I grit my teeth and stifle a groan.Acting like an immature bastard isn’t going to help me, and that’s not what I should be focused on now.There are more important things to worry about.
“Okay, sure.”
“Yeah?”
“Yes.”
“Can I ask you to think about it?All my checks on him came back clear.Gibbs looked into him. That's as good as having the seal of approval from the Lord himself.”
I can't refute that. If Gibbs investigated someone I'd trust his findings.I'd even go as far as accepting he might be the only guy who could surpass my methods.We have different ways of doing things though.
“I will think about it,” I promise, and Massimo seems happy with the answer.
I just wish I could shake the feeling I have about this guy, but I’m a man of my word.I’ll think about it.
To do so, I’m going to do things my way.
* * *
The second I get home, I’m around my computer looking for dirt.I bring up the file we have on Jacques at the company first and look at it.
Jacques Belmont
Age: 33
Net worth: 2.5 Billion USD
CEO: Belmont Aircrafts and Belmont Vineyards.
Prick…
At least he’s not worth more than me.
I run my usual checks, and everything looks legit, and that’s the problem.He’s clean. As clean as Massimo alluded to.To me though it's too clean. I know that sounds like bullshit and like I’m trying to be a bastard and hate the guy, but if it’s one thing I know it’s that the best criminals are the ones that look legit.I’m a good example of that.
On the surface, I look like the good kid who excelled in his computer science and accounting degree at the prestigious M.I.T. Underneath that I’m pretty sure my extracurricular hacking activities could land me onthe most wanted list for all sorts of cybercrimes.
As for this fool, I don’t believe he’s as clean as he says he is, or what the evidence looks like.Something feels off about him and if I’m honest, I don’t particularly want him joining the Syndicate.
I don’t like his ass, but… maybe that’s because he wants my girl.He wants my angel.
I stop what I’m doing and switch off the computer.I look at my reflection on the screen and I contemplate the problem that’s truly up my ass.
I know exactly what it is.
Deciding to face the conflict, I go upstairs to the attic.I haven't been up here since I got back on purpose.I switch on the lights when I go through the door and stare at the thing I came up here for.
It's a painting I did. Like the others in this room.Art was one of the talents I suppressed because it reminded me too much of my mother.Art flowed from her soul and she used to paint us all the time in the meadows of Stormy Creek.She always said to me, you can't run away from who you are.She used to say that to me when she found me hiding and painting.I used to hide because I didn't want my brothers making fun of me.My parents were the only people I shared this talent with.
After Ma died, I found myself painting whatever fascinated me.
What fascinated me was Candace Ricci.
I walk over to the painting and pull off the white sheet covering it.It's half-finished and was the last painting I did.It was done a little over thirteen years ago, so she would have been fifteen.It was months before her parents died.
The reason it isn't finished is her father.He caught me doing it.
William Ricci was no fool, so he knew my seventeen-year-old ass was in love with his daughter and he wasn't happy about it.