Gage (Men of Honor 1)

My first call once I made up my mind was to the eldest daughter of the old man who’d died not too long ago and left her millions. Then I called the precinct. Since I’d never done this shit before I didn’t know where to start, and was surprised when two detectives actually showed up at the office to have a talk.

By the time they left I wasn’t sure what they were going to do with the information they took with them, but from their expressions it wasn’t going to be good for the widow. Not my problem, as far as I’m concerned it’s out of my hands now. With her out of the way I can go back to focusing on the impending birth of my child.

There was no way for her to get to my wife, I made sure of that. Since I know her numbers from our business dealings, I have them all blocked on my home phone and Holly’s cell. There was no way for her to come onto my property without me knowing and Holly doesn’t go anywhere without ma or Lucille in attendance.

I’m not sure how long whatever the cops are going to do is going to take, hopefully not long, but I have everything in place to ensure that she never gets anywhere near my wife again.

* * *

DONNA

* * *

Oh great, she’s here! I pulled up to the entrance to the country club and passed my key to the valet. I’d driven around the lot looking for Holly’s new car and spotted it before coming back to have my own parked.

It was one of her regular tennis days but I doubt she was on the court. I was a little annoyed when I walked in and saw the bartender I’d asked to call me if she showed up behind the bar; he hadn’t called me.

I headed straight for dining area since it was well into the lunch hour and was pleased to see her sitting at a table with her friends as usual. I wasn’t too keen on her mother in law who was also in attendance. I got the feeling last time that she was some kind of buffer but that could’ve been a misconception on my part.

“Hello ladies, I haven’t seen you here in a while.” I made sure to place myself close to Holly, towering over her in my stiletto heels. I ignored the looks on their faces and kept the smile plastered on mine as I tried to figure out how I was going to work my way around to sitting with them.

Had I planned ahead I would’ve worked it out with the server ahead of time but I wasn’t expecting the table to be full, usually there’s only three of them with an extra seat. Now without an invite from one of them to sit I’ll have to be crass and invite myself.

I exchanged small talk, asking each of them how things were going though I couldn’t give a fig, but no one seemed interested in inviting me in, in fact they all seemed annoyed by my intrusion; too bad. “You don’t mind if I sit with you do you ladies? I so hate eating alone.”

“Actually we do. We’re in the middle of a very private conversation so if you don’t mind.” I felt heat blush my cheeks at Holly’s denial. That she of all people would have the gumption, where did she get the nerve? Usually it would be that Tracy person who would give such an answer not the timid mouse.

That quickly I was transported back to my childhood as the smile dropped off my face. I felt naked, exposed and foolish. And even more so when they all went back to perusing their menus and discussing what they were going to have in a dismissive move that left me no other recourse but to retreat.

I walked or more like slinked away from the table hoping that no one else had witnessed my humiliation but too afraid to look. I all but ran out the door and snapped at the valet to bring me my car so I could get out of there.

I didn’t know what to think as I drove away headed back to my house. Why had Holly reacted that way, why so openly hostile all of a sudden? Is it because she’s pregnant and now feeling more secure in her position as wife?

By the time I pulled into the driveway I was steaming mad. Today was the first time in years that I’d reverted back to my old ways. While I was standing there I didn’t feel like the poised, beautiful new me, but like that girl that I had worked so hard and paid so much to escape and leave behind.

I was almost to the door when my phone beeped with a text and I almost fell over when I saw what was awaiting me on the screen. I looked around quickly before struggling to open the door and slamming it behind me.