Smiling again to himself once he sees the giant sign advertising all things baby and parenthood.
“What?” he asks with feigned innocence but driving past. Taking us both back to the hotel.
Or so I assume.
“I didn’t know you were interested in baby stuff,” I comment absently, hiding my own smile as I turn my head away a little, but it’s pretty clear we’re already both thinking about our future.
A family.
I never told Jett about my upbringing, and he hasn’t mentioned his either.
Something akin to ‘takes one to know one’ when it comes to orphans maybe.
Like how twins have some unexplained connection, orphans just know things without having to go over all the gritty details, good or bad.
My cell chimes at the same moment Jett’s buzzes, and we share another quizzical look between ourselves.
“Karlee,” I groan, but he ignores his phone. Urging me to answer mine instead.
It’s Karlee’s, but she sounds different.
More wound up than I’ve ever heard her, even when there are impossible deadlines to be met she’s always cool as a cucumber.
“I don’t know what you two did, but you need to get down here pronto,” she gasps. The excitement in her voice is undeniable.
A ripple of guilt hits me. Just a habit I guess when my boss sounds so accusing. But it’s odd she sounds so happy about it at the same time.
“What did we do?” I ask, glancing at Jett, who slows and starts to turn the car around.
Somehow just knowing we need to get back to the newspaper.
“Haven’t you heard yet?” she asks in genuine disbelief.
“…I guess not, how could you have?” she snaps, and I can hear the familiar sounds of the editorial office in the background.
“It’s a big story, Penelope. And I’d normally want you to cover it but you’re too close. Too involved and I… I mean we can’t have the paper looking like we’re running a dating service,” she mutters.
What the hell are you on about woman?
“Just get your ass down here and we’ll talk then. Oh, and Jett too of course. We need him more than you at the minute.”
With that, she hangs up and I give my standard ‘what the heck?’ face, but Jett seems to have more of a clue than I do, even though he ignores his phone at first before he switches it off as we drive back to Karlee’s office at the newspaper.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Jett
I was hoping for a positive result, but even I’m blown away by what I’m hearing.
What I see.
It feels like we’ve only just left his office, but there he is again, Stanford Carlisle, my new attorney.
What’s it been? Like two hours…
With a swift movement of his fat hand, he silences the three people trying to speak at once, and I recognize a little bit of a kindred spirit in the man.
“We can settle the details later in my office, but the short end of the stick is this,” he says, directing all his attention to me.
Still managing to sound like he’s an ace prosecutor about to deliver a hammer blow to his witness.
“Judge Amy Winder has heard your evidence and my case, without a formal hearing necessary,” he continues.
Not what ya know. ‘Who’ ya know.
He pauses for effect, but it’s clear he has the whole room’s attention.
“Your agent, former attorney, and the CEO of a large prison firm are having warrants served as we speak. Naturally, they’ll get a fair trial but the evidence is pretty damning… If it’s presented properly,” he asserts.
“You weren’t hearing imaginary things, Jett. Those three men plotted to, and were on the verge of cutting you out of your own company and even going so far as to frame, blackmail, and vindicate you in other crimes they’ve already committed. You name it, they’re up to their necks in it,” he goes on, almost sounding sympathetic for a moment.
Hearing it all again makes my head spin.
I just can’t believe I was so trusting of Miles. Mark too…
“Now. There will be a hold on your company assets while a brief investigation determines the gravity of their efforts,” he says, sounding completely unsympathetic.
“I’d recommend folding your original company and starting fresh, with new blood from the ground up,” he adds as an afterthought, but I’m already planning sweeping changes.
It’s a headache and will cost me, but you can’t start fresh with deadwood.
I’ve got Penelope and that’s all that matters to me.
Money be damned for now. We’ve got enough cash and credit for months anyhow.
“What about all the existing cases against me,” I ask. I have to ask.
It’s not just me now, it’s us.
Penelope and me.
“That’s all part of the investigation I’ve initiated, but I’m confident it’ll all be dismissed.” Stanford clips, looking vexed that I’ve said anything before he’s finished.
Penelope’s hand slips silently into mine and I feel like that makes everything real again.