Page 92 of Blackmail of a Billionaire

“Again, sir?” Worthington asked.

Grant slid his eyes to the man. “Yes. She met him. James said she insisted on going. Something about figuring out what information he was planning to spring on us.”

“I had two men head to his place just after the incident. After a little…persuasion, he claimed to have no knowledge of it. Said he spoke with Julia at the park, she left, he didn’t follow because she’d made it clear she didn’t want to speak to him.”

“Well, isn’t that magnanimous of the good doctor,” Grant shot back.

“We had a tail on him. I can check in with them.”

“Do that. I don’t trust him.”

Max nodded as he pressed his phone to his ear and retreated across the room.

Grant’s eyes fell on the silver frame holding the wedding photo. He imagined the smile gone from her face as terror set in. And all because of him. One of his enemies took both her and his daughter. Would either ever forgive him?

“What?” Max’s voice barked. “Well, find him, now!”

“What’s going on, Max?” Grant asked as the man ended the call.

“Tail lost Carter as he left the city. They’re trying to find him now.”

Grant slid his eyes closed as he shook his head and cursed under his breath. “Find him.”

The buzzing of his phone sent his heart thudding again. He stared down at the unknown number before he glanced at Max.

“Put it on speaker.”

Grant nodded and swiped to accept the call. “This is Grant Harrington.”

A chilling robotic voice filled the air. “This is the party that currently has your wife and daughter.”

His breathing turned shallow. “What do you want?”

“Harrington Global. Turn over all shares to us or they die. More instructions will be coming.”

“Wait,” Grant said as Max spun a finger in the air, asking him to keep the caller on the line. “I want proof they’re alive.”

“We’ll send it.” The line clicked as the caller ended the call.

A collective groan went up through the room as the man manning the trace shook his head. Grant leaned back in his chair as he processed the demand. His entire company, his entire fortune, gone.

But he would give anything to ensure Sierra and Julia came home safe. “Call Mitchell.”

Max shook his head. “Sir, we shouldn’t–”

“Call Mitchell. I’m not bargaining with their lives.”

Worthington lifted the receiver on the desk. “I will contact him immediately, sir.”

Grant sat back in his chair, his mind twisted and turned as he tried to figure out who would do this. Worthington gently replaced the phone in the cradle. “He is on his way.”

“Thank you, Worthington. Max, keep on the search. If we can get them back, we go for it. Until then, we make arrangements to meet their demands. Nothing is worth Sierra’s or Julia’s lives.”

Max bobbed his head as he dialed a number on his phone and pressed it to his ear again before stalking across the room.

Grant rubbed his forehead as he waited for the phone to ring again or for the proof of life to come through. His trembling hands drummed out a shaky rhythm on the desk. Why haven’t they sent the proof yet?

He tried to push the obvious reason from his mind. They didn’t have it. No, that would never work for a ransom. They must be alive. Maybe they were being difficult, fighting.

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