Freeing Him: A Hart Brothers Novel, Book 2 Read online

  Grumpy can’t begin to describe my mood. I snap at everyone, slam drawers, rattle things on Kolson’s desk. I’m even making Jack jumpy.

  “Gabby, may I get you another cup of coffee?” he asks.

  “No. Coffee can’t solve my problems.”

  “I, uh, I think perhaps we should review the contracts HTS has pending, then.”

  Jesus, who the hell am I kidding? I can’t function like this.

  “Jack. I’m sorry. I didn’t get much sleep last night. The last couple of days have been rough. You know.” My voice cracks.

  “You don’t have to explain.”

  “No, you’re wrong. I do. My behavior is unacceptable. I’m not some spoiled adolescent and I don’t usually act like this. You should know I’ve taken a leave of absence from my psychiatry practice and I think I may need a few days off here as well. That’s pretty lame seeing as I just began my role as an active member of this team, isn’t it?”

  Jack is silent for a minute. “You want to know what I really think?”

  Leaning back in my chair, I say, “Yeah. I do.”

  “I think you’ve been handed the biggest shit sandwich I’ve ever seen. And to see you here, sitting at Mr. Hart’s desk, trying to run a huge corporation and hold it together, is a fucking miracle in my book. Honestly, if I were you, I’d be on a goddamn island somewhere, drowning my sorrows in a handle of Grey Goose and hoping I’d lose my memory of him in the process. He was so large … so dynamic. You just can’t sit here and not absorb that. And to be in your fucking shoes … to have loved him. I don’t know how you hold on the way you do.”

  He stuffs a handful of tissues in my hand and closes the door behind him as he leaves. This time when I look at all the pictures, I do it with patience, to see what Kolson saw when he took them. I try to understand how he looked at me but there isn’t a single common theme. Happy, serious, comedic, passionate, intense, awe, all there for him to look at each day. I never knew it, either, but I wish I had. I wish I’d taken the time to walk up here, visit with him, share a lunch together, and laugh over something silly. But I didn’t. Not like he did. He brought me lunch and we ate at my tiny kitchen table while he asked me all kinds of questions. I rarely asked him anything. Was I selfish? Or was I so buried in my own issues I just didn’t give a damn about him?

  Something begins to grow inside me. It takes root and I can feel the tendrils reaching out from my soul, strengthening me, strengthening my resolve. This is where it all starts. Langston Hart has fucked with the wrong person. I’m going to find a way to take him down. I don’t care what I have to do but there has to be something I can dig up on Langston that will stop him. Case said the FBI has been trying to bring him down. There has to be a way, and I’m going to figure it out.

  The tissues in my hand are crumpled up, but they’re still good enough to dry my face. I toss them in the trash and march to Jack’s office. The look of surprise when I walk in lets me know I must have evolved from that weeping mess into something resembling a Fury.

  “Jack,” I begin as I take a seat across from him, “did Kolson ever discuss his father with you?”

  “Not a whole lot other than he said Langston was dirty.”

  “What do you know?”

  “Again, not much, Gabby. The man you should be asking is Tom Barrett.”

  “Where is Tom’s office?”

  “Come on. I’ll take you and make the introductions.”

  A few minutes later, we’re all seated in Tom Barrett’s office.

  “Dr. Martinelli, Mr. Hart always gave me firm instructions to stay away from Hart and Sons Entertainment.”

  “I understand. But Mr. Hart is no longer in charge here. Tom, Langston Hart came into my office yesterday and threatened me. I want to see him in jail. We all know he’s a criminal. I want to find out as much as I can about him. How hard would it be to tap into his computers?”

  Tom casts a look at Jack but Jack doesn’t blink.

  “Dr. Martinelli, what you’re asking is illegal.”

  “Only if we get caught.”

  Tom blows out his breath. “This is highly unusual.”

  “So is being threatened in my office, Tom. We all know that Langston is dangerous. He all but said he’s paying off the police. They can’t help me. But you can, if you can get us any kind of helpful information that I can feed to the FBI.”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Think about it and let me know. And by the way, Kolson’s life could depend on this.”

  I walk back to my office and Jack follows.

  “That didn’t go too well,” I say.

  “Don’t be so quick on that. Tom isn’t one of those guys who jumps when you say jump. He’s IT. Very analytical. You know the type.”

  “Actually, I don’t know much about IT, but I am analytical. I’m the scientist type.”

  Jack nods. “Well don’t be offended, but there are a lot of similarities. These guys are geeky. They like to look at things from different perspectives.”

  “How many days should I give him before I seek help elsewhere?”

  “A week. That’s how these guys work.”

  “But I thought Tom was security.”

  “He is. But he started in IT. Those guys have an attention for detail that’s beyond anything. He has a superb team behind him but he knows what he’s doing.”

  “I don’t doubt that at all. If Kolson put him in that position, I know he’s the best.”

  “Gabby, are you okay?” Jack asks.

  “Yeah. Thank you for what you said earlier. It meant a lot. You don’t really know me …”

  “Mr. Hart wasn’t very talkative about his personal life, but he talked a lot about you. From the start, Gabby. It didn’t take a genius to figure out he was head over heels for you. He wasn’t the kind of man to allow himself to get distracted easily. From the very first, you were his sole distraction. I would know. I was with him every day.”

  I bite down on my lip as I smile.

  “There’s something else you should know. He avoided women when it came to business. And believe me when I tell you, they threw themselves at him. Unless it was a multi-million-dollar contract, he’d hand it over to me to deal with, if the client was a female. They usually became aggressive with him and he didn’t like that.”

  It’s easy for me to believe that.

  “That was one rule he never broke. And you can smile when I tell you this.”

  I do. And then I laugh. It’s funny hearing this from Jack because he is an unassuming fellow. Not unattractive, but not someone you would take notice of, either.

  “Jack, do you have a family?”

  “A wife and two kids. A son who is nine and a five-year-old daughter.”

  “I hope Kolson compensates you well.”

  Jack laughs. “I do okay.”

  “You want a raise?”

  He laughs.

  “Jack. I’m serious. You’re doing my job and yours. I think you’re overdue. Now I’m not sure what’s fair here and I haven’t even looked at the compensation schedules, but I’m pretty sure you’re a contract employee with stock or some kind of profit-sharing in the company. It’s obvious I need you. I don’t want you running off to a competitor, so I’ll make it worth your while to stay. I think it’s what Kolson would’ve wanted too. So tell me what you want and I’ll make it happen.”

  “You are serious.”

  “As fuck.”

  We settle on a number that he is more than happy with.

  “Can I ask you something?”

  “Shoot,” I say.

  “Were you and Mr. Hart planning to marry?”

  Wow. That knocks me for a loop and takes me back to my conversation with Kolson when how he never would tell me about his issues.

  “I think we would have eventually. But not right away. We weren’t in a rush, you know?”

  “I didn’t mean to upset you. I’m sorry.”

  “No, Jack. It’s all right.”


  “Is there anything else you need to review with me? If not, there are some things that need my attention.”

  “Nope. You’re off the hook here.”

  “Gabby, thanks for taking care of me financially.”

  “That wasn’t me, Jack. You deserve it. You did it on your own.”

  Jack leaves me to my thoughts so I skim through Kolson’s computer files. He’s savvy and smart. There has to be some kind of a file he keeps on Langston. Searching his database, I enter every known parameter I can come up with, including his name, the dragon, dragon slayer, creep, abuser, and so on but come up empty-handed. Since I can’t find anything in here, I turn to Google and run searches on him. I include the FBI in them and start to come up with all sorts of crimes that his name has been linked to. There are murders, shady business takeovers, most dealing with Atlantic City or Las Vegas, investment deals gone wrong where investors lost money but nothing could be proven, and the list goes on. No wonder Kolson wanted to get out of there. And the photos … my God, in every one, Kestrel is right beside him. And he looks excruciatingly uncomfortable. It’s pitiful, really. There’s something so disturbing about it, I want to reach into each picture and pull Kestrel out.

  A couple of news articles detail how they suspect Langston’s casinos of using rigged roulette wheels and crooked dealers. Unfortunately, none of this has ever been verified by the use of security cameras or the regional gambling authorities.

  My head swims with information on him. Maybe I need to talk to Case about this, but when I check my watch, I see how late it is and realize I never ate lunch.

  I shut down the computer, grab my purse, and say goodbye to Jack. I’m meeting Case at NA tonight and I need to go home and grab a bite first.

  Lydia is still here when I step off the elevator and my mouth immediately waters when I smell the evidence of her culinary talents.

  “Ah, Dr. Martinelli. I’m so glad I’ve caught you. I’ve left you some coq au vin on the stove simmering. You have mashed potatoes to go with it. Please eat. You are getting too skinny,” she admonishes.

  “Lydia, are you ever going to call me Gabby?”

  “No. Never.” She laughs. “Oh, and Mr. Kolson’s brother keeps calling the house phone. He says he needs to speak with you.”

  “Too bad. He can wait.”

  “Are you working again tonight?”

  “I am. I have to leave around six.”

  “Okay. Promise me you’ll eat!”

  “I’ll eat.”

  “Mr. Kolson wouldn’t like it if he knew you weren’t eating.”

  “Lydia, did Langston ever come up here?”

  “No, not that I’m aware of. And if he did, Mr. Kolson would’ve told him to leave. He did not like that man.”

  “Thank you for feeding me and taking care of me, Lydia.”

  She gathers her things and is gone. I fix a plate; the food smells divine and tastes even better. Lydia is a fabulous cook. The chicken is tender and falls off the bone and the potatoes are so yummy.

  When I’m done, I hurry into Kolson’s office and turn on his computer. I’m still on the hunt for anything he might have on Langston. But after forty-five minutes, I find nothing. It’s time to meet Case, so I head out, my ride waiting for me.

  On the way to NA, I decide that Kolson wouldn’t be so careless to leave information on his dad sitting in a file on his computer. He would take it with him or it would be somewhere inaccessible, hidden behind security codes. I’ll discuss it with him the next time I see him.

  Sky also calls and we briefly catch up. I am vague about things because the truth is I can’t tell her much. I also don’t want to be around her because I don’t want to give Langston any more fuel than he already has. Avoiding my friends is the best way to keep them safe for now.

  As soon as I see Case, I practically throw myself at him. When I’m hugging him, I ask, “Did he make contact with you?”

  “Yeah. We’ll talk about it later,” he mumbles back.

  The meeting goes like they always do. Case is magical in the way he turns the attitudes around in the room. Addicts walk in, down and hopeless, and within a few minutes of listening to him, there’s a hint of a spark in their eyes. I can feel the optimism bloom in the room. Case should’ve been the psychiatrist, not me. He’s probably helped more people than I ever will. And considering what’s happening in my life, my goals have certainly changed. Save Kolson and maim his father, at the very least.

  As I sit and reflect, I think about how much I’ve changed in the past year. Gone is the timid, frightened girl who could barely pay for a cup of coffee. In her place sits one of the wealthiest women in the state, and I’m pondering how I’m going to wipe someone off the face of the earth. Call me Dr. Evil. I laugh inwardly. Maybe I should give him a dose of electroconvulsive therapy without anesthesia and see how he likes it. Oh, the thought makes me giggle. Jesus, Gabby, you’re sick.

  I turn my focus back to a saner topic: Case and his addicts. He’s at the point now where he’s asking people to join in the conversation if they feel comfortable doing so. Some of the newbies introduce themselves, and some don’t. Some will never come back again but some will and if they do, Case will do his best to keep them coming again and again. He’s so dedicated; he makes my heart feel optimistic too. At the end, he mentions me and lets them know I’m there if they need me. A couple of people approach and ask me questions about rehab and the clinic. Their biggest concerns are withdrawal. I explain that the clinic is medically supervised and tell them it’s safe and effective but not easy. They’ll still have cravings. They’ll still want to use and there’ll still be a strong possibility of relapse. That’s where Case and NA come in.

  “The questions you must ask yourself are how bad do you want to quit using? And do you want your substance du jour to control your life, or do you want to take control of it? When you give me the right answers, I can help guide you in the right direction.”

  One man, perhaps my age, late twenties, looks at me and says, “I’m ready. I want to quit and I’m tired of not being in control. I’ve already lost everything. There’s nothing left for me to lose, except maybe my life.”

  I hand him a card, with the clinic address and my name on it, with written information on exactly where to go and who to see.

  He thanks me and right before he leaves, I say, “We’ll see you back here in about six weeks.”

  “Yeah.” He nods and leaves.

  When everyone is gone, Case and I chat. Our voices are hushed as we sit in the corner, our chairs pulled close.

  “So, Kolson stopped by.”

  “What?” It was difficult not to shout.

  “Don’t worry. He was dressed like a courier and we use them all the time. He wore a helmet with a visor so it would be difficult to see his face.”

  “I’m not sure I like that idea at all.”

  “I’m going to destroy that bug and then you’re going to meet with Kestrel in a café and ask him about it. Pay attention to his reaction. Tell him Lydia found it and set it out for you with a note and you dropped it and it broke. You called me to see what it was and I told you.”

  “Okay, but what about Kolson being my bodyguard?” I ask.

  “It may be risky, even as a bogus employee. Langston’s men are watching everyone too closely and if they see someone new, they’ll take pictures. It’s better to leave things as is.”

  “Good point. I asked Tom Barrett to hack into Hart Entertainment’s computers.”

  “You did what?”

  I explain.

  “Gabby. That’s putting him at risk. Call him down. This needs to be done from the outside. He could get killed.”

  “But …”

  “No buts.”

  “Jack was with me.”

  “Jack McCutcheon?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Shit. Tell them both the more you thought about it, the more you decided it was a bad idea.” Case lifts his head and looks around. Then he puts
his mouth next to my ear. “Gabby, this is serious shit. No one gets in this. Okay? Discuss this with no one. The only people you discuss any of this with are with me, Kolson, or Sam. Understand? The more people you involve, the more dangerous it becomes.”

  “Okay. Shit, I guess it was a bad plan.”

  “No. You want to help him. It’s understandable. But dealing with a Mobster who is known for contract killings is another story. It’s better to listen to Kolson. He’s trying to dig up evidence on Langston and some of his associates. If he can do that, Langston will go to prison. That makes much more sense. We have to be very patient.”

  “Did Kolson say when he’d be back?”

  “No. But he now has an untraceable cell phone, like yours. If you need him, in an emergency, Gabby, and I mean that, call him. Do not text him or use this thing for chitchat. You got that? You have to be dying or close to death to use it. Otherwise call me. Clear?”

  “Yep.”

  “Promise me.”

  “I promise.”

  My ride is waiting for me as Case walks me to the car. It’s going to be a long, sleepless night as I mull all this information over. I wish there was some way I could help.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Kolson

  Case is right. Me serving as Gabriella’s bodyguard is too risky. My security team that I personally set up at HTS would blow my cover so fast, I wouldn’t last a minute. I can see Tom Barrett clapping his hands already. Sam and Ovaltine will be the trusted ones who will guard her, and I will only visit when they are working. That is the best solution we can work out.

  When Case first saw me, he ushered me into his office and wanted to know if I was using. I know I look like hell these days, but I guess I hadn’t realized just how bad it had gotten.

  My only addiction, I told him, is Gabriella. Days without her make me edgy as fuck. I’m worried something will happen to her and I impress this upon him. Luckily, since Case used to be in law enforcement, he understands the gravity of the situation with my father. Case also mentioned that he has a close friend in the FBI who shared some of Langston’s files with him. He’s been looking over those files of how Langston has been implicated in over a dozen murders in the past. Case’s connection may be helpful to me if I can uncover any evidence in my investigation of him.