Laina Turner - Presley Thurman 05 - Gems & Gunshots by Laina Turner Read Free Book Online Page A

didn’t tell you.”
    “Yeah, well, Cooper doesn’t talk much about his work. He says it’s client confidentiality and all that. Drives me crazy.”
    “It’s not like we have some big secret, but I do guess it’s nice to know Cooper is so closemouthed. We hired him because someone has been trying to blackmail Greg and we want him to find out who.”
    So I guess I was way off base. Maybe what Jill told me was all rumors. Way to stick your foot in your mouth, Presley . “Blackmail? For what?”
    “The usual, I guess. Money. That’s what this guy, or could be guys, wants. Funny thing is, we don’t have a lot. Definitely not what they’re asking for.”
    “You said this has happened before? I didn’t realize blackmail was so prevalent. It seems like something that happens in movies or to the super rich. Not to imply you’re not, but you know what I mean.”
    “I completely know what you mean. But it’s more common than you think. It’s happened twice before to us, but compared to this, those incidents were nothing. We quickly figured out who those people were and the cops took care of it. It was strictly amateur stuff. This person is much more savvy. That’s why Greg contacted Cooper instead of the police. He needs discretion.”
    “Why? Did the blackmailers say not to go to the police?”
    “Of course. They all say that, just like in the movies. This time, though, it’s different.”
    “How?”
    “I’m not exactly sure. Greg won’t say. He’s been very closemouthed, which is causing a lot of tension between us. Normally, we share everything. He’s never acted this way before, closing me out of his life. I don’t like the secrecy and feel he should tell me. I’m his business partner and his wife!” she said, voice rising. She was visibly upset, and I didn’t blame her. I would want to know what was going on, too.
    “What does he say?”
    “Nothing. He only told me about the blackmail because I overheard him on the phone talking to Cooper and confronted him about it. I demanded he tell me what was going on, and so he said someone had contacted him demanding a large sum of money or someone close to him would be in danger. He of course assumed that person close to him to be me, which is one of the reasons he didn’t want to tell me. He didn’t want me to be worried.”
    “Do you know what it is they have on him? What he is being blackmailed for?”
    “No. That’s one of the things he won’t tell me. It’s so frustrating. He says he doesn’t want me involved any more than necessary, and no matter how much I yell and complain, he won’t say a word. Just tells me he’s handling it.”
    “Do you know if Cooper is close to finding who is doing this to you guys?”
    “I’m not sure. Again, no one is telling me anything. Cooper has surveillance on the house and taps on our phones, but other than that, you know as much as I do. It’s so frustrating,” she said, slapping her hand on the table for emphasis.
    “I’m so sorry, Amelia. I can’t imagine what you are going through. If there’s anything I can do.”
    “I know how you can help me,” she said, eyes perking up at whatever thought she was having. “You need to find out from Cooper what’s going on for me. Surely between the two of us we can figure this out.”
    Of course she would ask the one thing that would be the most difficult. “Amelia, I don’t know how much help I can be in that area. I told you that Cooper doesn’t like to talk about his clients.”
    “You just have to get him to tell you. Maybe if he knows it’s coming from me, at my request, he’ll be more forthcoming.”
    “He might,” I said hesitantly, thinking that if Greg wasn’t telling her, surely Cooper knew that and wouldn’t go against Greg’s wishes..
    “Just promise me you’ll try?” she said with a note of desperation in her voice.
    “I will see what I can do.” After thinking about it for a second, I realized maybe this would work to my