Even though he knew Ella wouldn’t stop him from doing something he’d had his heart set on.
“An email came in this morning that saidWe know where you live, we know what you do, and wouldn’t it be a shame if the university found out?”
“Can we see the email?”River asked.
Carter handed him back the iPad, and Zee brought up the emails.
River read them, and Carter went back to his screen.
“Definitely enough here to be cautious, Zee.These emails aren’t spam.Mind if I copy them?”
Zee blew out a breath and stopped his pacing.River’s confirmation that this stuff might mean something calmed him down and made him feel in charge.
“Do what you have to do.”Zee took a seat.
“Got any enemies?”River asked.
Zee laughed before seeing the seriousness in his eyes.
“I’m an old man,” Zee said.“Nobody wants anything to do with me.”
“It’s clear that somebody does.And you’re a legend.It’s amazing how people come out of the woods when they see your name mentioned in lights after all these years.”
“I don’t know if I’d call taking a job at a university in lights.After I retired from the sport, I did a motivational speaking tour.I never got any negative attention.A couple of bad reviews, but most of those were about the venue.”
“Wounds fester.”River shrugged.“Got any rivals who are sitting on a pile of resentment?Any exes we should know about?”
Zee’s face flamed.There weren’t exes per se, but he’d found himself a willing play partner here and there over the years on the road.Ella knew about it all.He never slept with anybody, just engaged in play when he needed an escape from the rigors of the pool.
“Nobody worth mentioning.Swimming isn’t exactly a cutthroat sport.My two teammates just left this morning.We’ve been called rivals, but they’re happy for me.”
“Okay, but it gives us a starting point.What are their names?”
“Roger Miller and Nico Rodriguez,” Carter said, turning the laptop toward them.He had their bios pulled up.
“Yeah, those are the guys.”Zee’s hand clenched into a fist as he thought of how touchy-feely Roger was with Ella.But it didn’t mean the man was sending him threatening emails, scoping out his property.
“Plenty evidence to tell you to take precautions.”
“What do you suggest, River?”Zee swiped a hand over his face, wondering why he didn’t just quit his job and take Ella on a cruise.Or at least shut the place down and go visit her best friend; she was due for a visit.Or go visit the girls.
Because he was a stubborn old fool, determined to chase one more stab at glory through being part of a team again.
“For now, I would increase your security at Club Bandit.You have the old guardhouse at the gates.Staff it.Get someone to check all the vehicles against a list.If they don’t belong to your members, they don’t come in,” River leaned over to peer at Carter’s screen.
“How do I explain that?”He didn’t like this one bit.
“Tell everyone you are doing a survey for more parking spaces or you’re doing an overhaul of your security.”
“Most members will like it.It’ll add an air of exclusivity,” Carter said.
“Do you think that’s necessary?”Zee clenched his fist.Maybe the members would buy it, but Ella wouldn’t, and he didn’t want to stress Ella out by telling her what was going on.
“Yes, we do think it’s necessary,” Carter said, his voice cool and sharp.“Your check-in method could be improved.Members could be given bracelets with coded tags, so all they have to do is scan them to get it.Eliminate the reception desk.”
“I like our guests being greeted,” Zee grumbled.“We check each person off as they come in.It works.”
“It could be better,” River said.“People get complacent.”
