore. I had to find Jaxon and Jacinta other positions to start with.”
“Oh yeah, I remember that. Jacinta was so mad that she had to work the coffee cart, but Jaxon loved the window cleaner job. He loved being outside and up so high.”
Dad shudders, looking a little green. “I can’t believe I let him do that. All it would have taken is for something to come undone or for him to slip.”
“Anyway, it made me realize that our baby and any other future children will eventually need a summer job too, so I was looking to kill two birds with one stone.” Dad’s brow wrinkles in confusion, so I turn the computer for him to look at. “You know all about Harlow’s fascination with abandoned properties. Well, I found this one, and I thought it would be a good project and a great place for our future kids to cut their teeth on.”
He scrolls through the listing for the abandoned theme park, and I can practically see the man’s business mind kicking into gear.
“Huh, I wonder why it was abandoned.”
“I was just researching that when you arrived. From what I could discover, it looks like the owner had a gambling problem. He went to jail because he was using the park as a money laundering front to pay off his debts. He had no family to step up and continue running it, so it’s sat empty ever since.”
Dad’s eyebrows raise. “I’m surprised it was never sold off to pay the debts owed against it.”
“Apparently, there weren't any. I guess money laundering pays well. He had paid off everything relating to the park before he went to jail. There’s a security company that’s supposed to patrol it, but it seems they only go around once a week. I’m not sure what kind of damage has been done to it.”
“Why is it on the market now?” Dad leans forward, his curiosity getting the better of him as he scrolls through the listing again.
“The owner is getting out of jail, and he wants to sell it so that he can start a new life. Supposedly, he’s reformed and found God.” Dad looks as skeptical as I was when the estate agent told me that, but all I can do is shrug. “He wants to move away from California and start over, so the place is on the market. It has been for six months. Even if we low ball our offer, I think he’ll take it because it’s getting close to his release.” He stops on a group of pictures, and his mouth drops open in amazement. “Yeah, I had the same reaction.”
The picture shows a large round wooden building with sliding doors that open up to expose an old-fashioned merry go round. It’s beautifully carved and painted with wooden animals and ornate scrolling along the poles and the rest of the canopy. There are peacocks and seahorses, lions, tigers, and bears, as well as the traditional horses, but they have horns and wings, turning them into unicorns and pegasus. There’s even a dragon. The agent told me that all of the animals had been draped with sheets to protect them, and because the carousel has been protected from the elements—apart from dust and cobwebs—it’s in immaculate condition.
“Harlow is going to love that.” Dad grins and looks at me. “Let’s do it. I’ve been looking for a new challenge, and that might be exactly what I need. We can get the guys working on that as soon as they're done with the zoo. There's no rush, and we’ll need to have the rides and water slides assessed by a professional anyway. How much land is there with it?”
He scrolls back to the specifics and reads through them again.
“Enough that we can add more modern rides while keeping the originals as long as they’re in working order,” I tell him, excitement really buzzing through my veins now.
“Why hasn’t this been snapped up by someone else?” A worried crease develops in the middle of his forehead.
“It’s a new listing for the agent, and he always sends me any potential business opportunities that cross his desk, though I haven't been interested in any up until now. He’s given me the first look and first chance at refusal.”
“Well, let’s get the ball rolling. I have a grandbaby who’s going to need a business to work in, and what better place for teenagers than an amusement park?” Dad’s grin is from ear to ear. His priority has always been about being a good person and understanding the value of hard work. He’s never been one of those fathers who put pressure on his kids to get married and start a family, but the happiness on his face makes it clear that he’s ready for this new twist in our lives. “It’s going to be so weird having a baby around. I’ve never done that part of having children before, so Kai won’t have any shortage of helpers.”
“I hate the way it came about, and I hope Veronica rots in jail for the rest of her life, but I’m excited that we’ll be adding to our family. I’m also relieved Harlow took it so well. It can’t be easy to think about another woman having Kai’s baby.”
“I think the fact that she was basically raised by another woman helps. Her mother was no picnic either, so it’s easier for her to accept that it’s not this baby’s fault how it came to be. As I’m sure you’ve noticed, Harlow has an incredible capacity for love. She’s already proven that by how quickly she forgave Jacintaandhow she’s embraced the relationship with you and your brothers despite it being unconventional and newsworthy.”
“She certainly has taken it in stride. I’m surprised there haven’t been more meltdowns, to be honest,” I confide in my father. It’s been worrying me that apart from the stalker drama, which is pretty serious in itself, everything seems to be going well. “Shouldn't we have more bumps in the road? I mean, I don’t want them, and I’m grateful for the peace we’re finding in her… But, Dad, doesn’t it just feel like that calm before a storm? We had such a rocky beginning that it feels like we didn’t really earn it going so well now.”
He sighs and leans back in his chair, the business opportunity forgotten for a moment. “I think every relationship is going to have its ups and downs. You’ve all been dealing with the stress of her stalker as well as running your businesses and getting to know one another. Give yourself a break and be thankful that it hasn't been too hard. I’m sure that will come, especially with the new business to establish, the count’s estate, and a baby. All of your businesses basically run well on their own. It probably wouldn’t hurt you all to take a leave of absence for a month or so, so you can concentrate on other things.”
“It’s just this damn stalker. Not knowing why or who is killing me. I feel so impotent. I think we all do, except maybe Thomas. At least he’s working toward keeping her safe. What good are the rest of us? How have we helped get her closer to having a normal life again?”
He leans forward again, an earnest look on his face. “You know, I have a gut feeling this is all coming to a head.”
“What makes you think that?” I ask him, a frown on my face, but he shrugs.
“I’m not entirely sure. It’s just a feeling. I don’t know if it was the unveiling of the count’s vault and seeing all those drugs and weapons, or something else.”
“But what has that got to do with Harlow?”
Dad shakes his head and rubs his chin. “I don’t know, but I think finding Carmen may work toward solving this. I’ve been trying to run down some old addresses I had prior to the home invasion, but I’m coming up empty handed.”
I’m thinking it over, trying to keep a mental list of who’s left in our lives that might wish anyone, particularly Harlow, harm, and I realize that we’ve forgotten someone who should actively be on our radar. “I don't doubt that Cecelia has something to do with it. Her disappearance is too suspicious.” I really need to find a new PI, but I don't really want to put anyone else in danger. Whoever this other stalker is obviously has no qualms about killing off people in their way.
Before Dad can respond, I see a very harassed-looking Chuck hurry into the dining room. His eyes scan the area, and relief smooths his face when he catches sight of us. He detours past the coffee station and holds up a mug toward us. Mine is empty, so I give him a thumbs up, with Dad doing the same. I grin as I watch him fill up three mugs and bring them over to the table. He puts them down and takes a long drink of his before he sits. I’m not sure whether it’s the caffeine or our presence, but the tension practically drains out of him.
