Page 77 of Sapphire Sunset

After beginning things with a long hug, their meeting hadfocused mostly on the state of the hotel for the last five years, but as Connorhad expected, it turned into a long overdue catch-up that veered in and out ofpleasant reminiscences of the old days, of Connor’s father and grandfather.

In short, it was the deep breath they both needed after thechaos of his return the day before.

But there was one topic Gloria had studiously avoided untilnow.

“So,” she said with an air of finality. “Logan.”

“He told you.”

“Some. I don’t need the details. That’s not why I brought itup. I just hope you both can get past it is all.”

“We’ll do what’s best for the hotel.”

“Good,” Gloria said. “Because I’ll be blunt. You need to. Bothof you. He’s one of the best people who’s ever worked here, Connor. I heard howthey ganged up on him in the department meeting. If I’d been there, I wouldhave had his back.”

Connor was about to respond when there was a harsh knock. Heopened the door and saw Donnie looking back at him, pale and wide-eyed.

“We got a visitor who’s really shaking things up out here,”Donnie said.

“Who?”

“Your uncle.”

The last time Connor’s pulse had roared in his ears like thishe’d done a Barry’s Bootcamp class first thing in the morning with only a DietCoke in his stomach.

By the time he reached the lobby, there was sweat under hiscollar, and his throat had gone raw in that way that told him he wasdangerously short of breath. He’d expected Rodney to retaliate, of course. Butthrough the press. Not with a surprise appearance at the scene of his crimes.

Rodney wasn’t alone. A tall, bespectacled man in anexpensive-looking charcoal suit was next to him, and behind them both, acameraman and the blond television reporter who’d shouted questions at Connorduring the press conference the day before.

“I’m sorry, man.” Donnie matched Connor step for step. “Theywalked up the hill so no one saw his car coming. He said some things to thereporters, then he grabbed that one there and asked if she’d come inside with him.We asked them to leave, but they’re talking all kinds of shit.”

The fact that Rodney had grabbed the reporter at the lastminute suggested this wasn’t a well-coordinated invasion. A small comfort, buta comfort nonetheless.

When Rodney saw Connor approaching, he turned and raised hisarms. “The prodigal son returns!” he bellowed.

To Connor’s increasing distress, his uncle had dressed likehe was coming to work. Blue blazer with a bulging white pocket square and pressedkhakis, along with spit-shined black dress shoes.

“Rodney, this is not a good choice.” When the camera was shovedin his face, Connor was tempted to order them out as well. But the media couldstill be his greatest asset if he played this right. “I’d be happy to grant youa walk-through and a sit-down interview later today, but I’ll need you to setup a time with one of our assistant general managers. They’ll be happy to—”

“No.” Rodney raised a trigger finger and swept everyone withit. “They’re with me. I’m giving them access.”

“No, Rodney. You can’t do that.”

Rodney stepped forward and clapped a hand on both of Connor’sshoulders like he used to do when Connor was ten and he was trying to steer himout of the room. “Yeah, yeah, real cute, big man. Look, fact is, all the wrongpeople got to you before I did, and that’s why you’re all confused. Tell youwhat. I’ll let bygones be bygones, and we can call your little press conferenceyesterday water under the bridge. Come back to my office, we’ll take a loadoff. Talk this out. You can fill me in on how things have been going whileyou’ve been playing your little game of hotel.”

Connor tried not to let his rage enter his expression, buthe couldn’t quite manage a smile. “That’s not going to happen.”

“Oh, okay.” Rodney’s eyes were bloodshot, maybe from thesame stuff Connor could smell on the man’s breath. “Well, you can hightail itback to New York then and let me do my job, sport.”

“It’s not appropriate for you to be on the property rightnow. I need you to leave. I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, no. See, you don’t tell me when to leavemyhotel.”

“It’s not your hotel. It’s owned by a family trust. And thetrust fired you two days ago.”

The lawyer stepped forward. “Yeah, we’ll have some things tosay about that.”

Connor met the man’s glare with one of his own. “Good. Saythem in a law office or a courtroom. Not the lobby of this hotel an hour afteryour client was arraigned on charges of blackmailing guests here.”

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