Page 57 of Power Games

"All right. Hired. When can you start?"

Henry did a fist pump, mouthing a silent "yes," before replying. "Your father said I didn't have to stay at the law firm for my notice if you chose to keep me, so now."

"Perfect. First things first, I'd like you to compile a comprehensive list of premium properties currently for sale in this area...." She reconsidered. "Never mind. Tea first."

22

Motives

Vanessa wasn't kidding about aiming to help Charles through his mess, he realized when he got back to his hotel at six-thirty.

He had a daunting list of things to do. Today's plan was buying as many shares of Jacobs Enterprises as he could. As they were dropping on the market, shareholders sold, and he had to do something about it. Purchasing them as soon as they went up for grabs made sense; he could strengthen his position on the board, for one.

Then, there were other things. He needed to find a place to live, and to talk to Barrett about the consequences of Izzy's death. Did she have a will? Was there anything he needed to be concerned about?

The biggest thorn in his side was the funeral.

As Isabella had been murdered, the police were keeping her body until they were entirely satisfied they were done with her autopsy, but soon, he had to think about a funeral. Funny how in seventeen years of marriage, they'd never discussed the type of funeral they'd want. Even at Izzy's lowest, after the hospital, it hadn't crossed his mind. They were too young, too healthy, practically invincible.

Now it was his voice. He'd asked Janet and Mark Sawyer, her parents, if they wanted to have a say in the matter, desperate for them to say yes. Mark had deferred to his wife. "I can't, Charles. I just...can't. I know what she was. I know she wasn't healthy, I even know she wasn't a good wife to you. But she was my baby."

Janet had just cried and cried in his arms.

Neither of them believed that he would have hurt their daughter, thank fuck. He didn't think he could have dealt with the accusation, not from them.

Strangely, it had come from an unexpected source.

His father had remained silent and sullen for the whole evening when he first got home. Charles hadn't questioned it. Silent and sullen was Thomas Grant's way.

After dinner, when his mom had been cleaning up, he follow his dad to the patio, and said, "Well?"

"Well, what do you want me to say? You were with another woman the night your wife got murdered. That doesn't look good, Charles. Not good at all."

Thomas was very traditional. He'd been good to his mom through the highs and lows of their marriage. Charles sighed. "It's not what you think. Vanessa and I have never had that sort of relationship. I've never so much as kissed her. Would it have been a problem if I'd been with Barrett or another buddy? She's a friend."

Thomas snorted. "Don't lie. Not to me. The way you say that name, Vanessa? I've never heard you speak like that, son. This doesn't look good, either."

"How does it look, then, Dad?"

Thomas shrugged. "You have money now. How many billions is it, thirty, forty?"

Forty-one. He didn't bother to specify.

"That's the kind of money that can make problems go away."

That his own father could have believed Charles would ordered Izzy killed had hurt. It had hurt bad.

"I haven't done that. Izzy offered me a divorce Friday night. Openly."

Of course, he didn't have any proof of that.

"And even if she hadn't, I wouldn't have had my wife killed."

Thomas nodded. "All right. All good. Someone had to ask. Might as well be me."

The silence between them had been heavy.

"I told you you were making a mistake all these years ago when you were marrying that girl, and I was right."

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