Kate smiled, though it seemed a bit strained. “Yeah. Everybody always says I’m my father’s daughter.”

  She sat up straighter. Her commanding presence was returning, though it hadn’t overtaken her.

  “He taught me respect is earned through strength,” she continued, her voice taking on a more clipped tone. “‘You don’t get anywhere by being weak,’ he used to say.”

  Caroline glanced at me, a look of concern in her eyes.

  Kate checked her watch. “I should get going. Have a meeting this morning.” She pushed her half-eaten oatmeal away and stood.

  “You’ve barely touched your breakfast.” Caroline said.

  “I’ll grab something later.” Kate gathered her things. “About that citizens’ committee—we should meet this week.”

  “For sure,” I said.

  Kate zipped her leather jacket. “We need to keep momentum going. I’ve seen good initiatives fade when people don’t follow through.”

  Her commander voice was returning.

  After a moment’s hesitation, she added: “My offer about using my place still stands. It’s bigger, closer to downtown.”

  Caroline’s lips tightened. “I think we’re fine here.”

  “I’m just saying—”

  “I heard you.”

  Kate paused, tension building between them. For a moment, I thought she might escalate, but instead she nodded stiffly. “We can talk about it later.”

  She leaned in to kiss me. “Thanks for last night.”

  She turned to leave but paused, conflict visible in her face. “Um, text me about meeting up?”

  “Will do,” I said.

  With a final nod to Caroline, she was gone. We listened to her steps go through the hall, the front door closing shut.

  Caroline shook her head. “Did you see that? One little mention of daddy dearest and she turned back into her old self.”

  “She must have a lot of stuff she hasn’t dealt with.”

  “Oh, clearly!” Caroline came to stand beside me. “All those years of trying to be what her dad wanted, never thinking about what she wanted? That would mess anyone up.”

  “It seems like she’s trying to figure it out.”

  Caroline wrapped her arms around my neck. “Because we’re helping her. I think we’re making progress. She actually hesitated before coming at me in commander mode.”

  “Well, don’t take it personal. She’s really tender beneath the surface. I think commander mode is just how she protects herself.”

  Caroline sighed. “I know, I get it. And I’m trying to be patient, I’m really trying.”

  Chapter twenty-four

  As soon as Caroline left for work, I went over to Sofia’s to see how she was doing.

  Today was the big day. Jim was coming for the meeting with Benson. If all went well, Sofia would have her new restaurant.

  “How do I look? Is too much?” Sofia paced her living room in a tailored blazer and pencil skirt—a stark contrast to her usual flamboyant style. Her hair was pulled back in a black bun.

  “You look perfect,” I assured her. “Very professional.”

  “Jim arrives at noon, right?” she said, checking her phone again.

  “Yup.”

  “And Benson confirmed for two o’clock. Oh my god, I hope this works, Ryan.”

  I squeezed her shoulder. “It will. Jim’s already got Benson eating out of his hand.”

  Her forehead furrowed. “What if he changes his mind? He’s connected to all the council stuff. Maybe you guys exposed him too, and he’ll be angry.”

  “I’m pretty sure we’ll be fine,” I said. “Jim knows all about the town corruption situation. We’ve accounted for that.”

  My phone buzzed with a series of rapid-fire texts, interrupting us.

  Sofia’s eyes widened. “It’s Benson? He’s canceling?”

  “No,” I said. “It’s Kate. She’s in trouble.”

  The texts read:

  RyanI’ve got an emergency

  Omg I don’t know what to do. They’re shutting me down. City inspector just showed up with cops.

  “Holy shit,” I murmured, turning the phone to show Sofia.

  Her eyes widened. She clutched my arm. “Oh no! I knew it! They’re taking revenge!”

  I texted Kate: I’m coming.

  I moved to the doorway. “I’m heading over there.”

  “But Jim—”

  “I’ll be back for the meeting. Text me when he arrives.”

  Sofia nodded, clutching her phone. “Be careful, mi amor. These people are dangerous.”

  “Don’t worry. I’m gonna handle this. I’ll see you soon.”

  I gave her a squeeze and a kiss.

  ***

  The drive to Kate’s adventure park took fifteen minutes, giving me time to think.

  This had to be Ferguson’s doing, considering Mayor Buttlee had resigned. It was clearly a direct retaliation for exposing the council’s corruption.

  The timing was too perfect.

  As I took the turn onto the road leading to the park, I made a mental note to ask Jim about his legal team. We might need them.

  The gravel crunched under my tires as I pulled into the lot. The scene looked like something from a television police drama—yellow tape across the entrance, two cruisers parked out front, and a white city van with the town seal emblazoned on its side.

  A group of confused customers stood around checking their phones impatiently.

  Staff huddled in worried groups away from the main building. The construction workers who’d been giving Kate trouble before stood off to one side, vaping and watching the show with obvious interest.

  Kate stood in the parking lot, arms crossed tightly as she faced a balding man in a rain jacket.

  He wielded a clipboard, pointing it around as he spoke. He was flanked by three other bureaucratic types, all of them trying to look important.

  Two uniformed officers stood nearby. One looked like a fresh rookie. The other, grizzled with age, seemed bored and skeptical.

  Kate looked relieved when she saw me approaching.

  “What’s going on?” I asked, approaching the group.

  The balding man thrust his clipboard at me. “Sir, this is a restricted area. This is an official city inspection—”

  “He’s with me,” Kate interrupted, touching my arm. “Ryan, this is Mr. Guberfunkle—”

  “Gubernickle,” he corrected irritably.

  Kate’s jaw tightened. “He’s the chief inspector from the Buildings Department. They claim I have ‘critical safety violations.’ They’re shutting me down.”

  She handed me papers with the city insignia on them.

  The documents said the CAO had ordered Kate’s business closed under the “Public Safety Emergency Powers Ordinance”—pending an emergency inspection.

  “The zipline is brand new,” Kate said. “I went over so many regulatory hurdles. You already inspected it and said it was fine. Now suddenly it’s dangerous?”

  “We received an anonymous tip,” Gubernickle said.

  “Yeah, I bet you did,” I muttered, flipping through the pages.

  Kate gestured towards the main building. “And you’re not even letting me into my office? My business records are in there.”

  “The entire premises are closed pending inspection,” Gubernickle insisted, lifting his chin.

  I looked at the officers. The young one had acne scars and constantly shifted his weight from foot to foot.

  The older guy watched with a tired expression. I could tell he didn’t like what he was seeing.

  “Officer,” I said, addressing the older man. “Is it standard procedure to lock people out of their offices without allowing them to retrieve essential items?”

  He scratched his stubbled chin for a few seconds. “No, there’s usually some accommodation for retrieving essential items.”

  “This isn’t usual procedure,” Gubernickle snapped. “This is an emergency action.”

  I scoffed. “So a government can just shut down a business whenever they want?”

  “It’s for public safety,” Gubernickle said, his eyes darting away.

  “Interesting that it happened right after the council meeting yesterday, don’t you think?”

  The younger officer stared straight ahead. The older one scratched his neck.

  Kate snatched the document from my hand and held it up. “This is retaliation, plain and simple!”

  The old officer’s Adam’s apple bobbed, his lip tightening. I addressed him again.

  “I know you’re just doing your job, officer, but do you honestly believe this is right?”

  He looked at the inspector. “The kid’s got a point, Marv. I never signed up to go around seizing property for… political reasons. There, I said it.”

  Gubernickle’s face reddened. “The CAO specifically—”

  “The CAO will soon be under investigation for corruption,” I cut in. “And this order won’t hold up in court. It’s ridiculous.”

  Gubernickle shook with rage. “Fine,” he sputtered. “The office only. The recreation facilities remain closed pending inspection.”

  He fumbled with his keys, approaching the padlock on the main door.

  “You’ll be hearing from our lawyers,” I said. There was so much gravity in my voice that I actually saw a flicker of worry in his eyes.

  Kate’s angry expression softened as she looked at me. “Thank you,” she whispered.

  Inside her office, once we were alone, Kate’s composure faltered. She leaned against her desk, hands gripping the edge until her knuckles whitened.

  “That little fuck Ian Ferguson is trying to destroy me.”

  “Trying is the key word there,” I said, moving closer. “He won’t succeed.”

  She looked up at me. “This is really scary, Ryan. I’m losing money every hour we’re closed. And this is damaging for my brand. If they keep me shut down for a long time—”

  “They won’t.” I stepped closer, placing my hands on her shoulders. “Kate, look at me. A friend is coming to town today—soon. He has some very expensive lawyers.”

  “Who?”

  “Jim Muller.”

  Her eyebrows shot up. “Jim Muller? The investor?”

  “He was my mentor, and now he’s investing in Sofia’s restaurant. He wants to see this community succeed.”

  “And he has lawyers,” Kate said thoughtfully.

  “Very expensive ones. One call from them and Ferguson will back down.”

  Kate’s body remained stiff for a moment before gradually softening against mine. Her head rested against my chest, arms hesitantly wrapping around my waist.

  “Did you see what happened at city hall this morning?” she asked, her voice softening. “Two more councilors resigned.”

  “Really? That’s great.”

  She nodded against my chest. “Now that our story’s out, there’s a whole army of people digging into public records, finding things we missed.”

  “They’ll probably chase Ferguson out of town with pitchforks.”

  Kate laughed shakily. Her fingers clung to my shirt as she pressed closer.

  “I’m not used to needing help,” she admitted, voice muffled. “But thank you.”

  I stroked her hair, feeling her breathing slowly. “Well, you don’t have to handle everything alone anymore, Kate.”

  For a long moment, she simply leaned against me, allowing herself to be held.

  I kissed her forehead. “I have to get back for a meeting about Sofia’s restaurant, but I’ll call you right after.”

  “Okay, but I’m better now. Thanks again.”

  Kate straightened, composing herself but keeping her hand on my arm. “I’m okay now. Really. Thank you for coming.”

  She walked me to the door, her step lighter than when I’d arrived.

  As I strolled to my car, the old gray haired officer gave me a subtle nod of approval from across the lot.

  Chapter twenty-five

  With Sofia in the passenger seat, I pulled into a parking spot in front of a brick corner storefront.

  The building sat at a busy intersection in the town’s historic section, with large windows wrapping around both street-facing sides.

  The FOR SALE sign in the window had a fresh PENDING sticker across it.

  Sofia dropped her head on the seatrest with a sigh. “There it is! Is perfect, don’t you think?”

  “I do.” I squeezed her thigh. “Nervous?”

  She nodded, smoothing her blazer. “I never thought this would happen. After Benson was so terrible to me…”

  “You deserve it. You’ve worked hard.”

  She gripped my fingers tightly. “What if he try something? That man is a snake.”

  “That’s why Jim and I are here.” I brushed a strand of hair away from her cheek. “But, Sofia, you can wait in the car. You don’t have to—”

  Her eyes flashed with determination. “No. I want to be there. I need to see his face when he loses.”

  A black Mercedes pulled up on the other side of the corner, diagonal to us. Jim stepped out in an expensive but understated suit, his sunglasses reflecting the afternoon light.

  His head was shaved bald, and he sported a peppery beard.

  “And there he is!” I said, opening my door.

  Jim broke into a wide smile as we approached. “Hey! Good to see you, kid.” He gave me a bear hug, slapping my back, then turned to Sofia. “Hi, Sofia. I’m really excited to work with you on this.”

  She extended her hand, her posture straight and professional. “Thank you for coming, Mr. Muller. I really appreciate—”

  “It was an easy decision,” he said, waving away her formality. “Como en Casa is the best Colombian food I’ve had since Bogotá. And please call me Jim.”

  He patted my arm. “I got your email about what happened to your friend this morning. I’ve already forwarded it to my legal team. They’ll be calling the town CAO soon, hopefully today.”

  I nodded gratefully. “Thanks, Jim.”

  Movement across the street caught our attention.

  Benson was slinking towards us, his expensive suit hanging awkwardly on his frame. His eyes darted left and right as he fidgeted with his tie.

  Sofia straightened up, lifting her chin slightly.

  “Sofia! Fancy seeing you here!” Benson called out, his voice too loud for the quiet street.

  She replied coolly, “It’s my restaurant. Of course I’m here.”

  Jim stepped forward, extending his hand. “Frank, good to meet in person. Shall we head inside?”

  Benson fumbled with a set of keys. “Of course, of course. Just got the inspection report back. Clean bill of health.”

  The empty restaurant space was larger than it looked from outside. High ceilings, tiled floors, a bar along one wall. Sunlight streamed through the big windows, illuminating specks of dust in the air.

  I could already picture the place filled with people enjoying Sofia’s food, her dream finally realized. A warm feeling spread through my chest watching her take it all in.

  Sofia’s grip on my arm tightened, her eyes wide with excitement. “The kitchen is through here,” she whispered, tugging me toward a swinging door at the back.

  “All the equipment is staying,” Benson said. “As per the agreement.”

  Jim nodded, and I could see his eyes scanning every nook and cranny. “Alright, let’s take a look.”

  The kitchen was spacious, with industrial stainless steel appliances and plenty of prep space.

  Sofia moved through it as if she already owned it, her fingers trailing along countertops, unable to suppress her smile.

  “Is bigger than my current kitchen,” she whispered. “I could easily fit three of four more staff.”

  “I’d replace those hood vents,” Jim commented, pointing as Benson stood in the doorway. “They look original to the building.”

  I knew what he was doing — finding minor flaws to strengthen our negotiating position.

  Sofia moved toward the walk-in refrigerator, peeking inside. “Ryan, look!” She motioned me over.

  I stood beside her, and she whispered, pointing. “This is perfect. Is twice what I have now.”

  Benson hovered nearby, his demeanor shifting between deferential smiles for Jim and barely concealed disdain for Sofia.

  After surveying the kitchen, we returned to the main dining area where Jim placed his briefcase on one of the few remaining tables.

  “Let’s finalize this,” Jim said. “Mr. Benson, you’ve already agreed on taking off at least thirty per cent from your original asking price.”

  Benson adjusted one of his gaudy rings. “Well, yes. I did say thirty per cent—”

  Sofia came forward. “But thirty per cent is no good enough, Mr. Benson. Is still way above the market price — like double what you paid for it.”

  “I certainly can’t go any lower,” he said, gazing at the floor tiles. Then, slowly, a self-satisfied grin spread across his face.

  “In fact, I’ve been speaking with an investor from Charlotte. He’s extremely interested in this property.”

  Jim’s expression remained neutral. “Why? Because he believes in this town?”

  Benson laughed. “Because I’m a good salesman. I talk up the town’s riverfront project, and my contact thinks it’ll triple property values in a couple years.”

  I exchanged glances with Sofia, unable to suppress a smirk. Her eyes sparkled with the knowledge of what was about to come.

  She crossed her arms. “Didn’t you read the news, Mr. Benson? You didn’t hear about what happened?

  His forehead creased. “What do you mean? I just got back into town.”

  “The mayor resigned, along with half the council,” I said. “The development plan is suspended, and there’s going to be a corruption investigation. People are furious.”

  Benson’s face went slack. “You gotta be kidding me.”

  He pulled out his phone and scrolled frantically, cursing under his breath.

  “So,” Jim continued, calmly straightening his cuffs, “given these new circumstances, I have to agree with my partners. Even with the thirty percent reduction, the price is still outrageous.”

  Benson swallowed hard. “So you’re saying you don’t think my buyer will come through.”