“Fuck.” He puts his coffee down on the table so hard, I’m surprised it doesn’t spray everywhere. I set mine down beside it.
“Fuck,” I agree.
“Is this…is this why they’re after Jane?”
“That’s my theory,” I say. “I mean. You said they started asking around last fall, so it can’t totally be motivated by them wanting the brewery. Simone was still engaged to the other guy back then. But I think that’s why they’re after custody. I mean, Jane’s fucking fantastic, and they should want her for that reason, but let’s be real, they’re not the kind of people who would naturally appreciate her charms.”
“But why?” he asks, his voice rough. “Why the fuck do they want my brewery? You’re talking about Bev Corp., for Christ’s sake. I’m nothing to them. And the Labelles…there was some talk about them losing their fortune earlier this year, but they certainly don’t hesitate to spend money.”
I lift a finger. “Don’t be so sure about either of those things,” I say. “For one thing, there are whispers that Deacon Mulroney has been disowned by his father, and for another, I think the Labellesarebroke. Mostly. I found out that they liquidated their doll collection. They sold it online, for millions, and I think that’s the only thing keeping them afloat. What if Deacon thinks he can make good with his father by bringing in your brewery? What if the whole Labelle family is banking on it? Don’t you think that would give them plenty of motivation to press you to sell?”
His mouth is set in a firm line, his eyes on fire. He’s full of the kind of righteous fury that can only be expressed in flames, and hell, he’s even sexier now. Much more so than he has any right to be, and it makes me regret that—
There’s a rinky-dink knock on the door, and Cole shoots me a look. “Is that your grandmother?”
The laugh comes out easily. “No. She’s not the kind of person who knocks. She always thinks people should anticipate her arrival.”
“So—”
Then the weasel-faced little guy peeks his head in, and Cole turns his anger on me.
“Holly, what the fuck did you do?”
I pull my hand from his leg. It’s almost a relief to be back on familiar ground.
“Horacio’s going to be a double agent for us, Cole,” I say, warming to the plan. “They know him. Theytrusthim.”
“I don’t trust him,” he growls. “He took photos of Jane.”
The look he’s giving Horacio is lethal, so I’m not surprised when Horacio takes a step back. I’m afraid he’ll take off entirely—bravery isn’t his strong suit. Actually, I’m not sure what his strong suit is. But he approaches the couch, shutting the door behind him.
“Oh, you got coffees,” he says eagerly, reaching for Cole’s untouched coffee.
Cole’s clearly about to sayno, that’s mine, but Horacio already has his mouth to it, and I don’t blame Cole for not wanting to swap spit with the guy.
Letting out a sigh, he says, “What did she tell you?”
He glances around as if looking for cameras. Actually, if he were any good at finding them, I’m sure there are several hooked up around the room. “Just that I have a chance to redeem myself…”
“You threatened him, didn’t you?” Cole says, looking at me.
I just shrug as Horacio sits in the chair across from us with his stolen coffee.
“Are you upset by that?” Horacio asks, adjusting his glasses. “Because I’m upset by it, and if you think—”
“I’m not upset by it,” he says gruffly. His gaze seeks me out again—shrewd, maybe even admiring. “I’m guessing you found more evidence that this asshole’s been practicing without a license.”
“Indeed,” I say, not that it’s much of a secret. Horacio has it up on his website that he’s looking for work, and it’s easy enough to verify a private investigator’s license.
“Hey, can I have my phone back?” Horacio asks Cole, as if he’d keep a commandeered phone around in his pocket on the regular.
“I destroyed it the minute I got home from the school.”
Horacio looks like a kid who’s been denied a lollipop.
“You sealed its fate the second you took those photos of my daughter.” Cole rubs his stubble. “Now, here’s how this is going to go down—”
