“Welcome to the Wickham. How can I help you today?”

“I need to see the owner. Wickham. Senior.”

“I’m sorry, sir, Mr. Wickham is unavailable. If you’d like to speak with our manager?”

“Wickham. Tell him Ryder Montgomery needs to speak with him. Don’t bother to call the manager,” he said, anticipating her. “Or security. Just tell Wickham I’m here to discuss the charges against his daughter-in-law for assault.”

“I’m sorry?”

“You heard me. If he’s okay with that, I’ll go on home and make that happen. If he’s not, he’ll talk to me.” Ryder just shrugged as she lost her composure enough to goggle at him. “I’ll wait.”

He stepped back, glanced around. Looked like a hell of a nice bar off the lobby, he noted. He’d have liked to go in—not for a beer, he was driving in this goddamn traffic again shortly—but to see how it was put together.

He could see Hope here, easily. In her excellent suit and her fancy stilts. She’d fit right in with the marble and crystal, with the shine and elegance and flowers so damn big he suspected steroids.

“Mr. Montgomery.”

He turned, studied the man in the dark suit. “Security? No need to toss me out. I’ll just see Mr. Wickham in court.”

“I’ll escort you to Mr. Wickham’s office. And remain.”

“Works for me.”

They walked up a curving staircase, along a mezzanine, then through a set of oak doors into a small secondary lobby.

Security knocked on another set of doors.

“Come!”

“Mr. Montgomery, sir.” The security guard stepped back, stood at parade rest.

Wickham remained seated at a heavily carved desk that might have suited a president or the king of some small country. He had a shock of white hair, hard blue eyes, and a smooth golden tan.

“I don’t allow people to threaten my family.”

“No?” Ryder hooked his thumbs in his front pockets. “Me either. Let me lay this out for you, and when I have you can say what you want to say, and we’ll be done. My family owns Inn BoonsBoro. Hope Beaumont is our innkeeper.”

“I’m aware.”

“Good, saves time with the setup. I’m not going to get into what went on with Hope and your son, your part in it or anyone else’s. I wasn’t around, and that was then anyway. This is now.”

“My family has nothing to do with yours, Mr. Montgomery. And I take threats against my son’s wife very seriously.”