Rewards of Bravery Read online

  “He’s had it in for you two for a while,” Meredith said to them.

  “Leave it alone. Let’s move on to other business,” Curren said and Charlie continued.

  Curren had an uneasy feeling in his gut. Why, after a year, would Hagerty still be bent over the real estate deal they didn’t use him for? No agents were needed. The deal was done over dinner, drinks, and some entertainment. Hagerty heard about the property being sold, a strip mall with several variety stores, a restaurant, an ice-cream shop, and a movie theater. Their friend, Lawrence Leatherbe, wanted out. He was moving to California, had gotten a great opportunity to buy out several hotels, and he wanted the money from the strip mall to put as a down payment to the real estate package deal he was doing out there. Lawrence hadn’t wanted to worry about realtor fees and wanted the deal done under the table. So what was it about that deal that put them on Hagerty’s bad side? He didn’t know, but something wasn’t right, and he had a feeling they would know soon enough.

  When the meeting was over and everyone exited the room, Curren looked at Presley. His brother was leaning back in the leather chair, looking like his coldhearted self. They both shared the same facial features, expressions, dark hair, and green eyes, and were disciplinarians. They worked well together, had built an empire—and legally, not illegally like some of these other guys coming into Texas and trying to buy up land to develop.

  “What do you think?” Curren asked Presley as he tapped the pen on the notepad.

  “I think Gus Flora is still pissed about that operation we wouldn’t involve ourselves in months ago.” Curren narrowed his eyes at him.

  “We won’t dab in drugs and prostitution, and he gets bent and gets Hagerty to sell this guy Kabin the land we wanted? Kind of extreme, don’t you think?”

  “No, Curren, I don’t think it’s extreme if it’s the land that was key to begin with. Think about the location. Just as we did when we purchased the other property that was for sale where we put the resort and hotels. We wanted access to the highways, to direct and convenient routes to stores, shopping, and the airport. Gus got annoyed that we wouldn’t partner up with him. This guy Esmal Kabin invests in it and in Gus’s business venture. We piss off Hagerty because we don’t use him for a multimillion-dollar deal, and he gets ‘persuaded’ by Gus to have the land zoned commercial property and sells it to them. He surely got a cut in that deal, and maybe even a small investment. Who knows? Hagerty isn’t exactly trustworthy despite all the business he’s done in the area.”

  “I can see him doing that. It’s simple and just dirty business. He’s made so many contacts, Hagerty, and his real estate company is expanding too. I don’t think he’s doing anything illegal though.”

  “I don’t either. I think it was the one deal, negotiating with Gus, who we know can be persuasive, and then getting the land to be zoned commercial. We’ve been around deals where favors were done to speed things along. That’s why Gus used Hagerty.”

  “I still don’t like the fucking guy, or his attitude, Gus included with Hagerty.”

  “I agree, and the good thing is we don’t need to deal with them. There really isn’t anything more we need to invest in. We have the land we want, the buffer around the resort and condos, and the new construction in San Antonio, and we said we wanted to slow down and start enjoying life.”

  “Says the man who never looks happy.”

  “I look happy, Curren.”

  “We’re both fucking miserable, Presley. Who are we kidding?” Curren asked, and Presley snorted.

  “Well, we’re back and closer to home, so let’s take some time to enjoy the family, spending time with our brothers, maybe a visit with the Dads and Mom.”

  “Oh great, then we can hear Mom ask us when we plan on settling down instead of screwing everything with a skirt and not giving her any grandbabies.”

  Curren chuckled. “Kind of hard to meet a good woman who isn’t after our money and doesn’t lie to us to get what she wants. No, thank you, I think I’m with you, no commitments, no nonsense, and definitely some downtime in the next few days.”

  Chapter 1

  Isla was working on some financial documents for Canterberry Real Estate Associates. She had been working here for three weeks, her position entailing not only accounting services and in-house auditing, but also working on business plans and using funding appropriately. She had to decide, based on the company’s bills and earnings, what amount of money could be used and where to increase income. As she was working on the material with another woman, Dana, she found a series of check stubs undocumented from others. Each was made every six months, each for five thousand dollars. Since they didn’t indicate a person—the checks were made out to cash—she needed to speak with her boss, Randy.

  “You’ve worked here longer. Do you know about these payments every six months for the past three years?” she asked Dana.

  “To be honest with you, the one you’re basically covering, Sam, was in charge of all the accounting. Randy and Mr. Canterberry are so busy with new and existing clients, that things were falling apart. I’m only a bookkeeper, and it took me a month to figure out Sam’s way of doing things. You picked up on it the first week.”

  “Well, I wasn’t expecting to be doing things like this. It’s a lot of work.”

  “Randy is in a state, and he tends to push off as much work as he can on people and then tell them it’s part of their title and job. Just like he did with me, he’s taking advantage of you because you’re new in the field. I guess we have to pay our dues, and then we can move on and go elsewhere,” Dana said and then looked back at her computer.

  Isla felt uneasy. There was definitely something wrong with the financial documents. Just then, Randy finished up with a client and was walking them to the front door. They said thank you and then walked out of the building.

  “Randy,” she called to him as he walked by.

  He smiled at her. “How is everything going?” He glanced at his watch, and she could tell he was in a hurry, but he did eye her over in the dark blue business dress she wore today.

  “I have some questions about this account and some checks that went out.”

  His cell phone rang. He glanced at it. The door chimed, and someone else was coming in. She opened the file and continued talking.

  “What’s the question?” he asked.

  “Well, there are these checks that have been written out to cash the last several years.”

  He glanced past her and smiled, interrupting the conversation. She turned to look and recognized the man from the picture on the front window of the realty agency. This was Hagerty Canterberry, the boss, and he was very good-looking. The man immediately smiled and gazed her over. “Who is this?” he asked.

  “Mr. Canterberry, this is one of your new employees, Miss Isla Everest. She’s taking over Sam’s position while he’s recovering in the hospital from the car accident.”

  “Ahh, yes, finally. We were desperate for better help. You’re young though,” he said and reached his hand out for her to shake.

  She fumbled with the file she held, but then shook his hand. She felt a bit of an attraction to the man, but who wouldn’t? He was good-looking and older, and seemed important, and not just because he had money and owned the realty firm.

  “She is a CPA and has a knack for numbers and things. We were just discussing some questions,” Randy said and looked back at her and gazed over her breasts in the dress she wore. It wasn’t revealing, but had a V-collar with buttons, and she was well-endowed.

  “We need to discuss some items that came up while I was away. Could this wait until later or tomorrow?” Mr. Canterberry asked.

  “It’s Friday, so how about Monday we talk, okay, Isla?” Randy asked and then turned away and started walking with Mr. Canterberry toward their private offices. Mr. Canterberry looked back at her, and she softly smiled but then sat down.

  “Well, that was a waste of time,” she whispered.

  “
They don’t care about any of this. They’re so damn busy all the time and making a lot of money. I wouldn’t worry about it too much. He said he’ll talk to you on Monday,” Dana said to her and shrugged.

  A few hours later as other people left the office for the weekend, she gathered her things, preparing to leave. There were another set of realtors who worked Saturdays, and Sundays no one came into the office. She stood up and rubbed her temples.

  “Feeling okay?” Mr. Canterberry asked her.

  “Oh, yes, just a little headache, and my eyes are tired. It happens looking at numbers all day.”

  He walked closer and then stood by her desk. He was tall, like Montana’s height. The fact that she thought about Montana made her exhale. She was trying to give things time, but she did miss him coming by Harper’s when she worked there. She glanced back at Mr. Canterberry. He wore a nice designer dress shirt, tie, and suit jacket, and had a fancy watch on. Definitely a man with money.

  “I didn’t realize that you’ve been working here for three weeks. I’ve been away and in and out after hours.

  “Randy mentioned that,” she said and stood up and stretched her back.

  He looked her over. “He also mentioned that you needed to talk to him about numbers not adding up or something? He explained that he has you doing several things.”

  “More than the job title, to be honest with you. I applied for the CPA position needed.”

  “Oh, we need help in that area. Growing in leaps and bounds the last few years has brought on hiring new employees, trying to hold on to the old ones, anyway, a lot of stress.”

  “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to add more stress to your plate. I can speak with Randy on Monday.”

  “That’s the plan,” Randy said, now joining them. One of the other women who worked in the office said good night, and the three of them replied and waved.

  “You were saying about doing more work than the job required,” Mr. Canterberry said, and she felt her cheeks warm as Randy looked a bit shocked.

  “Sorry, Randy, I’m just confused about what my responsibilities are. You asked me to go over the financial documents and numbers, and coming up with plans of cutting back where needed and where to use funds for further investments that will pay off based on the last three years income and expenses,” she said and pulled out the folder. “Technically, that is a bit beyond accounting, and dabs in economics, scientific actuary, and other levels I understand but not what the job salary and responsibilities are.”

  “So you want a raise?” Randy asked.

  She chuckled. “Randy, I’ve been here three weeks. I just want specific responsibilities. I’m fine with doing this job, but in doing so, I’ve come across several bank statements with checks that have gone out in cash around the same time every six months. Further digging has drawn up smaller batches that do not coincide with your logs.”

  “What do you mean? Where?” Mr. Canterberry asked, and Randy seemed concerned as well.

  She opened the file where she highlighted the amounts and then dates. She then logged back into the computer and pulled more up. “You see, here. Look at this one too.”

  “Son of a bitch,” Mr. Canterberry said, surprising her. He had his hands on his hips, and he glared at Randy.

  “You were right, Hagerty. I’m sorry, I just got too caught up in holding down the fort with your insane schedule, and then there was my schedule, and we lost Betty to the twins and bed rest early.”

  Mr. Canterberry raised his palm up. “There isn’t much we can do about it right now. The money is gone, and he definitely took it.”

  “Took it? You mean someone stole from you?” she asked, feeling completely upset about it.

  “It seems that way, and unfortunately it was the other accountant we had, Sam.”

  “The one in the hospital?” she asked.

  “Yes,” Randy said. “What are we going to do?” Randy asked him.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Well, the first thing we can do right here is make copies of the files for documentation for the authorities. You’ll want to call the local police first, and then looking at the numbers thus far, going back three years, he could have possibly stolen at minimum fifty thousand, and that’s just confirming the five thousand every six months and then the other cash checks for two thousand or four thousand. I would have to go back and make sure those weren’t legit.”

  “Holy shit,” Mr. Canterberry said and pulled out his phone. She listened as he spoke to the local sheriff.

  “You’re amazing, Isla. We never would have known any of this. God, I feel like an idiot and screwed up big time,” he said, and she felt badly for Randy.

  Mr. Canterberry ended the phone call. “He’s on his way. Can you stay and print out what you can to start this investigation?” he asked her.

  “Of course I can, Mr. Canterberry.”

  He gave a smile.

  “Hagerty. Call me Hagerty, and Monday morning expect a raise, and better description of your job, but I warn you, seeing you in action, I think you’ll have other responsibilities as well.”

  “Thank you, Mister…Hagerty,” she said, and he smiled.

  “I need to make up for those three weeks,” he said.

  It sounded like a flirtatious response, but she brought her attention back down at the computer as they talked among one another discussing the situation and what they needed to do to Sam. A few minutes later, the front door opened, and the sheriff arrived. She wouldn’t make it out of here to go home and change before she met Genesis and Cherise for dinner and drinks. She pulled out her phone and texted that she would be late.

  Montana sat by the bar at Harper’s with Prime Jameson and Seren Fortane, both deputies in town like he was. The band was playing, and the crowd pretty big as usual for a Friday night. The sound of glass shattering was still heard over the music, and Montana and his friends looked at the new girl frantically trying to clean things up. As she bent down, he could see how well-endowed she was, and Prime whistled.

  “Goddamn, I don’t know where Harper finds these women,” Prime said, and then Jade stood up and headed right toward the bar.

  She was petite with light brown hair and stunning blue eyes, and Seren couldn’t take his eyes off her. It made Montana laugh to himself. He felt and reacted the same way to Isla. Throw in her German accent and baby blue eyes, and damn, he was a goner.

  “Hey, sweetie, don’t worry about that. You’re doing fine,” Prime said to Jade as she squeezed by him after disposing of the tray of broken glass.

  She exhaled and shyly nodded. “Thanks, Prime,” she said to him, and Montana knew his buddy Seren had already introduced himself to Jade last week when she first started. Seren smiled at Jade and she shyly looked away. Montana instantly thought of Isla and his feelings for her.

  He glanced at his watch. It was nearly eight when he saw Genesis and Cherise walk into the bar along with Isla. His heart immediately started pounding inside of his chest, and he took in the sight of her, and boy did she stand out. She looked like she was ready to go to work. She wore a snug-fitting blue business dress with a V-neck collar, and from here, it appeared conservative, but she was well-endowed and that was what stood out in the dress. Then her blond hair was pulled up into some fancy style, and she looked classy, professional, and sexy as sin. He wasn’t the only guy to notice, and he slid off the bar stool.

  “You okay?” Seren asked him just as the Warren twins approached her, saying hello, greeting her with kisses to her cheek, and immediately placing their hands on her hip.

  She shyly stepped back, and Cherise moved into position and guided Isla away from the two men who looked disappointed but interested. Montana was tight and felt annoyed at seeing them flirt with Isla. The rumors he heard about the various sets of men asking her out and hitting on her were definitely true. This bullshit had to stop. She belonged with him and Ortley, and he wanted her to meet Curren and Presley. Just as soon as he could get his brothers to stick aroun
d the estate.