In The Mountains: Rusty (3)

Looking out the window in his father’s study, Gareth stared blankly at the vast manicured lawn at the back of the mansion. Standing there for a moment, he tried to wrap his head around what his dad had said a second ago. His mind was still trying to process his father’s decree.

“In the mountains?” Gareth crossed his arms over his chest and turned to face his dad as the other man sat behind a wide mahogany desk. “That’s where you want me to go? I...” Could he decline? Was it possible to say no? Gareth had never gone against his father, but he considered a blatant and staunch refusal this time.

His father murmured a yes and began to type on his computer. The older man didn’t even look away from the screen at Gareth’s sentence. That always bugged Gareth. As the only adopted child of the family, it wasn’t that he felt like he didn’t belong... it was simply that he often felt like his father didn’t listen to him. It always seemed to Gareth that his dad paid more attention to his work than to his other two children or to Gareth himself.

When Gareth didn’t stop staring in frozen shock, finally, his father glanced up and took off his small, round glasses. His dad tossed them onto a pile of papers before giving his agitated “I don’t want to repeat myself” cough.

“Yes.” His father lifted one eyebrow. “In the mountains.” His thin lips pressed into a hard line that dared Gareth to challenge him. “And while visiting your Uncle Cletus, you can review his taxes and check in with his lawyers. Give him some new investment options.”

“B-But,” Gareth sputtered and then tried to gather his thoughts. He would simply have to explain that this was out of the question. “But I have work here. I have obligations.”

“There is nothing pressing. Send emails to your clients letting them know you will be out of town. People do it all the time.”

“But I haven’t visited Uncle Cletus since I was seventeen.”

“Then it’s time you did.” His dad leaned back in his high-backed leather chair and rubbed his long fingers together.

“But...” Gareth smoothed his silk tie and tried to sound like an adult having a serious conversation, not a child throwing a tantrum. “I’m not going into the mountains. I’m not a child to be babysat by my uncle for the summer. I can call him or email him. That should be enough.”

“This isn’t about banking.” His father picked up his glasses. “Have you spoken to Simon?”

Gareth shook his head no. He’d not seen his father’s head of security in a few days.

“There is a problem with one of your clients, and I think it would be best if you got out of the city for a week or two.” His father placed his glasses back on his face and started typing again.

“Two weeks?” Gareth stood there and waited for more information. He blinked slowly when it dawned on him that his father wouldn’t explain anything further. Just as Gareth was about to argue with this stubborn man again, a knock broke their charged silence. Simon, his father’s head of security, peeked into the room.

“Enter.” His father waved.

“I got what you wanted on Keyon and this Mr. Bentley person.” Simon was a huge man and crossed the room in two straightforward strides. He set papers down on the desk and grinned at Gareth. “I’m ready to leave tomorrow. We will take the town car. David can drive us.”

“This is my client. Keyon Alexander.” Gareth caught sight of the name on some of the documents now spread before his dad. “He’s a problem? This client is why I have to leave for two weeks?”

“Yes.” Simon’s brow furrowed in confusion, and the guard looked at his father. “Did Eldon explain the situation?”

Gareth shook his head no a second time and once again smoothed his silk tie. His father wasn’t the type to explain anything to anyone ever. It was always the silent motto of keep your head down and keep working. The company that his dad owned and operated had an unspoken rule that Gareth and his two siblings should work their butts off twenty-four-seven. Gareth wasn’t complaining. The pay was good, and he liked the work, but his father didn’t make time for things like vacations, breaks, or... simple conversations about what the hell was going on right now.

“You don’t need to worry.” Simon gave him a bright smile. “This is nothing that we haven’t trained you for. It appears that Keyon has a rival organization that is out to take him down. It was leaked that you’re Keyon’s private banker and that you manage his accounts. During my investigation, I learned that Mr. Bentley issued a request for information about where all of Keyon’s money is kept and which businesses he owns. The money Mr. Bentley is offering for you is substantial.”

“To get Keyon’s financial information, someone would have to get it from you,” his father murmured as he worked.

“You’re saying someone would come for me? Really?”

“I think they might.” Simon shrugged. “Now, at one point, a pretend Mr. Bentley was almost killed by Keyon, but from what I understand, the man was a fake or a façade. The real Mr. Bentley is still out there, and nothing Keyon is doing is stopping this war. The real Bentley is staying hidden and trying to destroy him.”

“Mr. Bentley doesn’t exist.” His father picked up his tablet. “Figuring out who is actually attacking Keyon’s organization will take time.” His father paused. “But that is Keyon’s problem and not ours. We stay out of this. You don’t want to be caught in the crosshairs.”

“Yes.” Simon picked up one of the papers off the desk. “This confusing situation isn’t about our company or you. The systematic damage to Keyon’s life seems to be long-standing, and I never found out what the war is all about through all my digging.”

“It’s about money and control,” his father grumbled. “In these matters, it’s never about anything else.”

“I think I would have to agree, Eldon.” Simon shrugged again.

“You can go to the mountains and visit Uncle Cletus,” his father murmured as he started working again. “Stay out of this war, as Simon put it.”

“I don’t see any reason to hide because of a turf war. This isn’t the first time that our clients have had issues. I am trained and don’t need to put my entire life on hold because Mr. Bentley wants to try for a hostile takeover of Keyon’s business.” Gareth slapped his hands on his hips and glared at Simon. Two mobsters fighting over the city wasn’t anything new. No matter how much time passed, people killing each other for control and money never died. He agreed with his father on that point. And that was why Simon taught Gareth. He had no idea why his father would suddenly be trying to protect Gareth as if he were made of glass.

“Simon.” His father picked up the papers and ignored Gareth’s comments. “The two of you can leave first thing in the morning.”

“But...” Gareth began, but his dad stood and held up his hand to silence him.

“Do not make a spectacle of yourself. This situation is not something I want you involved in. Period.” Once again, his father held up his hand. “And before you argue with me again. I will tell you that these people will torture Keyon’s banker to obtain information about Keyon’s accounts. Mr. Bentley has already hired an entire hit team, and the price on your head is enough to seduce a saint. Uncle Cletus has the assets to deal with this problem. I don’t care how much you hate going to the mountains. You will be going someplace secure. You will be leaving in the morning. That’s final.”

Gareth exhaled all the curse words he wanted to say and gave a sharp nod. He knew when there was no way his father would change his mind. He’d seen his younger sister argue with the older man enough to spot his stop-talking look.

“We will take the armored car.” Simon headed to the door and then waited for Gareth.

“Fine.” Gareth followed Simon into the hall and then toward the sizeable central staircase of the mansion. All the time he walked, he ground his teeth together. The fact was, not wanting to go to the mountains wasn’t about not wanting to see Uncle Cletus. He liked Cletus, and he liked the beauty of the trees, the mountain air, and getting out of the city. There was just one problem. In the mountains was the one person Gareth had never gotten over.

Rusty.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Simon asked as they reached the landing.

“No,” Gareth sighed. “I’ll meet you at the front of the house when I’m ready.”

“Gareth.” Simon grabbed Gareth’s arm before he would have strode down the hall toward his room. “What’s the problem? The mountains are beautiful. The fresh air would do you good. Are you...?” Simon lifted his eyebrows. “Are you scared?”

“I’m not scared. This Keyon problem isn’t the first time I have been on the edge of a problem with clients. It happens with the kind of banking I do. I understand that.”

“Then why do you care so much? Why are you fighting this so hard?”

Gareth stopped walking and unclenched his jaw. He rubbed his temples before he glanced at Simon.

“When I was young, up until seventeen, I had to go to the mountains every summer to spend three months with my cousin Dean.”

“If I recall right, Dean was Uncle Cletus’s son.” Simon nodded. “So you hated your cousin?”

“No, I...” Gareth didn’t know how to put his problem into words. Simon was the only one in the house who knew he was gay, but he still couldn’t say it out loud.

“In the mountains....” Gareth began. “I just hated it.”

Without saying anything more, Gareth started walking to his bedroom. Blessedly, Simon let him go.