Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty-One

B rian had been lying awake for hours, his hands clasped behind his head, staring at the ceiling. He had a lot on his mind and couldn’t sleep. He should feel elated at the small victory of finding a sponsor. One that would give Lockwood a chance to line up for the next few races.

You know something isn’t right. It’s obvious and staring you in the face. The voice in his head was getting harder to ignore. Instinctively, Brian knew something was wrong but couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

Frustrated, he briefly closed his eyes while pinching the bridge of his nose. What am I missing?

Whatever it was, Brian had to figure it out. There was zero chance that he would let his team down and, more importantly, Lila. The strained look on her face flashed before him. Something had rattled her. While Brian wouldn’t push, he hoped she would trust him enough to talk to him about it.

Screw it. There was no point in staying in bed. Not when his mind was buzzing with activity. Brian sat up, grabbed his cell on the other side of the bed, and dialed his private investigator’s number. The phone only rang twice before his guy picked up.

“Yeah.”

It didn’t sound like he had been asleep, either. Brian raked his fingers through his sleep-tousled hair. “Quick question. Has anything come back on Glenmore? I know we usually do the preliminary background check first, but this opportunity came up quickly. Anything that might embarrass us or the team before we sign contracts?”

Randy was hesitant. “No. I didn’t find anything that would be embarrassing per se, but there is something you should know.”

Brian didn’t like his tone. “What?”

“Glenmore is not solvent.”

Brian sat up straighter. “I think that’s the kind of shit I should know.”

Randy rushed to clarify. “Let me rephrase. Glenmore, on its own, is not solvent. There’s been some fancy number play on the balance sheets, but you know me. I can always find the money.”

“Who’s funding them? And, if they aren’t solvent, why on earth would they spend money to sponsor a car? Sponsorship is icing on the cake in terms of marketing for a company.”

“The parent company of Glenmore is Hughes Industries.”

“I don’t know them.”

“They are a cosmetics company. One that sells its products in big box stores and pharmacies. That type of thing.”

“Okay. Why wouldn’t Hughes fund us directly?”

“Not sure about that. It could be a Glenmore idea that Hughes decided to fund, or it could be something else.”

“I’m betting something else.”

“That’s where this gets interesting.”

“How so?”

“The CEO of Hughes is a guy named Carrington Hughes. He took over a few years ago after the death of his father.”

“Okay. What’s the interesting part about this?”

“He has done a lot to cover up his company’s involvement with Glenmore.”

“It’s not strange for a company to do that. My brother has a ton of business interests that he has remained a silent partner of or invested in.”

“That may be true, but my instincts are telling me something is off, especially after I found out...” Randy paused.

“Come on, dude. Don’t be dramatic. Found out what?”

Randy came right out and said it. “Lila and Carrington dated. Not long. Maybe a year or so until his wife found out.”

Brian’s chest felt tight. “He’s married?”

“Yeah. For almost twelve years. He also has a couple of kids. A son named Ryan, who is eight years old, and another named Declan, who is five.”

“Did Lila know?”

“I’m not sure.”

Brian voiced the question of which he was most afraid. “Are they still in contact?”

“Not that I can tell.”

Relief washed all over him. “What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking you should be careful because something tells me there is more going on here than either of us are aware of.”

Brian felt the same way, but they only had a couple of days to get everything sorted. Monday was just around the corner. He ran a hand down his face. “This is useful information. Keep digging and keep me posted.”

“You know it and will do.”

Brian disconnected the call at the same time he heard his front door open. He already knew who it was. There hadn’t even been a moment to digest everything Randy had told him, and now she was here.

Lila called out to him. “Brian? Are you here?”

Brian threw the covers off himself and got out of bed. “Here. In the bedroom. I’ll be right out.” His stomach was in knots.

He would be a fool to think Lila hadn’t had any serious relationships prior to them reconnecting. He had a few flings himself, but this one left a bad taste in his mouth. Did she reach out to an ex for money because she didn’t have faith in him?

What the hell was he supposed to say to her?

Brian put on a robe and tightened the belt around his waist before walking out of his bedroom and into the hallway, closing the door behind him.