The next step is figuring out why he left what seems like a very good job. Which isn’t something I can find out by hacking. Instead, I call the bank where he worked. I’d like to assume he quit or was fired. It seems unlikely he’d take vacation time to ‘pretend’ to move here. My experience tracking cheating spouses and bail jumpers for Annabelle has taught me that people will do some wild things when they’re scheming.
I call the bank and put on an older adult’s voice to ask to speak to Harley Lendew. They tell me he’s not available, so I push and ask when he’ll be available because he’s the one who always helps me with my banking. They tell me he quit unexpectedly and won’t be returning.
“Even if he wants his job back, he’s not getting it,” the woman says, more than a little cheerfully. Either she loves gossip or she hates Harley.
So, he left without giving notice and not on good terms. More evidence he’s running from something.
Next, I find the contact information for the bank manager and put in a call, this time without any hint of my southern accent, to ask for a reference on one Harley Lendew, who’s applied to work at my bank.
The woman on the other end of the phone clears her throat. “Harley Lendew? I’m sorry to say I can’t in good conscience recommend him as an employee.”
"Can you tell me why? He seems like the perfect candidate. He’s so charismatic and kind.”
She snorts. “Kind.” Then, she clears her throat. “Look, I’m going to be honest with you, and you can make up your own mind. Harley was great with customers, very charming. His charm allowed him to get away with a lot more than he should have. Like showing up late to work and leaving early.” She lowers her voice. “We have also learned recently he has been acting as a loan shark to several of our customers. Probably more than we’re even aware of.”
I drop back against my seat, shocked. “Is there a warrant out for him?”
“Sadly, no. None of the customers he loaned money to want to press charges, and there’s a lack of evidence beyond hearsay and what the cops are calling ‘gossip.’ A woman cried in my office about not being able to pay Harley back, but now she denies ever speaking to me about it. There is no doubt in my mind that he’s guilty. I wouldn’t be so forthcoming, generally, but you deserve to know who you’re hiring. I’d hate for you to be in my position. We’ve had several customers withdraw their money from our bank as a result of his actions.”
Harley didn’t strike me as the violent type, but I’ve encountered loan sharks in my side job and heard downright scary stories about them. “Do you think some people he loaned money to might be afraid to speak up?”
“I don’t know,” she says. “Maybe? As far as I know, Harley was working alone, and I’ve never seen him so much as lose his temper. I suspect he just charmed them all so thoroughly they think he was doing them a favor when he charged them fifty percent interest. He’s a hell of a conman, Mr. Jones. If that’s the kind of employee you’re looking for, he’s great. Just watch your back.”
“Thank you for your time. I appreciate your honesty.”
I hang up and stare at the wall. The police looking into Harley might be enough of a reason for him to get out of town fast, but selling his house at a loss doesn’t make sense. It’s like he needs a lot of money in a hurry. But why?
Before I even think it through, I’m hitting Gentry’s contact on my phone. I almost don’t expect her to answer, but she does. On the third ring.
“Levi?”
“Hey, Gentry. I’ve been looking into your dad, and I’ve found something—”
“Something illegal?” she asks quickly, her voice tight.
“Not technically. But—”
“Something that physically hurt someone else?”
“No. But, Gentry—”
“Emily’s happier than I’ve seen her in years, Levi. I know Dad’s not perfect, but Sophie and Emily need him. He’s the one who should be here taking care of them. I need to give him the benefit of the doubt, and I need you to stay out of it.”
“I get that, but you need to know—” The frustration making me grip the phone too hard feels like anger. No one has ever thrived by sticking their head in the sand and ignoring the potential dangers.
“I appreciate you looking out for me, Levi, but I need you to let it go. This is my family, and you and I are done. Live your life and stay out of mine.” Her voice breaks on that last word, and it gives me pause.
“Is there any chance you can forgive me?”
“I’m sorry, but you and I aren’t going to work out.”
She hangs up on me before I can argue further, and I stare at the phone in my hand. She has every right to still be angry at me, but why wouldn’t she want to know what I found out?
It doesn’t seem like Gentry to choose moderately happy ignorance over the truth.
I’m definitely not capable of it. My instincts have never steered me wrong before and, right now, they’re insisting that Harley Lendew is up to something that could hurt both Gentry and her sisters.
The only way to find out is to take a trip to Cheyenne and break a few laws of my own.
