“I’ve already told you. Don’t you listen? I want my sister. Call Astrid up and tell her that this is going on too long. And to bring me something to eat.” The nurse told him that he was on a diet, a very strict one. “No. I’m not going to be on a diet just yet. If you can see your way to help me out, I’m sure that Demi will pay you. I’d like a pie.
Not a single slice of one, but a whole pie and ice cream. I’ve a craving something terrible for one.”
Nathan made a mental list of things that he wanted from Astrid. She’d have money, he supposed. She had been able to rob a bank. He wished he could have seen her in action. Maybe if he’d not gotten so sick, he might have gone to help her. So long as he didn’t have to run. Running wasn’t something that he was any good at anymore.
His mind skittered over something that was said to him—something to do with his legs—but he let it go. There wasn’t anything that Demi said that he’d believe. And the fact that she’d gotten his nurse to go along with her showed just what sort of mean nasty person she was. And she was a thief, taking their money and home.
Closing his eyes, he waited for his nurse to return. His mind was all over the place with things that he wanted. His pie still hadn’t come, but Nathan was all right with that. He decided that he wasn’t all that hungry anyway. And he hurt too. Again, his mind moved quickly over why he might not be feeling up to things, but like before, he simply let it go.
Before he knew it, he was waking up again. The newspaper was lying on his little table. It was difficult to get the thing close to him—his belly was really beginning to hurt now. Nathan wondered briefly if he’d eaten something rotten and picked up the paper to read what his sister had done to rob a bank. Boy, he thought, she sure was a pistol.
The lights were difficult to get to come on. A voice somewhere in the room asked if he needed something, and he said that he was looking for the light. The voice said that he’d be in in a few minutes, it was time to change his dressing.
“But I’m not terribly hungry.” The man said nothing, only that he’d be in soon with something for pain. “All right. I am hurting a great deal. Perhaps you can tell me what happened while you’re at it. Did I eat something bad?”
He waited for a few more minutes, and finally the man—he said his name was
Michael—came in. There was a tray with him that was covered with a cloth, and
Nathan thought it was his pie. Before he could tell him that he no longer wanted it,
Michael pulled the cover off and Nathan could see that it was bandages and stuff.
“I’m going to give you something for pain in your IV, Mr. Morgan. That way when
I pull off the bandages, you won’t hurt as badly.” He asked about the pie. “According to your chart, you’re no longer allowed anything sweet. And you have to start eating very low carb meals all the time.”
“Why?” He repeated what Demi had told him. That because he’d not taken care of his diabetes, he’d gotten a blood clot on his leg that had festered, and the leg had to be removed. “I don’t understand. If you removed the blood clot, what does that have to do with me having a piece of pie? This is all Demi’s doing, isn’t it? She paid you to tell me these things, didn’t she? And where is Astrid? She should be here with me. I’m her brother.”
“I’m sorry, sir, but Ms. Morgan is dead. You’ve been told that several times.”
The man pulled the sheet off his leg and had him look at it. Nathan felt his belly, that was already hurting, start to swim, and his head felt like it was coming off again.
He could hear Michael saying his name, over and over, but he just couldn’t get himself to answer. His leg was gone. Demi had taken his leg. Why would she do that?
To sell? She was a horrible person. A very horrible person.
~*~
Lucian was worried about Demi. She was working like she normally did, going over reports and making sure that things were up on the stocks. But he could tell that she was hurting. And there wasn’t much he could do to make it better.
“Your brother, Ian, did I tell you that he’s working on my computer things for the restaurant we own?” Lucian told her that she had. “I thought so. Anyway, I’ve closed it
up for a few days. It’s something that I do to all the restaurants that we own—you might want to know that too. It’s on that calendar that we share.”
“I saw that. Thank you for making it so I can keep up. I have to tell you, love, I never knew that it was so exhausting to be wealthy.” She laughed, and he was glad to hear it sounded normal. “Why do you close up?”
“Oh, because there are deep fryers in some of them that need to have the screens cleaned once every six months. I could get by with just once a year, but then I’d have a bigger build up, and I would hate that.” He nodded, understanding that from working fast food in high school. “The walk ins are also cleaned out and checked for any leaks or troubles. Painting is done in the dining area, and the carpets are cleaned or replaced at that time as well.” She smiled at him. “Once when we did this, a while ago, we were cleaning the walk in and found some used condoms. The most disgusting thing I’ve ever heard. I shut the place down and had the entire walk in replaced. I still couldn’t eat there.”
“I’m sure that I wouldn’t have been able to either. What else have you found?” She told him a few other things—nothing as bad as the condoms, however. “The cameras; do you have those in all the restaurants now?”
“Most everywhere we own, there is some kind of camera security system in place.
It’s not just for me keeping an eye on things, like the one I’m having trouble with, but also the people there. We have a security team that monitors them and keeps everyone out of trouble. You’d be surprised how much goes on that a camera can catch.”
“You are not going to believe this.” Ian came into the room. He was laughing and holding a sheet of paper. “Pull up the security camera on the Rusted Nail. You aren’t going to believe this.”
As she pulled up the camera on her computer, he stepped behind her. Ian asked
Lucian through their link if she was all right, and he shrugged, but told him that she was doing better than he thought.
They both looked at the camera when she asked about focus. At first Lucian wasn’t sure what he was looking at until Ian moved the mouse. And suddenly it was crystal clear that someone was loading up a grocery cart full of things from the walk-in.
“At first I wasn’t sure what he was doing. I knew that this was the last day for the
Nail to be open, so I thought he was gathering stuff to make a send-off meal. But then I saw him loading the things into his car. This is his third cart load. He won’t get far,
Demi. The police are waiting for him to leave before they arrest him.”
The three of them watched as he struggled to get a side of beef off the shelf and into his cart. It kept falling over, the weight not quite right on the cart. They were having such a good time that he’d forgotten for a moment that this man was stealing from them.
“All right. I’ve seen enough. He’s a moron of the first degree and thought for sure that he was sliding by me when I was in his office.” She looked up at him. “I’m really all right. I hurt, I won’t lie to you, about that, but I’m all right.”
When Daniel got what he could out of the restaurant, he started away with the goods. The police were waiting for him as he drove around the parking lot to leave and
he was arrested. No fanfare, but that was one less thing that they had to worry about.
Ian thanked Demi and him for hiring him. It was the best job he’d ever had, he told them.
The two of them sat there for several minutes before she stood up. “I have to go and see a house. Would you like to come with me? I have it in my head that one of your brothers would like it once we turn it around. It’s out of date in some areas.” He said he’d love to go.
They were leaving the house when the phone rang. Telling him that s
he wasn’t in the mood to talk to someone, he took the call for her. When he hung up, devasted about the news, he went to the car where she was waiting.
“Don’t tell me.” He said that he didn’t have to, but she’d have to know sooner or later. “Yes, perhaps, but not right now. Let’s just forget about life that has me all bogged down and see this house. I’m thinking Josiah will like this one. He told me once that he liked older homes, the kind where closets had to be added but it still had claw footed tubs. And he said that he would buy one if the kitchen was a cook’s dream. Did you know that he loves to cook?”
“I did. This house, it has a nice kitchen then?” She said that she didn’t know how nice it was, but according to their business realtor, it was huge. They pulled up in front of the house. Christ, it was huge.
The wrap around porch reminded him of his time in New Orleans. He’d spent a week there after graduation from high school. The color and people were wonderful, and he loved the long vines of flowers hanging from the upper floors of places.
They walked through the house together. Demi would point out things that needed to be fixed or replaced, while he pointed out the charm of the woodwork and the fireplace mantles. He thought it was funny that he was the romantic and she wasn’t.
She could be, he supposed, but in houses like this one, it was all business. Lucian loved that about her too.
“The dining room isn’t very big. I’d push it out beyond the porch and put in lots of windows. Give the room the illusion of being larger. But if your brother wants it, he’ll want larger. Then I’d just scrap this room and make an entire addition off the back, and this could be a large walk in pantry and laundry room, and freezer storage area.” He loved that idea. “Also, if he does want to put in the larger room, it would be easy to blend it into this house, and no one would ever know that it wasn’t built when the house was.”
Lucian loved the way her mind worked. And he knew that if asked later what they’d talked about, she’d be able to tell someone verbatim what they’d said. The amount of work that needed to be done and how long it would take. Christ, she had the perfect head for business. She asked him what he’d found that needed work.
“I think you about covered it all. But I was thinking of the bannister. I think that it needs to be back dated. What I mean is, someone put in that ugly one, and I don’t think it was original to the home. Do you?” They walked back into the main hall and looked at it. “No, I think this is made of pressed wood.”
“It is. Good catch. And see the spindles? I never noticed it, but they don’t all match.
That would drive a person who likes detail nuts. Josiah is like that, I’ve noticed. His work area is always neat and cleaned up.” Lucian had noticed that as well when he’d gone to see how his job was working out. All his pens faced the same way, and there wasn’t a single water bottle mark on his desk. “Do you want to call your brother and see if he has time to come meet us here? I’m going to purchase it regardless of his decision.”
“What will you do with it then?” She said she’d offer it to one of his other brothers.
“Good, but I think that if Josiah doesn’t want it, then he’s having an off day. And if they don’t want it?”
“Then we’ll rent it out to people with families. Of course, we’ll make sure we get a hefty deposit from them. Or even staff it and bring other businesses here to look around and let them stay in this place. Full of that country charm and shit.” They both laughed.
And he looked up the stairs again. “What are you thinking, Lucian? I really want you to feel like you can be a part of every decision we make concerning business dealings. Life too.”
“I know that. And I love you for it. But I’m just a poor country boy at heart, and I’m terrified of spending money. I know we have plenty. I’ll get better, but it’s taking me some time to get used to it. Now you want to see someone getting used to having money, you should see Mom. She’s been ordering people around for decades, and now she’s happy to be getting paid for it.” They both laughed.
His mom had been recommended to the school board. Demi had done it, wanting someone there that would get matters taken care of. And as soon as she was there, the very first day, Mom fired two people and hired four much needed teachers. She had also been working on an after-school program for children who were struggling to keep up. Lucian thought she was doing a fantastic job.
“Your mom is the best. I do hope you know that.” He said he did. Mom told him that every day. “I’ve actually heard her say that to one of you. But she is my hero. To have raised six sons without much in the way of income and keeping you in school— that had to take someone with a strong heart and a brilliant mind. She’s a pleasure to work with as well.”
His mom had said the same thing about working with Demi. And his dad couldn’t say enough great things about Lucian’s wife. She was a little on the rough side, they both had said, but she was good at making a point come across and getting things done.
That was what this town had needed for a very long time.
Lucian called Josiah. He said that it was Thursday and he had started closing for half a day on that day. “It gives everyone here a day that they can make appointments and have family time, and it’s a good day, right before the Saturday rush, to rest up. I’ll be there in about an hour.”
They sat outside, talking about what needed to be done here. There was a lot more that they wanted done, but they thought that if Josiah wanted the house, then he’d be able to make the decisions. Lucian could not wait for his brother to see the kitchen. He thought it was going to be the deciding factor for his brother.
Chapter 11
Josiah didn’t want to get overly excited about the house. It was perfect. Other than the things that really needed to be updated and fixed, he loved it. But he could also see the things that Lucian was pointing out. Demi, for some reason, was staying back and not saying all that much. Josiah was afraid they were going to play good cop and bad cop on him and bully him into taking it. Not that it would take all that much bullying.
“The dining room is too small for our family if you do buy it. We were thinking that you could expand into the back yard and make it wide and long so that you could fit a nice sized table in it. Or several, depending on whether or not you wanted to find something old to put in there.” Josiah glanced at Demi as Lucian talked about the room.
“You could turn this into a large pantry, and have—”
“What’s going on here?” Demi asked him what he meant. “I don’t know. It’s like you’re this wilting housewife letting the big husband take care of things. That’s so not like you. Hell, that’s not even close to being anything like my mom. What gives?”
“I could be if I wanted. Wilting, I mean. I don’t care for it, but in a pinch, I could do it.” Josiah said it was creepy coming from her. “Such a fast talker about a woman. No,
I’m hoping that Lucian can talk you into purchasing this house. I’d just tell you to shut up, buy it, and we’ll work out the details later. But I’m trying really hard not to seem like I’m forcing you into anything.”
“I see.” She asked him if he did. “No. I have the feeling that you’re grooming
Lucian for something.”
“Sort of. He needs to learn to not only sell things, but himself too. How’s he doing?”
Josiah, lost in thought now, said that his brother could use some of her right to the point. “Sometimes it will take a softer approach to things. I can’t do that. I’m not the soft type. Not that Lucian is, but he can talk someone into something while I just want to move on to the next thing by telling them that they’re buying it. Understand?”
“Yes. I do. And I think I’d like to take a few lessons from you on that part of selling.
While I can do the softer approach, I think that there are times when I need to be firmer.” Demi told him what Jamie had said about his sales. “Our sales. We’re working as a team, which is something that we were
never able to do before.”
“You’re a good man, Josiah. And what about this house? Is it right for an up and coming dealership manager?” He wanted to be coy about it, but the house was just what he’d wanted. Instead of answering her, Josiah asked her how much it was. “How much the bank wants or how much I’m willing to pay for it?”
“There’s a difference?” She said a huge one. “Okay, before I answer that question— which I wouldn’t even know how—tell me why you’d, I’m assuming, pay less for it.
And tell me why the bank will want more. Please.”
“The house has been sitting on the market for almost four years. The bank has someone come out once a month who mows but doesn’t trim. He is to check on pipes, leaks that might have sprouted, as well as make sure that the furnace—which needs to be replaced—as well as the air conditioner—which also needs to be updated—are
working. The kitchen, as you have noticed, is in need of a complete overhaul. I’d start from the walls and rip it to the studs.” He could see that too. “The dining room, as
Lucian pointed out, isn’t nearly big enough for your family when they come over.
Which I can assume they will. They love you guys, and love to be together. And the roof needs to be redone and in places replaced, as it looks a little lopsided on one side.”
“Is that all?” She said that was just the things that would cost the most to fix. “And the cost to fix those things? It is more than the asking price of the house from the bank?”
“Yes. But you have a solid foundation here, plenty of yard and acreage too. If this house were fixed the way it should be, then you’re talking about a house worth, in this area, about half a million dollars. In this area, now. But, when we are finished bringing businesses in, upgrading the three schools here and having some major high-end stores come in, you’re talking over a million. I’d say in less than five years.” Lucian asked if she was serious. “I never joke about money. Ever. It’s not something that is funny to me.”
Lucian: McCray Bruin Bear Shifter Romance Page 13
