hold it close, and savor it. Lord knew, it would all come tumbling down on him soon enough.
On the nightstand, his cell phone—rather, Braedon’s cell phone—chirped. Great. A message. Since it was most likely from his brother, he needed to get it and delete it before Penny woke up.
His outstretched arm couldn’t quite reach the BlackBerry.
Inch by inch, he scooted, pulling Penny along with him, until he closed his fingers around the cool pearl black square. It wouldn’t do to have Penny see a message from Braedon.
Turning as much as possible, he scrolled to the message and frowned. What the hell?
Wright, your time is up. Pay up.
The sender was not someone he recognized, but he knew the last name: Harding. It had to be Penny’s father.
Ryan heaved a silent sigh. Just what he needed. Beneath Penny’s head, his heart clenched. Were it not for shortening his time with her, a heart attack might be a viable way out of the situation. Nothing fatal, mind you, just serious enough to buy him some time to think.
While he stared at the glowing screen, it chirped again as another message came in from the same sender.
I’m waiting. Tomorrow morning. Ten o’clock. Don’t be late. It makes me cranky.
With his thumb, he laboriously typed out:
Where?
A few seconds later, the phone chirped again.
Don’t play stupid.
“I’m not playing,” he grumbled, tucking the phone under the spare pillow. He needed to call his brother and find out what all the cloak and dagger stuff meant. A glance at the clock on the nightstand confirmed the early hour. No doubt Braedon was still out.
Easing away from Penny, he inched his way to the edge of the mattress, grabbed the phone, then stood. A glance back confirmed she was still sleeping.
Cautious steps took him through the living room into the kitchen, where he waited to turn on the light until the door had swung shut.
He wasted no time, hitting the speed dial button, then paced the cool tile while he waited.
“Now what?” Braedon’s voice vibrated his ear.
Ryan walked to the far corner of the kitchen before he spoke in a low whisper, “You had a message.”
“So? Take care of it.”
“I’m trying!” He glanced at the still-closed door and lowered his voice. “But it was cryptic.”
“Cryptic? What the hell does that mean?”
“A text message saying to meet the sender tomorrow. At ten. With money…sound familiar?”
Braedon’s sigh heaved through the air waves. “What else did he say?”
“That’s it. To meet at ten tomorrow morning. Do you know where that would be? ’Cause when I asked where, he said not to play stupid.”
“I’ve met them a few places. He give any clue?”
“Brae, I wasn’t about to play twenty questions.”
“There’s an abandoned golf course, about half a mile down the road from my place. Try the caddy shack there. It’s on the Gulf side of the parking lot.”
“Okay, but…How much do I need to give him?” When his brother quoted the price, Ryan winced. “Will he take a check?”
Braedon’s laughter vibrated the cell phone, then he hung up.
Ryan stood for a while, trying to formulate a plan. He could notify the police. But if he did that, he’d also implicate his brother, as well as possibly alienate Penny by having her father arrested. Assuming her father actually showed up at that type of meeting in person. Regardless, she would still be affected.
The idea of parting with such a large sum of money made him physically ill. There had to be a better way of handling it.
He’d talk to whomever he met. Most people were not unreasonable. Surely they could reach a compromise.
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