“Excuse us,” he said to the women, standing. This wasn’t a first but it never got less irritating.
I followed him to the elevator without a word. The doors closed and we rode down in silence, side by side. We stepped off the elevator to find two feds who I assumed were Troy and Walker, the same agents that approached Coco. They straightened when they saw us come off the elevator together. I watched one of them recalibrate — they’d expected one Grimson, not two.
“Mr. Grimson.” The male agent addressed me, then caught himself looking between us. “Both Mr. Grimsons. We apologize for the interruption.”
“No, you don't,” I said. “But go ahead.”
“We need?—”
“You need to tell me why you’re standing in my building at nine o’clock at night,’ I said. My voice was even. “Because whatever it is couldn’t wait until morning, which meanssomebody sent you here to disrupt my evening on purpose. So let’s talk about that first.”
The woman stepped forward. “We have reason to believe?—”
“We have reason to believe.” My father repeated it slowly. “Bullshit, but humor us.”
Troy cleared his throat. “We’re here to formally advise that the Grimson Enterprise is under active federal investigation. We have reason to believe a significant arms shipment is being coordinated out of your organization within the next thirty days. We strongly suggest…”
“Where'd you get that?” I asked.
“We’re not at liberty to?—”
“You’re not at liberty,” I repeated. I looked at my father. He was looking at Troy in amusement.
Walker stepped forward. “Mr. Grimson, this is serious. We’re offering you an opportunity to cooperate before?—”
“Before what?” I stepped closer. "Before you show up at my home again during dinner? Before you approach my wife at the hotel ballrooms?” I tilted my head. “You’re persistent. I’ll give you that. Or perhaps it's stupidity. It’s almost like y'all don’t take heed to warnings.” I let my hands explode slowly, fingers spreading wide, and smiled at them.
Walker's jaw tightened. Troy went very still. I could see it in their face that they were getting the hint. Next time I wouldn’t miss. Who the fuck was going to check me? Cocky? Yes, but definitely fucking true.
“We have a credible source,” Troy said finally.
“I'm sure you think you do.” I looked at him steadily. “You’ve been given information by someone who wanted you standing exactly where you’re standing right now. I’d think carefully about who benefits from that before you keep pulling on that thread.”
He looked at both agents with so much stillness the room temperature dropped. “You have no warrant. You have no charges. You have information someone handed you because they needed you here tonight.” He straightened his jacket. “Go home. Tell whoever sent you that the message was received.”
Troy looked at Walker. Walker looked at the floor for just a second, which was all I needed to see.
“This investigation isn’t going away,” Troy said.
“Neither am I,” I told him. “Have a good night. Get home safe.”
We watched them walk through the lobby doors and out into the night. My father stood at the window for a moment watching their vehicles pull away.
The elevator doors opened behind us.
We stepped in.
The doors closed.
“The shipment,” I said.
My father looked straight ahead. “I know. Just trust me.”
“How long?”
“Long enough.” He straightened his cuff. “Seems we have two foxes in the hen house, Son.”
Neither of us said anything else until the doors opened.
