I chewed a fingernail, trying to figure what he was getting at.
“So, he’s working as a foreman for a contractor in Phoenix. I happened to know the guy that he works for, so I gave him a call. He said Simon has worked there less than a year. Pretty good employee, I guess. Just takes quite a bit of sick time. He’s been going to Mexico a lot. Like once a month.” Max’s eyes narrowed, watching me closely as I started to put two and two together.
“I see.”
“Yeah. I’m guessing he’s going down there, picking up drugs of some kind, and bringing them back. It would make sense. It would explain why he misses a lot of work. It would explain how he has the money to even consider buying a place like Solomon. And it would explain how a job foreman has the money to afford to live the way he does because his income definitely does not explain his assets.”
Max didn’t say anything, giving me time to process everything.
“That motherfucker.”
“Yeah. So what do you want to do?”
I leaned forward again, getting a plan together. “I’m going to doubt that he buys Solomon Place now that he knows I own it. Why would he do anything that would benefit me in anyway? But if he does—that’s fine. I will take his money.”
“I really don’t think he knew you owned it, Cane. Simon’s boss said he has been all over the place lately, talking about starting businesses and moving to fucking Texas and all kinds of shit. It doesn’t seem like he’s been thinking about you at all, so I think we can chalk this up to one huge coincidence.”
“Yeah, well, if I had ran into him at a gas station, I wouldn’t fucking care. But Jada was right in the middle of it.” I looked Max in the eye, driving home my point. “And you know Simon. He doesn’t miss much.”
Max nodded. “I see what you’re saying, but do you really think he would bother trying to fuck with you now?”
“If this is a coincidence like you think, then no. But let’s be real here. A lot of shit went down and you know he blames me for it. Even though that’s fucking ridiculous.”
“No doubt. And if you are right and Simon picked up on something between you and Jada … it isn’t fair to her to be put in the middle of whatever bullshit he may try to pull.”
“I don’t want to get paranoid here because I think he’s smarter than to do something that will wind up getting him in a cot next to his dad. But we do need to use our heads. Watch our backs.”
Max took a final swig of his beer and started fumbling with the label again. “I’ll watch the jobsites. To me, that’s where he will try to hit you. That’s what started all of this in the first place.” He looked at me seriously. “Especially Benjamin Estates. And I’ll keep my ears on the ground.”
“Who knew that your college roommates would come in so helpful this many years later, huh?”
He grinned. “That’s why you gotta be nice to everybody; you never know when you’ll need them.”
“One of these days you will need me. I promise you.”
“That’ll be the day.”
“Anyway, we need to make sure we keep an eye on Jada. I really don’t think he will buy the building, but if he does, I’ll make sure she doesn’t work on the deal. I’ll cross that bridge when I get there. But I need your help in making sure she stays away from him on the private side.”
“And how do you expect me to do that?”
“You are over there all the fucking time. Just make sure she doesn’t mention seeing him or him calling her. I don’t think that will happen, but assholes like him pick up on shit. And it wasn’t a surprise that I was pissed that he was there with her. So let’s just be safe.”
“Should we just tell her? Lay it all out there on the table?”
I blew out a breath. “No. I don’t think so. I think we are probably overreacting and I don’t want her to be constantly looking over her shoulder, you know? We can look over it for her.”
“Do you really think he would go that far?”
I exhaled. “There would be nothing I would put past that motherfucker, Max.”
JADA
An acacia tree was beating against my bedroom window furiously, the monsoon in full force. The sky was a nasty shade of brown as wet, sandy rain dumped from the thick clouds above. I felt much like that inside—turbulent, frustrated, and a little heavy-hearted.
Cane was right. There was something unnamed that pulled us together. We definitely had a chemistry, like he said, and it was going to be a pity not to explore it. Because things weren’t going to go any further.
The look on his face a few days before when I explained that to him made it clear that he understood my reasoning. And he agreed. Which was exactly what I wanted … so why wasn’t I more relieved?