Page 66 of You'll Never Know
“I said, a millionminimum.And you said you wouldn’t hold me to it. One point five. That’s my number.”
I attempt to swallow past the sudden lump in my throat. It’s unsettling he’s asking for this much cash. It either means he’s greedy or under severe financial stress. My guess is the latter based on what he just said about his daughter. I don’t like it. If there’s one thing I know from my career in tax, it’s that people with a lot of debt will often do unpredictable things. Sometimes dangerous things. But Zane’s a professional, not to mention the only resource I have who can reasonably help me pull this off. There’s no doubt I need him. Still, I can’t even swing his first figure, much less this new one. But there might be a different way I can play this—another option.
I sigh. “I can’t afford that.”
“Then I’m out.”
“Wait,” I say, raising my hand. “Hear me out. I still pay you a million, but you get thirty percent of what I take from Reed. He’s stolen a lot of money from a lot of people. Whatever he has squirreled away will be substantial.”
Zane’s eyes narrow as he considers it. “Fifty.”
“Forty,” I shoot back. “And that’smyfinal number. Whatever’s left of Reed’s money won’t change what happened to my family, but it will go a long way in improving the lives of his other victims. It’s a big reason why I’m doing this. After what he put them through, they deserve as much as they can get. I won’t budge. If you’re out, I’ll find another way.”
Zane rubs his chin. His eyes remain locked on mine, as if he’strying to get a read on my thoughts, wondering if he can push me higher. He can’t. And my bet is he won’t.
After what feels like an hour has passed, Zane finally grunts and gives me a single nod of his head.
“Deal.”
Chapter 34
REED
Cincinnati, Ohio
Age Twenty-Five
Reed and Lacey pulled up to the curb outside of Ironwood Commons. The redeveloped industrial complex was home to several boutique businesses, including a coffee shop and a vegan café. Lacey’s brand-new franchise, Soul Fitness, clung to the corner of the property which overlooked an abandoned auto shop across the street. It was an ugly structure full of rust and busted cars, surrounded by a ring of oil-stained pavement, and a sagging chain-link fence. The body shop was an eyesore. It was also the only reason Reed could afford to pay the first month’s rent on the three-thousand square foot Soul Fitness lease. The location was just close enough to Walnut Hills for him to cultivate thesoon-this-neighborhood-will-be-boomingvision Lacey needed to believe.
Lacey straightened in her seat with a groan. “Oh my god, he’s here again.”
Reed followed her gaze toward the homeless man sleeping in the recessed entryway near the Soul Fitness door. From here, he looked more like a pile of rags with a face than a human.
“I’ve had to shoo him away three times now,” Lacey said. “I don’t know why he keeps coming back. Do you think we picked the wrong location?” Her eyes crimped with worry as she said it, and Reed knew if he didn’t soothe her quickly, she’d burst into tears.
“No, not at all, babe,” Reed said. “They’re developing the entire area. This is exactly the right spot. Just wait until you see what the painters did inside. Come on.”
They got out of the car, and Reed moved to wrap Lacey in his arms, but she was already gone, marching toward the man.
“Sir, you can’t sleep here,” she said the second she reached him.
The man didn’t move. “Sir,” she said again, prodding him with her toe. “Hey, wake up.”
She toed him harder, and the guy groaned and looked up at her with a pair of bloodshot eyes set deep within a pile of wrinkles. A mostly white beard framed his gaunt chin, and his joints crackled like popcorn as he pulled himself into a sitting position.
“Come again?” he said, blinking hard, trying to get his bearings.
Lacey planted her hands on her hips. “I said, you need to leave. You can’t keep sleeping here. This isn’t a hotel.”
“This place ain’t even open yet. I ain’t botherin’ anyone.”
“Not yet,” Lacey said with a voice that dripped from her mouth like a melting popsicle, sweet and cold. “But this place is my place, and it’s opening a week from now. So you’re going to need to find somewhere else to go, okay? There are plenty of shelters downtown. I’d hate to have to call the police.”
The man heaved a sigh and slowly, painfully, pulled himself to his feet and tottered away. The stale scent of cigarettes hung in his wake. Reed turned to Lacey to ask if they should at least offer him a bottle of water, but she’d already breezed into the gym.
He followed her inside and found her staring wide-eyed at the exposed red brick walls and polished concrete floors. It was the firsttime she’d seen it like this. The space was bare but honest, crackling with potential. A single squat rack sat in the corner near the group exercise room. Several sets of pull-up bars were mounted on the wall directly across from the entrance, centered beneath an artfully stenciled passage from Philippians. It was Lacey’s favorite verse—a surprise Reed hoped would hit home.
I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength.
