“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
This was how they were going to play this? “She said you gave it to her.”
Brantley scoffed. “I gave her a lion cub? On our wedding day? Why would I do that?”
“Because you’re mixed up in a ring that’s illegally buying and selling them to private owners.”
“Wow, that’s quite a story. Do you have any proof? Other than my estranged fiancée’s word?”
Fuck.
Brantley was a prick.
But he also wasn’t wrong. Zander didn’t have any proof.
And he also wasn’t objective where Caroline was concerned. Dammit.
He didn’t think Caroline was lying to him. He knew Brantley was doing exactly what she said he was. But he couldn’t prove it. Yet.
And that “yet” promised to be a huge, giant pain in his ass.
Brantley paused. “Yeah, I didn’t think so.” He sat back in his chair. “You know, my lawyer would have a really good time with police harassment from a small-town cop.” He put his wrists together and extended them toward Zander. “But by all means, cuff me. Drag me downtown.”
Zander just stared him down. Trespassing was the worst he had on the guy right now. Stalking or harassing Caroline would even be tough to make stick. After all, Caroline had been engaged to the guy. And Zander definitely didn't want a bunch of high paid lawyers descending upon the town. The mayor would not be happy with that. Even if she was his cousin. Hell, the lawyers would have a really good time with that too, he was sure.
“You need to leave town. You're not going to see Caroline.”
“I just want to talk to her.”
“I'll give her a message. Tomorrow. If she wants to call you, I'm sure she has your number.”
“What if I don't hear from her?”
“Then you’ll just have to move on, man. There are plenty of fish in the sea,” Zander said dryly.
Brantley sat, just staring at him through narrowed eyes. After nearly a minute, he must have realized Zander wasn’t budging. “I’ll make a deal with you. I’ll leave tonight if you make the call while you’re with her. That way, I know she’s still here, and you can make her talk to me.”
“No.”
Brantley finally had the sense to look annoyed. It meant he was getting the fact that he wasn’t going to win here. “You don’t know what's going on,” Brantley told him. “This is none of your business.”
“It became my business when a woman came to my town and asked me for help getting away from her fiancé. Not to mention when a guy showed up and tried to physically stuff her in a car.”
“Christopher could’ve handled that better,” Brantley said, clearly trying to placate Zander now. “But this is personal. A family matter. Caroline got upset with me about something. But couples have problems sometimes. I can't just let her disappear without speaking to her and never see her again.”
“Actually, you can. If that's what she wants.”
“Why do you care so much?” Brantley asked him. He narrowed his eyes, studying, Zander from the few feet that separated them. Then, it seemed understanding dawned. “Oh. Yeah, she's pretty, huh?”
Fuck.
If fucking Brantley Anderson could guess Zander had feelings for Caroline, his grandmother was going to sense his I’ve-got-a-soulmate-itis from a block away.
“Actually, caring about other human beings is something some of us just do,” Zander said, putting his don’t-fuck-with-me face on.
“Sure. Okay. Well, the thing is, Caroline has something of mine. If we’re breaking up, I need to get it back.”
“You want the engagement ring back?”
“Actually, no.”
“Tell me what it is, I'll see if I can help.”
“No way,” Brantley said. “Thanks anyway. But I can promise you that if she gets it back to me, I’ll leave her alone.”
“You were going to marry her for whatever this is?” Zander asked.
“I was gonna marry her because my dad wanted me to.”
“Wow, how manly,” Beau muttered.
Brantley gave him a bored look. “Banging a hot, rich chick for the rest of my life? Yeah, poor me.”
“Oh, sorry, manly and romantic,” Beau said.
Brantley laughed. “Have you met Caroline? She’s awesome. I’ve known her my whole life. She’s funny and sweet and yeah, hot. Sue me for wanting to fuck my fiancée.”
Zander was across the space between them with Brantley’s shirt in his fist and his chair tipped back on two legs in a split second.
“She’s not your fiancée anymore,” he growled.
Brantley stared up at him. Then he said, “Yeah, she’s just another human you care about, right?”
“Get the fuck out of my town.”
“Have her call me.”
“She will no longer be staying here in the bed and breakfast. Pass the word.”
“Have. Her. Call. Me,” Brantley repeated.
Zander stared down at the man. Clearly, Brantley wasn't here for Caroline. Not exactly. But Zander wanted to make it very clear that Caroline was no longer an option. For phone calls, visits, or walking down the aisle.
“You're dealing with me now.”
“If I get what I want, I can handle that.”
Zander let go of him, the chair thunking back to the floor. Brantley straightened the front of his shirt.
“Leave.” Zander told him shortly.
Brantley stood and Zander backed up only enough to let the man pass.
“I'll expect a phone call tomorrow,” Brantley told him.
“You'll hear from me when it's time.”
“Look, I don't have a lot of that. Time.”
“The more you enlighten me, the more help I might be able to be.”
“I might believe that, except for the shiny badge you normally wear.”
“That badge can be helpful.”
“Not with this. A five-minute conversation with Caroline and I can be gone from her life for good.”
Zander wasn't naïve enough to believe that. Not that Brantley would hang around and try to get her back. That was not the vibe he was getting at all. But their families were obviously close and Brantley wasn't the type to really move on with his life. He was going to be living off mom and dad as long as that gravy train was on the tracks.
Of course, Caroline was the wild-card here. What were her plans? He'd given her the option to truly run away. Was she going to take it? Once he solved this lion problem? If so, where would she go? Would she cut herself off completely from her family?
No matter who her family was, and how she felt about them, that was a big ask.
And, in spite of himself, in spite of his self-awareness and better judgment, Zander felt the getting involved reaching out and wrapping around him. Yes, he’d given her money. And obviously, the woman had some moxie. But even if she could run away and start over, would she? All alone? Would she be okay if she did that?
Suddenly he needed to know that. And know that she would be safe. In spite of the fact that he told her no phone calls.
First things first, he had to make sure she was safe and away from her old life. If she really wanted to be. And if she didn't want to be, he needed to know that.