Page 43 of Protecting Love

“That’s most likely the case, but I’ll keep checking. There could be nothing and it’s over with, but I’d rather be prepared. I can send you the report on the owners, but the one thing I wanted to show you and not send just yet is something on Michael Mahoney.” He turned his computer around. “He’s got a juvenile report. Little bit of a temper, assault. Had a few domestic calls from the wife and then no charges.”

Braylon got up and looked at the screen over West’s shoulder. “Why couldn’t you send this to us?” Braylon asked.

“Because of who sent it to me.”

He still had contacts doing him favors. He wouldn’t put them at risk.

“Got it,” West said. “Keep this in mind if we need to, but whatever they are doing in their business is no concern of ours.”

“If you were going to buy it, it would have been,” Braylon said.

“Were you interested in it?” This was news to him.

“I always hear what Paris and London have to say when they are going through something like this. If they feel as if a company might be interested, I can look into it. As part of the recommendations she threw out there selling was an option. I looked over what she had and it didn’t appear to be profitable enough for me.”

“But I’m sure you could turn that around if you wanted to.”

“Always,” West said. “But I got the vibe early on from Paris that she didn’t care for the owners. Normally that’s enough for me to walk away unless there is a major return, and there wouldn’t be. Not quickly.”

“And if they are doing something shady, or someone is, that’s all the more reason not to sell,” he said.

“Could be.”

Fletcher stood up and reached for his laptop. “That’s all I’ve got for now. I’ll keep looking into them to be prepared, but nothing more than that.”

“It’s probably over,” West said. “The security cameras are installed. The wall and steel door are being put in this coming weekend.”

“I’m sure Paris is just thrilled with that.”

“She doesn’t have a choice,” West said.

He was positive few argued with West.

“If there is nothing else, then I’ll get back to it.”

He walked out and returned to his office to dig some more, just to give him something more interesting to do.

11

COMES WITH THE TERRITORY

“Why are we just hearing about this now?” her mother asked two days later.

Paris leaned back in her chair. She should have waited until her sister was here to make this call, but London ended up flying out of town this morning and wouldn’t be back until Sunday.

“Because it wasn’t that big of a deal, but I didn’t want you to hear it from anyone else.”

“Paris,” her mother said. The sigh was loud enough she pushed the phone back from her ear. “I know you. Those things bother you about your job. Your career. You want to help businesses expand, do more, and be better. Sometimes that comes at the risk of people losing their jobs and you’ve never been okay with that.”

“I hated it. I do. Always. But I tell myself it’s not me cutting those jobs. I always give options.”

“And most times businesses choose that option.”

“It’s life. I know it as well as everyone else. I’ve had people get angry and know I need to be cautious when I’m working.”

“Which comes with the territory.”

“But I’ve never had someone search me out after the fact and come here to give me hell. I could even handle the yelling and accusations.”