Anthony approached his front door cautiously, opening it after the third brisk knock. Two men stood in front of him. They both wore expensive suits. He knew immediately by their posture and the way they carried themselves that they weren't a threat. He'd been in the business and played the game long enough to recognize the difference between a messenger and a mercenary. These men weren't dangerous. And handsome? Christy's landlord couldn't have been talking about these two.

"Anthony Bear?" the older one with wavy silver hair asked. He was about six-foot tall, thin and his eyes were too close together. He had full, shiny lips and crooked teeth.

"Who's asking?" Anthony asked.

"I'm Dan Mikkelson, and this is Pete Germaine," the man said, nodding at his companion. The second guy was younger by a few years. He was also shorter and wider. He wore his brown hair in a buzz cut. He had bushy eyebrows that rivaled his mustache.

Before Anthony could comment he added, "We represent Mr. Chapman."

Anthony threw his head back and laughed. "Represent? Let me guess. You're attorneys?" he asked.

"Yes," Dan told him. "Mr. Chapman sent us here to discuss his outstanding loan with you."

Before inviting them inside, Anthony triggered a switch at his doorway that would automatically scan the men for weapons when they passed over the threshold. He put his right hand behind his back and clutched his gun. He stepped back and waved them in. When the alarm didn't beep, he motioned them toward his living room and pointed to the couch. Just as he'd suspected, they weren't a threat.

Both men took a seat.

He stood opposite them, his arms crossed.

"Mr. Chapman wants to make a deal," Dan informed him.

"I don't want a deal. I want my seventy thousand," Anthony sneered as he looked down at them. "Plus interest."

"I think you'll want to hear us out," Pete chimed in. He hadn't said a word up to this point, and Anthony was surprised at his unusually high and feminine voice.

Anthony nodded for him to go ahead and tell him the offer.

"How would you like to make almost eight times that amount?" Dan asked.

Without showing any kind of reaction at the exorbitant offer, Anthony blandly asked, "How much exactly are you talking about?"

"Half a million," Pete blurted out.

"Based on how much he already owes me and how long it's taking for him to pay me, I'd expect to collect almost that much anyway," Anthony stated.

The men looked at each other, and Anthony knew they'd anticipated his response. Pete nodded at Dan.

"A million," Dan said.

"And how exactly does Van plan on paying me a million when he can't even come up with seventy thousand?"

"It involves his daughter, Christy." Without waiting for Anthony to comment, Pete continued, "Mr. Chapman thinks you might be the best man for the job."

"What job?" Anthony asked through narrowed eyes.

"Let us give you some background first," Dan interrupted. He cleared his throat and shifted forward on the couch, sitting on the edge.

"As you probably already know, the Chapmans have two children. They've both been receiving sizable distributions from their trust since they were sixteen. The oldest, Richard, squandered his yearly stipend and Bobbi cut him off before he was twenty."

"But the daughter, she's a smart one," Pete broke in. "In the last four years, Christy Chapman managed to invest her yearly allotments. Aside from being a generous philanthropist, Miss Chapman is one of the biggest real estate holders on the Gulf Coast. Who'd have guessed?" he asked, his high-pitched squeal grating on Anthony's nerves.

"But you'd never know it," Dan piped up. "She lives simply and wisely. She's never flaunted her wealth. She's already worth millions and hasn't even come into her real inheritance yet. Up until now, she's been getting allotted draws on her trust. When she turns twenty-one next year, she gets it all."

Anthony tilted his head to the side and could see that Pete was chomping at the bit to tell him the amount. When the man couldn't contain his excitement any longer, he blurted out a dollar figure that caught even Anthony by surprise.

"What does Van want from me?" Anthony asked.

"Van, um...Mr. Chapman knows about your camp and your gang," Pete said, looking away from Anthony.

"So?"

"Well, he knows about the type of women that hang out there," Dan added.

Anthony’s forehead creased.

"Mr. Chapman wants you to find his daughter and bring her to your camp. You'll have to restrain her, but he's certain you can introduce her to enough drugs that after a short amount of time, she'll be dependent on them. And of course, he would expect you to use her and share her with your men." After not being able to read Anthony's expression, Dan looked away uncomfortably.

"The end result is what's important," Pete said. He'd taken a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his sweaty forehead. "Mr. Chapman can have her declared incompetent to handle her trust. It shouldn't take long before we can have her committed to a facility and make sure that her father is legally in charge of her estate. He's willing to write you a check for a million dollars as soon as this happens. All you have to do is find Christy and help ruin her."

"And you two will take care of the rest? All the legalities?" Anthony asked, looking from one of the men to the other. He tried to camouflage his disgust as profound interest.

Pete's excitement was palpable. He sat up. "Exactly!"

Anthony nodded as if he was on board. "What if I find her and she's done something crazy, like say...run off and eloped with someone? Wouldn't her husband be in line to run her estate?"

Both men looked at one another and then back at Anthony. Dan stammered, "Well, yeah, but that's not likely."

Anthony didn't need to ask why. He remembered Nadine sharing with him that Christy didn't have any friends, let alone a boyfriend. If Nadine had suspected that Christy might've been gay, it’s possible these men did too. They probably hadn't heard about her older lover from so many years ago. It didn't matter. The plan was beyond ridiculous, and it showed how desperate and evil Van Chapman really was. It was a rotten thing to do, even to a stepchild. No wonder Christy hated him.

"Where are the Chapmans?" Anthony asked.

Dan cleared his throat. "We're not at liberty to reveal that."

"I don't plan on going after Van," Anthony told them. "I'm curious as to where they've been hiding."

Pete shrugged his shoulders. He could tell Anthony where they'd been without revealing their exact location. "Vivian is somewhere in the middle of the ocean on a six-month cruise with enough prescription meds to kill a hippopotamus."

Anthony nodded and looked at Dan.

"Mr. Chapman has been in an out-of-state drug rehabilitation facility. He's cleaning himself up so he can better manage his late mother-in-law's dealerships and—"

"And his daughter's finances," Pete interrupted.

"Tell Van he has a deal," Anthony said, his face unreadable. "I'll find Christy Chapman."

Both men stood then, their relief obvious.

"And the rest? You'll make sure she becomes...incapacitated?" Dan asked. Without giving Anthony a chance to respond, Dan quickly said, "And we'll take care of the rest. You can get in touch with us at Mikkelson & Germaine. We're in Tampa," he added. "When the time is right we'll handle the paperwork." He pulled out a business card which he handed to Anthony. Without looking at it, Anthony tossed it aside.

"Oh, I'll find Christy Chapman, but I won't be taking her to the camp to get her hooked on drugs or raped."

The two men exchanged glances and Pete once again retrieved his handkerchief.

"Well...what? What are you going to do with her?" Pete stammered, his voice an octave higher.

Anthony gave them a slow smile. "I'm going to marry her."