Caught

Chapter 17: King In Training

I sat back in my chair at my Father's old desk. I sighed and rolled my neck. I've been at this since six in the morning. Mom walked me through everything. She stayed and explained what the papers were. Some were estates that need to be signed off. Buisnesses that need my approval. She told met no to read through all of them. If I were to do that then, I would be spending all day in the study.

I asked her about why not getting a few people to help with the reading of these papers and she laughed in my face. Yup, I'm definitely going to be adding at least three people to help me with this.

I rarely saw my father, but when I did he would stop what he was doing to make time for us. Most of these papers didn't seem right. My mom told me it was how we made our money and how we were able to keep the kingdom going. So in a sense we were into money laundering.

Also I could tell we move some not so legal things. I sighed and shook my head, "I need to make a lot more changes. We need to be careful." I said to myself. We've been doing this for years. But we were fine running night clubs, bars, publishing houses, even real estate. But the illegal stuff must have came when I was away. I have to look more into it though. Right now it's still fresh. I'm going to bring Haley on this stuff too. Maybe getting her persecutive will help.

The door opens and I smile seeing George. He has a tray of food and a glass of blood.

"Did I miss lunch?" I ask standing up and finally stretching. Oh, man I needed that stretch.

"You did sir, Miss Haley asked for you. Should I send her up?" He asks setting the tray down at one of the small tables.

"Yes, I'm never too busy for Haley. She's welcome any time. Be sure to tell her that." I smile walking over to him.

"Also sir I would like to inform you I am retiring at the end of this year." He looks at me and I nod.

"I thought you would have retired a long time ago. You've been an amazing friend George. I wish you nothing but the best. I'm sure your serverance package is going to be enough?" I asked him.

He nods, "It's more than enough sir, the wife and I can't thank you and your Mother for your generosity."

"You've been with us since I could remember. Didn't question us and you were there for me after my Father died. Even when they argued about my future. Thank you for everything. I'll arrange a dinner party in your name when the time comes. Just give me a guest list and I will send out the invitations."

"You are too kind sir. I will have that list by the end of this week." He smiles and gives me a small bow. "I'll send Miss Haley up right away." With that he leaves the study.

Replacing George was going to be hard. I mean, I don't need a person to help me dress or anything. He would just be there when I would lose track of time, or bring me food like he did today. He would take me out to the maze and we would just talk. He was more than a servant he was a father figure to me.

I take the glass of blood and walk over to my desk, I sigh and look down at the papers. I'm almost done. It's almost two and I'm trying to be done by three at least. Mother did say I can put off a few things for tomorrow. Dad always did make time for us for the weekend and Holidays. I would do the same.

I got through a few more papers when there was a knock at my door. I told them to come in, not taking my eyes off a paper about real estate. They walked and said a small "Hi." I smiled knowing it was Haley.

"Just give me one second, I'm just finishing this up." I tell her not looking up from the paper. I hear the chair in front of my desk creak, she sat down and just waited.

"This doesn't make sense," I said under my breath.

"What doesn't make sense?" Haley asked. I look up at her then back at the paper.

"Since you are going to be my wife down the line, why don't you take a look." I said with a smile and handed the paper over. I sat back in my chair and watched as she furrowed her eyebrows together. After a few moments she looked back up at me.

"Care to explain a little more?" She asked.

I nodded, "So this is to sign off for a laundry mat in a run down town not too far from here. Let me pull up my map." I said standing up and going over to the map hanging in my study. I pull on it and reveled another map of the town we are on the outskirts of.

"All the blue markings are what we own. Which is a lot, we practically own the whole damn country. But if you look closely here, we have five laundry mats within three miles of each other. Also where they want to have it is in a town that is upper middle class." I explained.

Haley stood up and looked at the map. I took a step back to let her study it. I went back to my desk and picked up my glass and took a sip. I need to go to all of these places and see if they are beneficial to the towns.

"Are you able to look at the ones before your father died?" She asks and I nodded. I whispered a spell and most of the blue pins were gone.

"Now these I know. The others were added on over the years. I looked at our finances and we have a lot more than we need. I don't know what my mother was doing while I was gone, but we don't need all this money. I don't care for this lifestyle never have. But I do want to make sure these people are taken care of." I said stepping next to her.

She touched my arm and I looked down at her, "What are you doing tomorrow?"

"Well, I was going to do some more paperwork, but I guess we're going to most of these places." I say with a smile and she smiles back.

"Obviously we can't do this all before Halloween so we'll start on the outside just before the borders and work our way in. We'll mark on map where we visited. Also do you have any friends that want jobs? I need at least three people."

I smiled seeing the questioning look in her eyes, "With all this paperwork I have to do every single day I can't do it by myself. Of course you're going to have a hand in it too."

We turned to each other and she put her arms around my waist, "I think I'm going to like it here." She says. I put my arm around her shoulders and pull her close. I kissed the top of her head and smile.

I'm starting to really really fall in love with this woman.