“He’s lying!” shouted Alan. “I was there. He’s in love with her.”
“No,” Grant drawled, “I just love punching Nazis. Marine Corps tradition, you know.”
“You’re lying,” Danielle said.
Grant laughed coldly. “Your plans are all too elaborate. Burn down the house, involve the shady Italian contractor. And now you’ve convinced Kate’s crazy professor to work for you in this moronic scheme.” He squinted through the screen. “Are you wearing my watch?”
“This ismywatch,” Alan said. “My grandfather’s watch.”
“Whatever. I’m going to need that back, Mother.”
“She promised me the watch for helping her!” Alan yelled.
“Again,” Grant said, “Plans. Too. Elaborate. You know what we do in the Marines when there’s a problem? Kill it.”
“Well then, I’ll just killher!” Danielle shrieked and motioned to Luigi.
Kate screamed through her gag. It was true. Grant was exactly like his mother—he had never loved her, and now she was going to die like this.
“No,” Grant said, sounding more annoyed than scared. “She’s my father’s assistant. I need him in top form. We have a big meeting coming up, and I can’t have him distracted. Just keep her on ice. I’ll come pick her up.”
“That isnotthe deal,” Danielle hissed into the phone. “I want one hundred million dollars, and I want you to bring it to me.”
Kate couldfeelGrant look up at the ceiling and roll his eyes. The irritation in his voice wasn’t that well disguised.
“No, Mother, that is not going to happen. Do you have any idea how long it takes to assemble that much cash?”
“Then wire me the money.”
“The bank will freeze it. I’ll bring you Bitcoin instead in an encrypted wallet.”
Danielle took a deep breath. “Come to the canal, alone, and don’t tell anyone.”
“It will be a few hours,” Grant said. “I need to finish up some stuff here at the office. You weren’t on my calendar today.”
Danielle hung up the phone on him. “Now we’re back in business. Everything is progressing as it should.” She chuckled quietly. “My son is exactly like me.”
“He’s going to tell his father,” Alan said.
Danielle smiled. “I’m counting on it.”
Chapter 62
Grant
It was all Grant could do to keep it together after he got off of the video call.
The adrenaline churned through his system. Kate… his father was right all along. He never should have listened to his birth mother. He never should have gotten involved.
“Think,” he muttered to himself. First thing, he called his father.
“I’m about to fly back from Atlanta,” Walter said when he answered. “Is it an emergency?”
“I found Kate,” Grant said. “Danielle has her.”
“Oh no,” his father said. “I’m calling the FBI. Don’t do anything, Grant. Promise me!”
Grant hung up the phone. He wasn’t going to wait around for the FBI. He pulled out an old, broken hard drive and all the guns he had at his desk.
