Page 51 of Dirty Little Vow
“That’s a shocking but good thing to hear. Don’t become him. I hope Bella keeps that from happening.”
“How did you know it was Bella?”
“You told me. Didn’t you? Either way, no I can’t make Dallas, as much as I wish I could, sincerely. But I will be in Italy. Send me photos. I do love you, Tyler.” She disconnects.
I have a fleeting memory of José and my mother chatting when I was a young boy and I wonder how much of what she knows, and what he told me today, have to do with their mutual efforts.
I consider a moment. How devious of my father would it be for him to place the Allen documents in the case file that is my first loss?
I sit down at my desk and pull up the file archives and curse, when the file I want is not present. Of course not. My father hated online archives. He felt like the data too easily landed in the wrong hands. That means I have to go to our storage facility in Henderson, but I have a good feeling about this. Maybe, just maybe, I will end up sitting across from Knox Allen with more than a bluff in my pocket.
Chapter Forty-Eight
Tyler
I’ve just reached elevator banks, nearing the lobby, about to go see Bella, before I leave for the storage facility when Dash steps off the elevator. “Any news?” I ask.
“Nothing. Still digging. You?”
“Maybe. I might know where my father hid what we need but I need a couple of favors.”
“Hit me.”
“I’m meeting with Allen tonight at eight at the cigar club. If you can get Bella home safely, I’ll have Dierk shadow, and back me up.”
“And if you don’t find what you’re looking for?”
“I’m going to bluff like hell and we’ll figure it out this weekend. I’m about to tell Bella I’m in meetings that might run late. Yes, it’s a lie, but—”
“I get it. You’re trying not to scare her.”
“I’ll tell her the truth when I get home.”
“Understood. I hear you’re getting married this weekend?”
“We are. And I need to do a little shopping for Bella, too, if I get done soon enough. I want it to be special.”
“Allie’s already got a few options for the ceremony. You want to talk about details tonight?”
“I want Bella to be happy. That’s all that matters. I need to go and I actually can’t see Bella first. She knows me. She’ll know something is going on and I don’t have a lot of time.”
“Go,” he says. “I’ll handle Bella.”
I give him a nod and walk to the stairwell and exit the hallway. I need to clear my head and think about my strategy with Knox Allen, be it with or without the need to bluff.
Chapter Forty-Nine
Tyler
Our storage location is off site, and tightly locked down on the upper level of a high-rise where the security desk is literally shutdown. It takes me nearly an hour to get someone out there, and then I’m presented with a storage area two floors deep. Logically there would be a date, and/or name system I simply can’t seem to figure out. It takes me some time to figure out a weird coding system that was no doubt my father’s doing. Even then I have rows and rows of files to go through. In the middle of it all, I receive a phone call from a number I do not know.
When clients call from all kinds of phone numbers I don’t have the luxury of declining a call. I answer with, “Tyler Hawk.”
“Tyler. This is Bella’s father.”
My spine stiffens. “Sir. Good to hear from you.”
“You’re marrying my daughter, I hear.”