I rubbed my temple because all this confusion about Amelia was starting to give me a headache.
Of course, I couldn't tell him that. "We've had a problem at the Hampton club. I've been out here for the last few days, dealing with it."
"What?"
“Drugs are being sold there."
"What the fuck? How long has this been going on?"
I winced, knowing he felt like I should have called him sooner. "I can't tell you when it started. I know the cops have been watching the place for a couple of months, at least."
"You didn't tell me? What the hell, Max?"
Now I was getting a headache for a whole new reason. "I only just heard about it last week. I came out here, and I've been dealing with it the last couple of days."
"And I ask again, why didn't you tell me?"
"Because when I left you, Sam, you weren't in a good headspace. I didn't want to add to that. If I felt it was necessary to loop you in sooner, I would have, but I think it's all going to be okay. It's no one on our staff—"
"Of course it isn't. Everyone who works there, we’ve vetted and have worked with."
"Yes, well, none of the staff is directly involved in the drug sales, but it looks like it's possible that Allison's cousin is our drug dealer." Allison was an assistant manager and one of the people on the shortlist who could relocate to California to run the club out there.
"Allison? There's no way she would allow something like that to happen at the club."
"The police are trying to figure out if maybe she's getting a cut—"
"That's bullshit, Max, and you know it. You're not throwing her under the bus, are you?"
"No. But neither do I need the police giving the club a bad reputation, or worse, closing us down."
"We have to stand by our people—"
"I am, Sam. Shut up for a minute and let me tell you what I think is going on. I think Allison is either being blackmailed or threatened. The police were ready to bring her in for an interrogation, but I convinced them to let me talk to her wearing a wire. And before you start busting my balls again about wearing a wire, I don't like deceiving her, but surely, it's better than having her brought to a police station, interrogated, and having her cousin think she's snitching on him, don't you think?"
"Fuck."
"That was my thought too. I’ll be wearing the wire. I have no doubt that whatever she says will prove that she's not a volunteer participant."
Sam was quiet on the other end for a moment. "You still should've told me."
"I'm telling you now."
"I can fly out to New York—"
"It's not necessary. Really. Stay in California. Make love to the woman of your dreams and move forward on the club we want to build there. Everything's going to be fine here."
"Okay. You know, I was thinking that if we were able to get the L.A. club project moving, we might be able to speed up starting on the Las Vegas club.”
I thought of Amelia and what could happen if I relocated to Las Vegas. It wasn't supposed to be a permanent relocation, but neither was Sam's move to Los Angeles supposed to be permanent, as it looked like it would be.
"Let’s take it one step at a time."
"Okay. Keep me posted on what's going on out there in the Hamptons,” Sam said.
"Will do. Do you think you'll be home for Christmas?"
"I don't know. I think Kate is going to want to be with her brother and sister-in-law and their kids. Plus, I want to be with her alone, in our own place, when I ask her to marry me."