Page 55 of Brutal King

“Yeah. You told me about that.”

I looked into her eyes, my own filling with tears. “We had finally broken through the barrier that had kept us apart for so long and we were... well, we were getting along. We were really getting along.”

“Oh.I see.”

I snorted and pressed a sad grin. “I mean, he came over here to make breakfast for me this morning; Oyster omelet.”

“Hmm, sounds delicious. Sorry I missed it. I went out for an early jog, and you were gone when I came back.”

I shrugged and reached for a tissue to wipe my eyes. “None of that matters anymore. It’s over. Hell, it was over even before it began. I should have seen this coming. The Kings would do anything to get on top. Errol just can’t stand playing second fiddle to the Lee family.”

“Kat,” she said as she laid her hand over mine. “I really don’t think the Kings are behind this. Think about it. It just doesn’t make sense. Errol King wouldn’t risk his reputation by destroying a new restaurant, and he certainly wouldn’t put his name to it. That would be commercial suicide.”

I considered her argument. She was right. Why would Errol King put his name to such vandalism? But I couldn’t find another culprit.

“Excuse me,” I said as I stood. “I’ve been putting off calling my dad, but I think I’m ready now.”

She stood and gave my shoulder a sympathetic pat. “Let me know if there’s anything I can do.”

I pressed a smile. “There’s some of that oyster omelet left in the fridge if you want to try it.”

I went to my bedroom, sat down on the edge of the bed and made the call to my father.

“I was wondering when you were going to call,” he said before I could say anything.

“Sorry,” I muttered. “I didn’t know what to say.”

“You must be devastated,” he said.

“I just don’t get it, Dad. This was a school project. And it was a school project that his own son was a part of. Why would he do this?”

“Errol and I go back a few years. We have differing views on how to run an establishment. I just happen to have a view that make Lee restaurants a hit.”

“That’s still no reason.”

“Listen, a few years back I opened a restaurant in this one neighborhood. It just so happened that one of King’s friends owned a place in that same neighborhood. King maintains that his friend could no longer turn a profit once I opened my restaurant. He blames me for his friend shutting down.”

“And he’s been feuding with you ever since?”

“He’s certainly been acting that way. From my end, I wish him no harm. I have nothing against the man. I’m just doing what I do best. If that rankles his fragile ego... what do you want me to do about it? Besides, I thought all this silliness was over when he accepted you into his Academy.”

I shrugged. “Maybe he’s not aware that I’m even here. I mean, there are thousands of students.”

“No,” my father calmly said. “He knows. When I heard of the projects that the students were going to be asked to participate in, I’m the one who called to offer up Ginger. He knew it was me. He knew it was a Lee restaurant, and he accepted.”

“Do you think he accepted just so he could do what he did?”

“It’s hard to say what goes through that man’s head. If he thinks that this is a way of getting ahead, he’s dead wrong. This is just a minor hurdle for Lee Family restaurants. We’ll get through it. There will be a delay, but we will open, and we will be a success.”

I nodded. “I know we will, Dad. Thanks for talking this out with me.”

“Don’t worry about anything,” he said. “Everything will work out... you’ll see.”

“Bye, Dad. I love you.”

“I love you, too, Kitty Kat. Bye, honey.”

I stared at the phone for a long time, trying to figure out what my next move should be.