“For your information, I happen toownthis shithole diner,” I ground out. “And I’m in the middle of a renovation.”
His eyes scanned the room. “Lady, anyone who gave you the impression you were anywhere near the middle of this renovation doesn’t possess the gift of sight.”
“Who the hellareyou?”
“I’m the guy Stanley Morter hired to kill you.”
I grabbed the red Swingline stapler from my desk, taking a step back and waving it in his direction, shouting, “You’d better not try anything!”
Scooby looked me up and down, then laughed. “Well, now that you’re armed with a deadly weapon which youclearlyknow how to use, I wouldn’t dare.”
I glanced down and noticed I was holding the stapler backwards, not to mention, I’d been out of staples for two weeks. I set it back down and scanned my desk for a more appropriate weapon, but unfortunately, anything useful was in the kitchen.
“I’m not gonna hurt you, Rowan,” Scooby said. “Not a hair. I promise.”
His stance relaxed, his arms uncrossed, and he leaned against the doorframe, now seeming much less formidable than before. Don’t get me wrong, the man was well over six feet tall, so he was still intimidating as hell, but he was seemingly actively making himself less scary somehow. Plus, hearing him speak my name made the ‘fairies in my tummy dance’ as my mother used to say. Although, right now I was mostly in shock.
“Why does Stanley Morter want me dead?” I asked.
“I get the impression it has to do with the money his old man left you.”
“The money?” I frowned in confusion. “But Stanley was there when the lawyer gave me the check. Acker was his name, I think. Stanley seemed happy for me. He kept smiling, saying how I deserved every penny. I remember it vividly because he was never that nice to me. In all the time I cared for his father, Stanley was nothing but critical and harsh. I would have quit after the first month if I didn’t care so much about his father.”
Scooby raised an eyebrow. “And you thought a man like Stanley Morter would just be okay with his father leaving over fifty-million dollars to his nurse instead of his only son?”
I stared at him for a few seconds before letting out a snort of laughter, which quickly turned into maniacal giggles.
“My father used to say, ‘There’s only two reasons someone laughs in the face of danger. Either they’re a badass or a dumbass.’”
“First you call my place a shithole, and now you’re insulting my intelligence…nowI’m calling the police.” I grabbed my phone.
“Fine, have it your way. But I guarantee the cops are gonna be a hell of a lot more interested in where the fifty-mil is stashed than they will be in protecting you.”
“And if you think I have fifty-million dollars, I’d invite you to look at this place again.”
“Ihavelooked into this place. And you lied to me when you said you owned it. The only thing you own is a 2003 Jetta. In fact, you’ve never made a single significant deposit into any US bank, which means either the money has been put into off-shore accounts or you have it stashed somewhere.”
“Clarence Morter left me exactly ten-thousand dollars in his will. His attorney cut me a check, which I immediately signed over to the previous owner of the diner as a good faith deposit. The business is still under his name, but we have an agreement for me to take it over fully after the renovations are completed.”
“Or, you’ve got the money stashed and you’re planning on using the diner to launder the fifty-million.”
“Okay, Scooby,” I hissed. “I’ll give you, Scrappy, and the rest of the gang exactly ten seconds to get your asses back in the Mystery Machine, drive back to your clubhouse, smoke another bong load, and solve some other mystery.”
“What the fuck did you say about my brother?” he bellowed, his eyes blazing with fire.
“I don’t know your brother, I don’t know you, nor do Iwantto know you. I want you out of here,” I said, beginning to dial 9-1-1.
“Fine, lady, have it your way. Get yourself killed. I may not be stupid or broke enough to take the contract, but someone will be, and I can guarantee he won’t give you the chance that I’m offering.”
I said nothing, pointing to the door, my heart in my throat.
Scooby scowled, spinning on his heel, and storming out of my office. I lowered myself into my chair and dropped my face into my hands.
* * *
Scooby
Crazy stubborn bitch. Jesus, she apparently has a death wish. Or maybe Morter was telling me the truth and she’s more dangerous than him.