Page 62 of Captive Lies

“You’ll have to do it on yourown.”

“It’s a one-point-two-billion-dollar deal, Grant. Without you in the meeting, the board’s gonna getnervous.”

Jake appeared at the open door of his office. He was holding his laptop and had a binder under hisarm.

“I gottago.”

“You can’t do this,man!”

“If you need me, contact Heather. She’s been instructed to summarize all the business transactions that need my attention.” He ended the call and motioned for Jake to enter. “Anyupdates?”

“We’ve got the license plate number. It’s from a rental company in Miami. The lab is trying to hack into its GPS to locate it. From the company’s POS, the vehicle hasn’t been returnedyet.”

“We also have a report on the explosive device used in thecar.”

“So it’s a confirmedexplosion?”

“Yes. They found residue consistent with a tripto-blastexplosive.”

“Awhat?”

“It’s a relatively new technology using a triptinum core, similar to the effect of lighting a hydrogen and oxygen mixture. The resulting explosion is big and fast. Happens in a blink of aneye.”

“Triptinum … sounds familiar,” Grantmurmured.

“It’s a recently discoveredmetal.”

“I remember now. Kazakhstan,right?”

“Correct.”

“I don’t like where this is going.” Grant said, mulling over this information. “We need to know which companies are mining the metal? Who does the refining, and, more importantly, which companies manufacture these types ofexplosives?”

Jake ran a finger across the stubble on his jaw. “See that’s the thing. This is not typical military-grade or commercial issue. As far as I know, only special-ops personnel have this technology and it ain’t cheap. It could also be the ROC trafficking these weapons to certain interest groups likeISIS.”

“Yeah. Shit,” Grant rubbed a hand over his face. “I want to know how that device got into the Bentley. Dig deep into the backgrounds of everyone who had access toit.”

“That’s going to take some time,” Jake said. “Your father’s office has stringent security screenings of all itspeople.”

“Unless the person who has the final say isinvolved.”

“Are you saying August Lynch might beinvolved?”

“Not discounting him,” he said grimly. “Everyone is a suspect. The priority right now is finding Blaire. What do you have on thatfront?”

“Mikhail Orlov has several properties inMiami.”

“That’s assuming they’re taking her to Miami. How long before we can trackthem?”

“If they haven’t disabled the GPS? Within the next hour ortwo.”

A door slammed from the outside and rapid footsteps approached his office. Out of breath, Tyler walked in and handed Grant aphone.

“There’s only one number on Blaire’s burner that she has calledrepeatedly.”

Jaw clenching tight, Grant held it to his ear. It rang until it went to voicemail. He didn’t expect Blaire’s friend to answer, but he was still disappointed. “Liam, this is Grant. Call me at this number as soon aspossible.”

Thumbing the screen to end the call, he looked at his men. “Get ready to leave. Buy anything you think we might need to rescue Blaire. Guns, ammo, vests, hell, a grenade launcher, getit.”

---