She has a choice.
She simply nods and looks at her hand, “I’m going to need that back to drive.” Part of me doesn’t want to let go. But respecting her wishes, I let go.
“I’ll see you back at the Lighthouse,” I close the door and she watches me, waiting to see my next moves.
The rev of her engine lets me know she was leaving, knowing that I’ll see her soon.
But business is business, I ring Rawlings wanting to let him know that I would need to see him. Even if it is a threat, it is one that is spreading.
Well, guess I won’t be seeing her later.
Sitting in his office at the Devil’s Whiskey is a rare occasion. His rule of “keeping business away from thebusinesses” is necessary.
But in this case, there isn’t too much pressure.
Just a lot more smoke.
“An empty threat?” He says releasing the smoke he just inhaled a moment ago.
I nod, “They couldn’t prove it was a student. I don’t think they went forward with a search.” I try not to be affected by the smoke, but I’m not a smoking fan.
To each their own.
“I take it we know that it’s the Falcons that are doing this? Not that we need a reason to take control, but this is hitting close to home and the foundation.”
I have to laugh, this is the same man that lives through traditional ways, but between those events and perhaps something personal has him in a different way of thinking.
“But ambushing this soon could cause more strife and bloodshed.” I put my two cents in.
“Just need to keep doing what we need to do for now. What about the girl?” he asks, taking another drag of the cigarette.
By girl, he means Charlotte.
“I think she is in her own mindset. She wants answers.” I start.
“Is she someone we need to worry about?” he interrupts me. I look at him, my eyes widen.
Should he be worried about her?
Maybe.
I shake my head. He leans forward on the desk. “That’s not what I heard Keola.”
“With all due respect, Prez, we have bigger things to worry about.” I try to divert the conversation from this one. My voice dialed up, almost like a protective factor.
He isn’t stupid, far from it. “Watch the tone,” he warns me, my body sinking back down into the chair. “Watch her, we don’t need someone going and looking for trouble.”
I nod, knowing from past experience that you better not argue with him, or you’ll have your ass handed to you. “Watch her, like babysit?”
“You have a problem with that?”
I shake my head, honestly I didn’t but I already had enough on my plate. Between keeping the books for all businesses, legal and illegal, and volunteering my time with the foundation. Not to mention helping all the damn prospects not fuck up. Which reminds me, I need to find Greer.
“Figure you wouldn’t. Now, two more things and you can leave. One, did you apologize to Bjorn?”
I go silent, because I haven’t had the chance to even when she called me. “Then I’ll take your silence as a no and you’ll be doing that today.”
Fucking hell.
