Debt Collector Read online

  “Glad you finally made it,” I said shortly.

  “Am I late?” Sophie asked. She frowned, but I could tell she didn’t really care. Her anger toward me was evident.

  “Almost,” I said. “This is Liam.”

  I gestured beside me. Liam took a small step forward and took Sophie’s hand gently. He smiled at her kindly, and she softened.

  “It’s nice to meet you,” Sophie said.

  “You as well, Miss Newman,” Liam said.

  “Please, call me Sophie.”

  Liam nodded and smiled again. He released Sophie’s hand and moved back to my side. Sophie’s warmth toward Liam vanished when she turned her attention back to me. However unhappy I was with her and her father, she was equally as unhappy with me.

  “Where should we get started?” Sophie asked bluntly.

  “We don’t,” I said. “You’ll never work directly with me. Only trusted advisors have that privilege.”

  “How exactly am I supposed to help you then?” Sophie asked.

  “If you need anything from me, you’ll go through Liam,” I said. “Liam will assist with whatever you need. He’ll get you settled into your room and into your role at the company.”

  Sophie eyed me closely as I spoke. She was disgusted by my behavior, but I didn’t care. She was here for one reason: to work.

  “So, I’ll be working for you, but I’ll never speak to you?” Sophie asked boldly. “And you think this a professional way to run a business?”

  “I’m sure you’re aware what your father did,” I said. “His actions prohibit you from questioning the way in which I do anything.”

  “My father was—”

  “Liam,” I said loudly, interrupting her. “Please escort Sophie to her office and answer any questions she may have.”

  Sophie’s eyes narrowed dangerously. She opened her mouth to argue, but I was already gone. I turned on my heel and disappeared through the front door. My study was calling to me. Liam could take care of whatever Sophie needed. Now that I knew she had arrived, I could push her existence to the back of my mind and focus on my own work.

  When I reached my study door, I heard Liam and Sophie come inside. Liam’s voice was soft and muffled. I couldn’t make out his words, but I could tell he was trying to soothe Sophie. I rolled my eyes and slammed my study door behind me.

  I fully intended to sit down and get right to work, but the second I pulled my chair up to my desk, my mind began to wander. I thought having Sophie here would help my focus, not hurt it. Instead, I found myself thinking about her more than my work.

  I wondered if Liam settled her in already. Was he still showing her around the house? Or had they started talking about her new role in the company?

  Ridding my mind of these thoughts proved impossible. My curiosity was too great. I pushed my chair back and tilted my head up, my eyes scanning the ceiling as they so often did. Whenever my brain became too full, I would stare at my study ceiling and try to relax. Centering myself usually took no time at all.

  This time, it felt pointless to even try.

  My anger at Rick Newman was still so pronounced that I could barely think of anything else. He was my father’s friend. Dad trusted him, and yet, he tried to steal from us so soon after my father’s death. What kind of man would do that? Just thinking about it was enough to make my cheeks flush with rage and my stomach churn.

  I looked away from the ceiling and shook my head. Dwelling on thoughts of Rick Newman would only serve to distract me further.

  I shook myself again and moved my chair forward. Firing up my computer, I stared intently at the screen. I was determined to be productive and at least answer a few emails.

  It didn’t take long for my thoughts to distract me again. I was losing my mind sitting in the study. I needed to get up and move around. Maybe then I’d be able to get some real work done.

  As I left my study, I strained my ears for a sign that Liam and Sophie were nearby. I didn’t hear anything, so I walked farther into the house. I paced around the living room for a while, straightening the curtains and throw pillows as I moved. Being on my feet helped slightly, but I still couldn’t shake the way I felt.

  It wasn’t just Rick I was angry with. My head was overflowing with thoughts of my dad. Just remembering him was enough to make me dig my nails into the skin of my palms.

  My eyes roamed around the living room and soon fell on a picture of my father. He was about twenty years younger in the photograph and looked almost exactly like me. His dark hair fell loosely into his eyes. I touched my own hair as I looked at the picture. I always hated how little my father cared about appearances. He let his hair fall naturally, and he wore whatever clothes were comfortable. I rebelled against him at an early age by making sure my own hair was always styled and my own clothes were well-fitted.

  Even now, I still did my hair every morning. My fingers played with it for a few seconds while I continued to gaze at the photograph. My dad was grinning widely. His blue eyes were bright with excitement, and it was obvious why. He was standing in the middle of a dig site, with newly uncovered earth surrounding him.

  That was where Dad was always the happiest. When he would venture out into the world to find some unknown city or some ancient artifact. He loved to travel and go on digs. Expeditions were his life, more so than anything else.

  I pulled my hand away from my hair, letting my arm fall back to my side. My eyes stayed transfixed on the photograph, on my father’s smiling face. I couldn’t tell where this dig was, what country or even what continent. But it didn’t matter. Not really. Dad was always gone. Always discovering something new. Something exciting.

  For that reason, Hopper Antiquities always remained a success. Dad couldn’t stop himself from jetting across the world to bring home something new and expensive. People from all over came to him to purchase priceless artifacts. Everyone knew George Hopper was the best in the business. The best in the world.

  My hands tightened into fists at my sides. Just looking at his picture was enough to bring a bad taste to my mouth. There were so many things to love about my dad, so many things to admire. Everyone who knew him, loved him. His friends fawned over him. My mother adored him. Even his employees worshipped the ground he walked on. I couldn’t blame them. My father had so many great qualities, so many things that made him wonderful. And yet, in that moment, I couldn’t think of a single one.

  “Mr. Andrew,” a soft voice spoke from behind me. I knew it was Liam. I didn’t bother to turn around. I couldn’t bring myself to face him. Not yet. “Miss Sophie is all settled upstairs.”

  “Great,” I said shortly. My voice was weak but clear.

  Liam didn’t say anything, but I knew he was still there. After a few seconds, I could hear his soft footsteps moving closer. My eyes were still glued to that photo of my father. Liam walked slowly toward me. I knew I should turn around and face him, but I couldn’t. It was as if some magnetic force kept me standing still, forcing me to stare into the eyes of a ghost.

  Liam stepped up beside me. He followed my gaze to the picture and sighed deeply. Without a word, he placed his hand on my shoulder and squeezed. He stood there with me for what felt like hours, just holding on to my shoulder while we stared at my father’s face.

  Chapter 6

  Sophie

  Most of Monday was spent with Liam. After Andrew so rudely disappeared, Liam walked me through the house. He showed me the kitchen and the dining room, the living area and the parlor. We walked down several hallways lined with closed doors. I didn’t ask about any of the rooms. Instead, I let Liam guide me as he saw fit.

  “This is Mr. Andrew’s office,” he said softly. He pointed to a closed door at the far end of a hallway. “Your office is upstairs.”

  I nodded and followed Liam toward the staircase. Once upstairs, Liam showed me the library. It was huge and gorgeous. Ornate bookshelves lined every wall. Most of the shelves housed books, but some held artifacts that I recognized as
similar to those my parents owned. It made sense that the Hopper mansion would be home to such pieces. After all, Hopper antiquities was the largest antiquity firm in the country.

  “This is amazing,” I said softly. My eyes couldn’t seem to focus on one thing. They scanned the room while I spun in circles, trying to take in everything all at once.

  “It’s quite the collection,” Liam said with a smile. “Mr. and Mrs. Hopper loved their work.”

  “I can see that.” I laughed.

  Liam watched me as I admired the room. I worried he would get tired of my wasting time, but he didn’t say a word. He was kind and patient with me all morning. I wondered how someone so gentle could work for someone like Andrew.

  “Have you worked for the Hoppers long?” I asked as we left the library.

  “Over thirty years,” Liam said with a nod. “This was my first and only job.”

  “Wow.” My eyes widened. “That shows some serious commitment.”

  “It’s been easy,” Liam said with a chuckle. “The Hoppers were a fine couple, and I’ve watched young Andrew grow up.”

  “Hmm,” I said with a nod.

  I didn’t have much to say about Andrew Hopper. After our encounter downstairs, my judgement of him was harsh and critical. Before I even arrived, I was wary. Whatever happened between him and my father had rattled my dad tremendously. I didn’t know the details, but I knew Andrew Hopper wasn’t the type of man I wanted to spend much time with.

  Liam seemed to pick up on my feelings instantly. He smiled at me kindly as we made our way farther down the hall.

  “He can be difficult at times,” Liam said. His voice was gentle. “But deep down, Mr. Andrew is a good man.”

  “I wish I could believe that,” I said before I could stop myself. After the words left my mouth, I immediately regretted them. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

  “No,” Liam said with a shake of his head. “Don’t apologize. After the way he behaved downstairs, I’m surprised you don’t have anything worse to say.”

  I smiled gratefully as Liam held open a door for me. We stepped inside, and I found myself in yet another ornately decorated room. This one also held quite a few bookshelves. A desk sat in the center of the room atop a beautifully designed rug.

  “This is your office,” Liam said. “Everything you need should be here, but if it isn’t, please let me know.”

  “I’m sure it’s perfect,” I said. “Though, I’m still not completely sure what I’m doing here.”

  “Mr. Andrew left you some financial documents,” Liam said. “He wants you to go through them and make sense of things. The books for the past ten years have been scanned onto your computer, so you’ll be able to peruse them as necessary. I believe there have been some discrepancies over the past couple of years. Mr. Andrew needs you to find those discrepancies and come up with a strategy to rectify them.”

  I nodded and moved toward the desk. Everything Liam said made sense. I placed my hand on the mouse and shook it, making the computer screen brighten. With a frown, I quickly looked through the files laid out for me. It seemed Liam was right. Everything I would need was right there.

  “This is perfect,” I said with a nod. “Thank you, Liam.”

  “My pleasure, Miss Sophie.” Liam smiled.

  “Please, just Sophie,” I said.

  Liam nodded, but I could tell he wouldn’t listen. It would go against his nature to call me by my first name and nothing else.

  “If you’ll just follow me,” Liam said. “I’ll show you to your room and then let you get settled.”

  “My room?”

  I frowned and stood up straighter. I understood why I had my own office, though I still didn’t fully comprehend why that office was at the Hopper mansion and not an actual office building, but why on Earth would I need my own room?

  “You weren’t aware?” Liam asked nervously. His jaw tightened slightly.

  “Aware of what?” I asked.

  Liam cleared his throat and held open the office door. He smiled at me kindly, motioning for me to follow him. I did so without thinking, my stomach tightening nervously as I walked.

  We stepped into the hall, and Liam led the way. I could tell he was thinking how best to tell me something. The silence was killing me, and by the time he broke it, I could hear my own heartbeat pounding in my ears.

  “Part of the deal your father made with Mr. Andrew was for you to stay here at Hopper mansion,” Liam said.

  “Stay here?” I asked blankly. “For how long?”

  “Just until your work is completed,” Liam said quickly.

  I knew he was trying to calm my nerves, but his explanation did the opposite. Whatever my father did to Andrew, it couldn’t have possibly warranted this.

  “Here’s your room,” Liam said. We had reached the end of the hallway. My room sat just a few doors down from my office, which was convenient, but also made me feel sequestered.

  Liam held open the door for me. I stepped inside to see a gorgeous king-sized bed set against the back wall. A matching nightstand stood by its side, and a dresser was placed against the opposite wall. The room was beautiful and well decorated, but it felt like a prison cell.

  “There’s a bathroom just through there,” Liam said, pointing to a door on the right. “The closet is in there as well.”

  “I still don’t understand what this is all about,” I said softly. “Why do I need to stay here?”

  Liam hesitated. I could see something pass over his face, but I couldn’t quite place what it was.

  “It was the deal they made,” Liam said quietly. “If you need anything to make you more comfortable, please let me know.”

  “Well, I didn’t bring any extra clothes or anything,” I said.

  Liam nodded. “If you can call someone to gather clothes for you, I can go pick them up for you. It’s no trouble.”

  “Thank you, Liam. I’ll do that.” I watched as Liam let himself out of the room. There were a million questions running through my head. None of this made sense.

  When my father told me he was in trouble, I was scared and angry. I hated him for putting me in this position, but I wanted to help him. It seemed like a no-brainer. All I had to do was work for Andrew Hopper, and then everything would be fine. But my father never said anything about living in the Hopper mansion until the job was finished.

  I closed the door gently and pulled my phone out of my pocket. I dialed my father’s number and pressed the phone roughly against my ear. With each ring, my anger grew stronger.

  Finally, my dad answered. His voice almost sounded normal, but I could hear the hidden tension behind it.

  “Sophie,” he said. “Are you at Andrew’s?”

  “Yes,” I snapped. “Do you want to explain this deal you made?”

  “What do you mean?” Dad asked.

  “Why the hell do I have to live here, Dad?” I demanded.

  Dad sighed, and I could hear his labored breathing coming through the phone. He was silent for a while, just trying to work through his explanation.

  “It was just part of the deal,” Dad said. “Honestly, I hoped he was bluffing about that part. I never imagined he would actually make you live there, Sophie.”

  “Well, he is.”

  “I really thought that was just his anger talking,” Dad said quickly. “He was so angry, I assumed he would calm down and see sense.”

  “Dad,” I said shortly. “It doesn’t matter what you thought. What matters is that I’m now stuck in this damn house with a man who won’t even allow me to speak to him directly.”

  “What?” Dad asked, confusion in his voice.

  “That’s right,” I said with an unamused laugh. “I’m only allowed to speak to his butler, Liam. Andrew doesn’t want me dealing directly with him.”

  Dad was quiet for a long time. I knew everything was sinking in. In that moment, I wanted to ask what he’d done to piss off Andrew, but I knew it wasn’t the time. Besid
es, it didn’t matter now. All that mattered was the shitty situation I now found myself in.

  “You don’t have to do this,” Dad said, finally breaking the silence. “This is asking too much. Just leave, Sophie.”

  “What?”

  “I’ll turn myself in,” Dad said. “It’s not worth what he’s putting you through.”

  “Turn yourself in?” I asked blankly. “What are you talking about? What do you mean?”

  “It’s not important,” Dad said quickly. “I don’t want you to do this anymore, Sophie. I’m so sorry I even asked.”

  Dad’s voice broke, and my heart ached. Just hearing him struggle was enough to make my anger fade. I closed my eyes and sat down on the edge of the bed. Dad was crying on the other end of the phone. It was muffled as if he were trying to stifle the sound.

  “Don’t worry about it,” I said. “I’m already here, Dad. There’s no reason to change our minds now.”

  “But you shouldn’t have to do this,” Dad said. “Not for me.”

  “I want to,” I said, though that wasn’t entirely true. I wanted to help my father, but the Hopper mansion was the last place I wanted to be. “It won’t be for long. I just have to get this work done, and then I’ll leave. Easy.”

  “Are you sure?” Dad asked. “Because Sophie, I’m serious, you don’t have to do this.”

  “I know,” I said. “I’m sure.”

  Dad mumbled his thanks. I could tell he was trying to keep himself from crying again. When we said goodbye, it pulled at my heart worse than ever. My father was the only person I would do something like this for.

  I tucked my phone in my pocket and laid down on the bed. I knew I should get to work immediately. The faster I worked, the less time I would have to spend in this place. Still, my head was so full that I knew I’d never be able to focus. Not after everything.

  My mind spun itself in circles as I tried to make sense of things. This entire situation was crazy. Insane. What the hell could my father have done to deserve something like this? And why did my father say he would turn himself in? Turn himself in to who? Andrew? The police? It didn’t make sense. My father wasn’t a criminal. He would never do anything illegal, ever.