Thread of Hope (The Joe Tyler Series, #1) by Jeff Shelby Read Free Book Online

thumb over his shoulder.  “All that new construction around the ballpark?  When we were coming off the island?  He’s involved with a lot of that.”
     
    The city had finally gotten off its rear end and realized that the downtown area could drive tourism rather than repel it.  They’d slowly developed the area around the harbor with a convention center, hotels and a baseball stadium.  Everything else followed quickly and the renaissance that was going on in downtown San Diego was turning into a model for other large cities around the country.
     
    And if Jordan had his hands in that, he was beyond wealthy.  Which was why the understated office building confused me.  A guy with that kind of money usually liked to show it off.  But the building we were at was no different than the others in the area.  It could’ve been anything.
     
    “Mr. Jordan likes to keep things simple,” Hanley said, reading my expression.  Boyle started toward the building and Hanley gestured in his direction.  “Shall we?”
     
    As we walked into the building, I couldn’t help but think I was missing something.  Hanley and Boyle were as non-threatening as they could be, yet they did track me down at the high school and they had obviously been given directions to bring me back.  I made a mental note to not let the friendly demeanor push down my guard.
     
    The interior of the building was no more exciting than that of any office.  Framed photos, fake plants, industrial carpeting.  Jordan certainly wasn’t spending his fortune on these digs.
     
    We took the elevator to the fourth floor.  Boyle and Hanley waved at a receptionist who barely looked up from her cubicle greeting area.  Boyle knocked on a door at the end of the hall and a voice beckoned us in.  Boyle stepped aside and waved me past.
     
    I recognized Jonathon Jordan as soon as I saw him.  From what, I couldn’t recall, but I knew I’d seen him in a magazine or a newspaper or something.  He was standing behind his desk.  He was average height, maybe 5’10”, not spectacular looking, but not ugly, either.  Dark brown hair, five o’clock shadow over tan skin, brown eyes, a crooked nose and a wide mouth.  His shoulders were wide for a guy his size and he looked athletic.  He was wearing an aquamarine long-sleeve button down and expensive looking blue jeans.
     
    He stared me down for a long moment before looking past me.  “Thanks, guys.  We’re good.”
     
    I turned to see Hanley and Boyle exiting, closing the door behind them.
     
    Jordan sat, then folded his hands into a tight knot and laid them on his desk.  “Most people who show up at my home unannounced leave in an ambulance.”
     
    There were two chairs in front of the desk, but he made no motion for me to take one.  Probably thought I’d be more uncomfortable standing.
     
    “Guess I’m lucky then.”
     
    “You’re lucky I let Gina handle things the way she does.”  His folded hands tightened.  “If I’d come out to meet you, there wouldn’t have been enough left of you for the medical folks to haul away.”
     
    I was accustomed to people making threats.  Most did so because they felt compelled.  They wanted to appear strong, brave, defiant.  But most didn’t come across as being able to back it up.
     
    Jordan wasn’t a big guy and he wasn’t posturing.  Something in his voice, though, convinced me he meant what he was saying and I wasn’t going to get anywhere by being antagonistic.
     
    “I didn’t mean to intrude,” I said.  “And I apologize for any inconvenience.”
     
    He pushed back from the desk and crossed his legs, eyeing me from the side.  “And do you apologize for the beating your friend handed out to my daughter?”
     
    “My friend didn’t hurt your daughter,” I said.
     
    Anger radiated from his face.  “She says differently.”
     
    “I know that.  I’m trying to figure out why.”
     
    The corner of his mouth curled up.  “So now my