But then I caught sight of the notes scrawled on the pad in my hand.
The top line read:Empire Ridge — second River Bend plans?
Beneath that, the wordsCornerstone DevelopmentandParadigm Urban Planninghad been scrawled and then crossed out.
On the final line, the wordsBeatty Site Solutionswere circled twice.
I let the notebook, along with the candles and tablecloth, slide to the desk.
Of the notes written on the page, the only part I understood was the first line… and even then, I didn’t understand.
Empire Ridge was the company Delaney was writing about. The one that had bought my grandfather’s house back in Southbourne and destroyed it to build a housing development. River Bend was the name of that development.
But what the fuck did the rest of it mean?
My brain felt like sludge as I tried to process, but one thing came through loud and clear. Of all the shitty things Empire Ridge had done and all the people they’d hurt—which was a fucking large number, given their reputation—the person Delaney had been trying to make things fair and right for… was my father.
I blew out a breath and sank into Delaney’s desk chair, my father’s card still clutched between my fingers.
Teeny whined softly, sensing my distress, and came to rest her head on my knee.
Did Delaney know B. Anthony Harmon was my father?
If so, how long had he known?
For a fraction of a second, I wondered if he’d known all along—had been working for my father to bring me back into the family fold or something—but even stunned as I was, I knew Delaney would never do something like that.
My father had always been charming, convincing. He’d made people believe he was a power player or a poor, pitiful victim, depending on what suited his needs.
Delaney wasn’t like that. He was honest to a fault.
Which meant Delaney had to have just made the connection today, in which case he might be hurt or upset that I hadn’t shared…
I stopped suddenly with the realization he might not have made the connection yet at all. It was possible, given how long ago I’d left Harmon Construction and how thoroughly I’d cut my father out of my life since then. We didn’t even have the same last name anymore.
Against my will, my brain served up our last conversation, the one I’d walked away from.
“You don’t understand, Brew. Empire Ridge threatened me. They threatened us?—”
“Bullshit. What did they threaten you with, Dad? Losing money? How much is your integrity worth? How much ismineworth? You might not give a shit about those things, but I do. You had no right to make this deal, to give away what was mine?—”
“I didn’t ask for your opinion on this deal because I didn’t have to, son.”
Remembering how helpless and frustrated I’d felt that day made me sick. I hadn’t believed a single word my father had spoken, especially not excuses about supposed “threats” he’d used to justify his actions. It was just like my father to shift the blame.
Now, I couldn’t help but wonder if he’d been honest for once. If the “threats” hadn’t been to his bottom line but of actual physical harm.
Trying not to panic, I called Delaney again.
Voicemail.
Empire Ridge was dangerous—it was clear in the way they’d taken down Harmon Construction and other smaller companies. I’d never heard about them trying physical intimidation, but I wouldn’t put it past them.
And now Delaney was out there somewhere, trying to find justice for one of the least deserving men on the planet. What if he was doing it by accusing—orprovoking—Empire Ridge?
It hit me then just how stupid I’d been not to talk to Delaney about this sooner. As soon as I learned he was writing about Empire Ridge, for sure. I’d prioritized my own comfort. I’d needed to keep my walls up, to stop myself from getting hurt.
And now, Delaney could potentially be in danger.
