“Just a hunch.”
This was no hunch, Macy realized. Brad Gelderman knew what he was about.
“Bull.” Ethan moved into the room and grabbed the end of the counter, which Brad had now decided needed to move a few feet to the right.
Brad's shoulders were hunched and he looked guarded.
“I thought you were into property investment with a side of helping people?”
“I have a friend's father who runs a few stores. I invested, but before I did, he made me spend some time in one.”
“What stores?” Newman said.
“What friend?” Ethan added.
Macy could see frustration written all over Ethan’s face. His brother wasn't happy to see him or about sharing any personal information.
“Niall and Leigh.”
Newman whistled.
“Why did you just whistle?” Ethan demanded.
“Niall and Leigh are high-end men's fashion. They have stores in most major cities. Surely you've heard of them, Tex?”
Ethan thought about that for a few seconds.
“Okay, maybe I have heard of them, but what involvement do you have with them?”
“I just told you what.”
“So you do this charity stuff, and are a part-time retailer on the side?”
Macy couldn’t read anything on Brad’s face. He didn't want to talk about this, or Macy guessed, anything personal, and had shut himself off.
“I ride sometimes with one of the Nialls, and he said they were looking for an investor.”
“Was he there when your friend died?”
“Mark,” Brad said. “And no, that day it was just Mark and me.”
“I’m sorry for your loss.” Macy touched his arm, because losing anyone close was painful.
“It’s okay now.” He shrugged. But it wasn’t, she could see that.
“Me too. Sorry that you had to be there when your friend died, Brad.”
“Sure, thanks.”
Brad had accepted her touch, but not his brother’s.
“You got lots of it?”
“It?” Brad questioned Ethan.
“Money.”
“Some. You?”
