Always Running (MATURE CONTENT)

CHAPTER 6

The Healy Group was looking for financial assistance and had turned to Lucas for help. The information that Tom had brought him about the group had grabbed his attention from the moment he laid eyes on it. The Healy Group was a non-profit organization that centered their attention in group homes for single and abused mothers, they also had a rehabilitation center for battered women and a drug treatment center for young adults. The group was doing great work with women who really needed that extra help to get back on their feet. The only problem was, so many non-profits turned to Lucas for help who claimed they were dedicated to helping those less fortunate who actually turned profits and pocketed it for themselves. He had blown a few of those organizations out of the water and that had won him a few more enemies than he already had.

After studying the file with great care, Lucas decided to get the ball rolling. First, he wanted more information on the group.

"Get me all the financial records on the Healy Group, here and overseas. I want a list of businesses they have and people they do business with," Lucas said to Tom, who stood in front of Lucas' desk. "Also, get me Stanley on the phone and make sure to get the IT department in here tonight to update security in all systems."

Tom jotted down everything Lucas wanted and looked up at his boss. "Anything else?"

Lucas shook his head no and went back to reviewing the file he had in front of him. Tom left the office closing the door behind him.

Lucas needed to know everything about the group before he made such a large contribution. Money wasn't everything, but it sure as hell made things easier. It had cost him a lot of sweat and tears to have what he had, and he wasn't about to just give it away.

PERSONAL. Nothing could be taken personal when it came to doing business. Lucas was hard as well as fair and ruthless when he needed to be. Now, when things were going so well for him business wise his personal life started to chafe him in all the wrong places, starting with his ex-wife, Laney. When it came to that woman, he couldn't help but take everything personal. She had a unique way of making him insane. Every time she came to see him, she found a way of making him absolutely crazy. She had a gift for making his life a living hell.

More money! that woman was asking for more money! Twenty thousand dollars a month apparently wasn't enough for that woman on top of the fifty thousand he gave her for Melody, his sixteen-year-old daughter, in alimony and child support. Laney was a leech, and he was seriously considering other alternatives to dealing with that woman. He would no doubt have to pay her if he wanted her to keep her mouth shut.

***

NOTHING. There was absolutely nothing available. Not motel, hotel room or apartment either. Some kind of town fair or something had been the excuse she had gotten from every place she had gone to. Not a single room for rent. She was beginning to panic. She could not spend the night out on the street. She would be a sitting duck.

Nessa kept trying to find shelter for the night, but she had no luck. She sat at a mom-and-pop diner eating her peach cobbler when she pulled out Lucas' card and thought seriously about calling him. She could not spend the night out on the street, she couldn't, she would not make it, for many reasons.

Swallowing her pride and her mistrust of the man, she walked to the back of the diner and fed the pay phone the coins needed to make the call and dialed the number.

After four rings a young man's voice answered. "Mr. McAllister's office, how may I help you?"

Nessa cleared her throat. "I would like to speak to Lucas please."

"Mr. McAllister has left for the night. Would you like to leave a message?"

Nessa cut the call and dialed his cell phone. It rang twice before he answered the call.