AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yes, I know. It’s in the calendar.” I rolled my eyes and picked a long, blonde hair off the sleeve of one of Leander’s suits. Flicking it away with a sneer, I made a note to have everything dry cleaned. Immediately. I’d triple Yolanda’s salary to make sure it was done within the next twenty-four hours.
“Oh, happy to see you’re finally using it for a change. Not that you’d, like, I don’t know, put your vacation plans in it or anything. Or tell your assistant. Or your family. Or anyone. Just up and disappear with your—”
“Wasn’t there something you were supposed to be doing?” I snapped. He was worse than a nagging wife sometimes.
“Here she comes, your majesty,” Gavin snipped in return before the line fell silent.
Steeling myself for a confrontation, I exhaled slowly as it rang. And rang. I was preparing for a voicemail when she picked up, sounding as exhausted as she had on TV. I hoped she looked equally shitty. “Dr. Lorelei Clayton.”
“Dr. Clayton, my name is Bennett Reeve. I’m calling on behalf of Leander Welles.”
There was a pause. “You’re one of his lawyers, right?”
So, she at least knew I existed. “Indeed. I’m calling about his cat.”
“Is he... is he dead?”
I blinked, but managed to spit out, “Uh, no.” That was quite the leap. If he was truly dead, it would be the police or the coroner calling her dumb ass, not a lawyer. Unless she thought she was already in the will? God she was presumptuous.
There was an audible sigh of relief, followed by a little laugh. “Thank God. I’ve been so worried about him.”
Refusing to engage in the small-talk bullshit, I waited until she circled back around to more important things — like why I was calling.
“Is he there with you?” she asked, sounding way too eager. “Can I talk to him?”
“I’m sure if he wants to speak to you, he’ll call. I, on the other hand, am only concerned with the whereabouts of the cat.”
“Yes, yes, she’s here. I... I’m sorry, have youseenLeander? Is he ok?”
Oh my God. Two seconds on the phone with this broad and I was ready to open a vein. How the hell did she counsel crazy people for a living?
“Dr. Clayton, I’ll keep it brief since you seem rather... distracted. It’s in your best interests to return the cat as soon as possible. If you cannot accommodate that request, I’ll make arrangements to have the cat picked up.”
“I’m sorry, what? I’m just...” She exhaled and sniffed quickly. Fuck me. She was crying. Why the hell was she crying? Wasn’t she supposed to be a goddamn professional? “I’m trying to understand what’s happening.”
I spoke slowly, so hopefully each word sunk into her thick head. “He’s home. He wants his cat back. Got it?”
“But I—”
“Failure to return said cat will result in theft charges being filed against you. I promise you, I’ll go for a Class Three felony. I’m sure this cat has lived in the lap of luxury since Leander got it and boy do those vet bills add up. At the very least I’m guaranteed a misdemeanor.”
She gasped. “What?! I didn’t steal her! I didn’t know where the hell he was or if he was even coming back!”
I rolled my eyes, doing my best not to let her yapping get under my skin. “You are currently exerting unauthorized control over his property and if you refuse to return the cat, you’re intending to deprive him of it forever. That is the textbook definition of theft. Would you like me to provide the statute number so you can Google it?”
There was a long pause, filled only with her short, rapid breaths. When she spoke again, her voice was hard. “I want to talk to him.”
“As I said, if he wants to speak to you, I’m sure he’ll be in contact.”
“Are you with him?”
“Whether I am or not has zero relevance to this conversation. Any further questions?”
There was another sniff, this one longer and wetter. I could only imagine the waterworks taking place on the other end. “No.”
“Good.” I was just about to hang up when she spoke again.
“Can you tell him something for me?”
