"What the hell's going on, Parker?" Russell didn't attempt to hide his irritation.
"This deal has been a nightmare, that's what."
"My phone's been ringing off the hook. The investors aren't happy about this."
"They never invested anything. Their loss was zero. Let them bitch if that's what they need to do. I've made each of them good sized cash piles in the past. I'm not worried about it."
"So you're going to give this Emily Carson back her property?" Russ shook his head in disbelief.
"No. The property wasn't willed to her. Emmitt Carson sold the land before he died. It's legally ours, so I'll sell it to Emily for a dollar."
"A dollar..."
"Russ, you don't have to agree with what I've done, but I do need you to trust me. If we go through this land development venture on the fifty thousand acres, we'll be slaughtered in the media. I need to ask you if Emmitt was drugged when he signed over this property. Emily Carson accused us of doing that."
"No, I spoke with his nurse. He'd refused medication until the papers were signed. He hadn't taken anything that day."
"Okay good. Hopefully I can repair some of the damage I've caused."
"What are you talking about, Parker?" Russ stood up and began to pace.
"Let's just say I pulled every trick in the ugly book to get her off the land. Bottom line? She's in a hospital bed with a broken arm that required surgery, and a concussion. There's more to the story but it'll have to wait until we can sit with a few cold beers. I'll be in Colorado for a while. Cover for me." Parker knew that Russ could easily be mistaken for himself.
"It had to have been some kind of accident. I know you'd never physically harm a female."
"It was a fall down the stairs, and no I didn't push her."
"Please tell me you're not sleeping with her?"
"No. No way..."
Looking back over at the boxes let him know exactly what he needed to do next. He began to empty them. Parker had no idea where things were supposed to go, but he was more than aware that Emily would need help when she came home. Some of the boxes he looked in peaked his interest longer than others, especially the ones with all the craft projects Emily had made for her grandfather. Parker couldn't help but flip through the photo albums. There was certainly a lot of love under this roof. For the first time, he could clearly see the pain he threw at Emily with the impending demolition of her grandfather's home. Perhaps if Parker had been raised in one house, he would have connected to the situation faster. The multitude of foster homes that the twins had grown up in left the Davis men without pleasant childhood memories.
Parker heard the back door open. He knew it was too soon for Emily to be released.
"Mick..."
"Why are you here?" Mick raised his voice.
"I need to try and undo as much of the damage that I caused. I kicked the door in so I had a new one installed. It wasn't very secure to begin with. I'm just trying to get some of these boxes unpacked before Emily comes back. She isn't going to have the use of both arms."
"Yeah, I wonder why?"
"No one is punishing me more than what I'm doing to myself. But there's only so much shit I'm willing to take from you. If you came here looking for a fight, I suggest we get it over with." Parker began walking toward Mick. He'd be damned if he was going to take another punch.
"No I didn't come here to fight with you. I just came to check on the house."
"I'll hire someone to take care of Emily and the house until her arm is completely healed. I'm not that big of a chump."
"She comes home in two days. I have to keep the clinic going and I'll make sure her apartment is okay. You're right, though. Emily will need some help when she's discharged. I can't afford it, and I know she's financially strapped."
"Do you think she'd like to recuperate there or here in her grandfather's house?"
"I'd rather her stay out here. It's peaceful and relaxing. Her apartment is anything but, and it's ridiculously small."
"I'll take her to the apartment when she's released, and she can pick out what she wants delivered here." Parker had the whole thing figured out. This'll be quick and easy. I'll be back in New York within a week.
"Are you that stupid?" Mick began to laugh.
"Watch it, Mick--"
"Do you really think she's going to go anywhere with you? She's not even going to want to look at the man responsible for blowing up her world. If she sees you in this house, I'll feel sorry for you. Just finish up and get out. If you really want to help Emily like you say you do, then do so from a distance." Mick turned and left.
He's right. Think, Parker, think. The solution came quickly enough. He put his phone on speaker while he closed the boxes back up. He obviously couldn't do this without Emily's direction.
"Russ, I need a favor, as in urgent favor."
"The way things are going, I'm afraid to ask."
"Do you still have that authentic looking copy of your license?"
"Yeah it's in the safe next to yours."
"Send it to me...pronto."
"Parker..."
"Don't worry, Russ, I have a perfect plan."
Parker drove to the grocery store in town and picked up some basic staples for the house. Finding the refrigerator empty had hit another painful nerve. He had visuals of her fish falling to ground. And I had her vehicle towed, keeping her trapped like a mouse.
Parker walked around the lot of a dealership on the outskirts of Springfield. He hoped she'd like the brand new Ford Explorer. He'd keep it hidden until Emily was okay to drive; no use in reminding her of the limitations she had upon her. Then he drove to the impound lot and paid the kid an extra hundred bucks to have Emily's old Ford towed back to the house. Parker drove the new vehicle down to the old deserted barn and secured the doors shut. His last stop was the rental agency to switch cars. A different vehicle would be necessary if he was going to swap identities. Parker knew it was wrong to lie like this, but it was the only way he'd be allowed close enough to help her. This would be a short-term situation. I'll clear my conscience, then go back to my life. The more miles I put between me and this nightmare, the better. Parker had it all figured out.
With his new identification placed neatly in his wallet, Parker stepped off the elevator onto the third floor. He quickly walked past the nurse's station, just in case he was stopped. He couldn't risk getting thrown out again. Parker cautiously stepped into Emily's room and sat in a chair beside the bed, waiting for her to wake up.
The angry look on her face when she saw him spoke volumes.
"Before you scream, I'm not Parker. I'm his twin brother." He put his hands up in surrender.
"Bullshit!" Emily's voice rose, and Parker closed the door.
"Look," said Parker as he pulled out his wallet.
"Russell? You've got to be kidding me!"
"I work at Davis Enterprises, but I only do the books. When I heard what my brother Parker had done, I flew out here to make things right. I'm sorry for all of it."
"How can you even work for a company like that?"
"Parker really is my twin brother. We've only had each other our whole lives. I won't quit the business, but I can't say that I agree with my brother's ethics. I know you don't have use of your right arm, so I want to make sure you're set up to recuperate without any worries."
"He's tearing my grandfather's house down and building an airport. I hate him."
"I have papers with me. I stopped it all. Nothing is happening to your grandfather's house or the property. Davis Enterprises owns it at the moment, but I'm selling everything back to you for one dollar. I'll even provide the buck." Parker stuck his hand out. "Please let me make everything better for you. I'm willing to stay out here until you're completely situated and cared for."
Emily just stared at his hand. "I'll believe it when what you say comes true. Can you step in the hall please? I need to have the nurse come in and help me dress. I've been discharged."
Parker waited in the hall until the nurse came back with a wheelchair. "I can push her down to the car."
"I was just going to call a cab," Emily firmly replied.
"Emily, I'm right here and my car is close by. I'll drive you wherever it is you need to go." Just get in the chair...
"I'd appreciate going to my apartment." She was painfully aware her options were limited.
"Not a problem." Parker gave her his best smile.
Emily gave him her glare.
"Do you need to stop anyplace before we get to your apartment?"
"No, I don't think so."
Emily's apartment reminded Parker of a sardine can. The place was tidy other than the ugly dresses strewn out on the foot of the bed.
She saw all of the looks of disapproval on Russell's face. When you're a billionaire, you don't get reality. The faster I can get this pompous--Then it occurred to her. Why should I let this pathetic Davis family off the hook? She decided it was time to make them pay. If she couldn't get to one brother, she'd get to the other. The Davis family deserved what was coming to them.
"As a matter of fact, I think I'd like to go over to my grandfather's house until I get better."
"I think that's a great idea, Emily. Let me know what you need to take out of here and I'll put it in the car."