Holdin' On for a Hero (16 page)

“No,” he replied and walked over to her. “Because you’re Maurice Davenport’s daughter.”

Chance looked from him to Wyatt then back at him. “I don’t understand. I told you this money is mine. It’s from my mother’s estate. None of it comes from Maurice. I haven’t taken money from him since the day I graduated college.”

John pulled his chair around in front of her and sat down. “What do you know about your father’s business interests?”

“Not much. He has interests in a lot of different things. Why?”

John looked down at the floor then ran his hand over his face once. “Your father is partners with Winston Holling.”

Chance felt like someone had just kicked her in the stomach. “What? But that’s not possible. He doesn’t even know Holling.”

“Yes, he does. They met when they were boys. You see, Maurice Senior and Winston Senior were big fishermen. They met in college and became good friends. A couple of times a year Maurice Senior would come up and visit old man Winston. That’s how I met your dad. My father, Jacob, was friends with your grandfather.”

“You knew my grandfather?”

“Since I was a small boy. When your dad got old enough Maurice Senior would bring him along. He and Winston Junior got to be good friends.”

“Then why didn’t I ever hear about the Hollings?”

John shrugged. “You’d have to ask Maurice about that. But my point is, you’re part of the very thing we’re against. And once that gets out Maurice will do everything he can to make sure you don’t hurt his position.”

Chance’s eyes flashed. “Well, that’s too bad for Maurice. Mr. Wolfe, I’ve found out a lot of things about my father that aren’t very nice. I’m afraid I don’t feel the same about him I once did.”

John looked at Wyatt. “She had nothing to do with the abortion,” Wyatt said. “Maurice had her drugged and taken to a hospital.”

“Then why didn’t she tell you?”

“She didn’t know. She had blocked it out. Just like the time up here when she was eight—and a lot of other things. Tsa’li helped her remember.”

After a few moments John reached over and took Chance’s hand. “I’m sorry. I guess I was wrong—about a lot of things.”

Chance’s eyes began to tear as she looked at Wyatt’s father. “I’m sorry, too. I wanted the baby.”

He nodded and patted her hand. “And now?”

She cut a quick look at Wyatt before answering. “I love Wyatt. I always have.”

He smiled and gave her hand a squeeze. “I’m glad. Maybe now Wyatt can quit running from how he feels.”

She wiped at her eyes and smiled. “Well, he can run if he wants to. But I’ll chase him.”

John laughed and released her hand. “You remind me of how you were as a child. Always tagging behind him like he was the greatest thing since chocolate.”

Chance laughed as Wyatt’s hand moved around her, hugging her against him. “He is.”

John picked up his cup and went to the stove to refill it. “Well, I guess it’s time you quit calling me Mr. Wolfe.”

She turned to look at him. “What shall I call you?”

Wyatt gave her shoulders another squeeze. “I have a suggestion.”

Chance looked from Wyatt to John with a bewildered expression as both men smiled. They looked at her and she raised her eyebrows. “Someone want to let me in on the secret?”

Wyatt laughed and pulled her onto his lap. “How ‘bout you call him Dad, or Pop, whichever you prefer.”

“But he’s not—”

“But he could be your father-in-law.”

She pulled back and looked at him in surprise. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying that I think Chance Wolfe sounds good.” He smiled. “What do you think?”

“Are you serious?”

“Totally. Unless you’re not interested.”

“Not interested?” She jumped up and grabbed his arm to pull him to his feet. “Come on!”

“Hey!” Billy called as they started for the door. “Where’re you going?”

“To find out who at the council has the authority to perform marriage ceremonies,” Chance called out over her shoulder.

John started out after Chance and Wyatt with a gesture to Billy. “Come on.”

“Where are we going?” Billy asked.

“To a wedding.”

* * * * *

Chance turned to her assistant, Dianne. “So, what we have is three construction companies who have all paid heavily due to breach of contract with the Cherokee and no explanation as to why the contracts were breached? Diane?  Hello, earth to Diane.”

Dianne jerked around and looked at Chance with a flushed face. Chance smiled to herself. The women in the office had been falling all over Wyatt ever since they arrived at the CNN offices in Atlanta that morning. She could understand their reactions.

“Uh.” Dianne shuffled through her notes. “Yeah, that’s it. We contacted all three companies. Two referred us to their attorneys. We have the names and numbers. The third just refused to talk to us at all.”

“Okay,” Chance made a note, “assign someone from legal to talk to the attorneys. If all three situations were settled out of court, we need to talk to the parties involved in the negotiations. Also, bird-dog the big cheese at each of the companies. See if you can wear them down.”

“Now,” she turned to Steve, “what’ve you got on Holling?”

Steve cleared his throat nervously. “Chance, this is…well, I don’t know how to say this—”

“Just spit it out.”

“Well, there’s a good possibility that Holling is involved. He has connections with one of the construction companies. The owner and Holling are involved in some kind of wood preservative factory. The other two aren’t tied directly to Holling, but they are connected with one of his close business associates.”

“You have a name for this associate?”

“Actually…” he cleared his throat again. “Actually, I do. It’s Maurice Davenport.”

Chance leaned back in her chair and looked over at Wyatt. He didn’t speak but his dark eyes made contact with hers. She looked at him for a moment then straightened up. “Okay, fine. I want someone on it. I want to know how connected he and Holling are—if they’ve had recent contact, the usual. Also, and this is the most important, not to mention the missing element. What’s the point? If Holling and Davenport are indeed trying to block construction of the casino, what’s in it for them?”

Steve finished jotting down notes and looked up at her. “We had a thought about that. We need to get someone on the inside—in the Holling’s camp. Research came up with an interesting bit of information. Seems that Holling’s son Greg is a notorious womanizer, sees himself as some sort of world-class ladies’ man. If we can play that angle maybe we can get one of the women to get in tight with him—you know, play the role that she’s against the Indians and all for good old ‘white America’ and all that.”

“That’s a good idea. And I know just the person.”

Everyone in the room looked at her and she smiled. “Me.”

“No!” Wyatt spoke for the first time.

Chance’s boss, Rich, who had until now listened quietly, agreed with Wyatt. “He’s right. You’re not the one, Chance. Not only are you too close to the situation but there’s also a very good possibility that they’re already on to you.”

“I disagree,” she said as she stood up. “All anyone knows is that I’m a reporter who’s been nosing around.”

“And asking about Wyatt,” Rich pointed out.

“That’s easy to explain,” she argued. “His father is a prominent figure in this scenario. And since Wyatt and I have known each other for a long time I was simply playing on that relationship to get on the inside and get information.”

“That’s just it.” Rich walked over to stand in front of her desk. “You and he have known each other a long time. That’s what’ll give you away, show where your sympathies lie.”

Chance laughed and sat back down. “Oh, I don’t think so. And neither will anyone else who happened to witness our little reunion. As far as anyone around there knows, Wyatt’s hated the ground I walk on for quite some time. So, you see, I’m in the perfect position to go on the inside. I can play on that antagonism everyone thinks exists.”

Rich turned and looked at Wyatt. “If you have any control at all in this, please speak up because I’m not getting anywhere.”

Wyatt looked at Chance. “It’s too dangerous. If they find out…well, I don’t know what they might do.”

“What can they do? Don’t forget, I’m Maurice Davenport’s only daughter. If he and Holling are in bed together there’s no way Holling is going to hurt me. Besides, I have to do this.”

He opened his mouth to speak but she held up her hand. “I need to, Wyatt. Please don’t fight me on this.”

After a moment he held up his hands as if in surrender. “Okay, play it your way.”

She smiled and turned to Rich. “So? Anything else?”

He shook his head and reclaimed his seat. “All right, we’ll move on this. We’ll play both sides, interviewing the locals and the Indians—make it look like we’re impartial. But we can’t drag this out, Chance, so if you’re going in then do it fast.”

“You got it,” she replied, and looked around at the other people. “Okay, you know what needs to be done. Get everyone moving. I want reports in twenty-four hours. Call me on my cell. I’ll have the computer with me and you can download what you have. Dianne, get me a schedule printed of when everyone’s going to arrive and where they’ll be and their individual assignments. If you can’t get me on the cell, call Wyatt or his father. I’ll leave the numbers on my desk.”

Dianne nodded, and giving Wyatt one last smile, left the room. The others followed behind her. Rich stopped at the door and turned back to look at Chance. “You do realize that if you’re right this could ruin your father.”

She nodded. “Yeah, I know.”

“Okay.” He shrugged then looked at Wyatt. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Wolfe.”

“Same here,” Wyatt replied.

Rich left and Wyatt walked over to Chance. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

She smiled and kissed his cheek. “Well, if I don’t, I always have my guardian angel to fall back on. He’s never let anything hurt me yet.”

He rolled his eyes and shook his head. “I’ve been called a lot of things in my life, but never a guardian angel.”

She laughed and hugged him. “Well, there’s a first time for everything.”

* * * * *

Iris Waters pulled up in front of the hotel and parked the rented car. She  stopped at the desk. The clerk looked at her and broke into a wide smile.

“Yes, may I help you?” he asked, giving her figure an appreciative once-over.

“Iris Waters,” she said in a deep husky voice. “I believe you have a reservation for me.”

The man checked his reservations and beamed at her as he slid a guest information card toward her. “Yes, Miss Waters, if you’ll please fill this out.”

Iris quickly filled out the card and placed her American Express card on top of it. The clerk ran her card through the machine and returned it to her along with a room key. “Room 201, Miss Waters. May I have someone help you with your luggage?”

“That won’t be necessary.” Iris gave him a smile. “Thanks all the same.”

She turned and walked to the elevator, noticing the clerk still watching her as she stepped inside and turned around. She smiled, more to herself than to him. His reaction was typical. Men were attracted to her like moths to a flame.

Iris checked her watch as the elevator doors opened on the second floor.  She she had plenty of time to bathe and change before her date.

Thoughts about the upcoming evening brought a smile to her face. Greg Holling was handsome, wealthy and most importantly, easy to control. All of that combined to make him an ideal temporary companion.

As soon as she let herself into the room, she tossed her suitcase on the bed and stripped off her clothes, letting them fall randomly to the floor as she made her way into the bathroom.

Her own reflection in the mirror caught her attention. She smiled as she looked at herself. Gone was the tall, gangly teenager with the limp black hair and bushy eyebrows. That girl had vanished years ago. In her place was a striking woman of five-feet eight-inches with dark auburn hair that curled loosely to her shoulders.

She turned one way then the other, admiring herself. Even her own mother would be hard pressed to recognize her. The cosmetic surgeon had done wonders on her nose, shortening and narrowing it to classic lines. Her breasts were now what men drooled over, the kind of breasts one would see in a pin-up.

Blowing herself a kiss, she turned on the water in the shower. Twenty minutes later she emerged, skin flushed from the hot water and eyes glistening with excitement.

She went into the bedroom to get her cosmetics case, thinking about what was to come. She had prepared for this almost her entire life. In fact, her very existence centered around the plan she had set in motion. Now it was time to initiate the next phase. She smiled coldly as she went over her plans in her mind and pulled a thick file from her briefcase.

A photograph that was paper-clipped to the inside cover drew her eyes to it. She studied the man’s face, admiring the strong lines and black penetrating eyes. This was a man she could go for in a big way. He was the kind of man who was a match for her and that was something she had looked for all her life.