Page 46 of Redemption

“Hello, Dad.” My words came out with more confidence than I felt.

“What the hell do you want now?” My father’s reply was clipped.

I couldn’t help but needle him a bit. “Is that any way to talk to your oldest and most favorite daughter? I thought we were closer than that?”

“I don’t have time for your bullshit, Josephine. We said all there was to say the last time you called. So, unless you get to the fucking point of this phone call, we’re done.”

Knowing I had pushed as far as I should, I got down to business. “I’m calling to make you a deal.”

“What kind of deal?”

“An exchange of information.”

“You have nothing I want.”

“Oh, I think I do, otherwise you wouldn’t have sent your goons to try and kill me. Twice.”

An evil laugh erupted through the phone line. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

I knew the two agents in the room were going to kill me, but I took a giant leap. Just because I hadn’t recognized the name, didn’t mean my father wouldn’t.

“Vladimir Dragomirov. Name ring a bell?”

I winced when Agent Morgan quickly stood and started pacing as he ran his hands through his hair in obvious frustration.

“You little bitch. You have no idea what hell you’ve just committed yourself to.”

“You’ve known since I was thirteen that I can do anything on computers. Korol'. Could the Russians get any more conceited by using a code name that means ‘King’? And just because Dragomirov’s name wasn’t in any emails, did you really think I wouldn’t be able to trace you to him? Did you really think I wouldn’t figure it out? You know I’m smarter than that.”

The sudden silence was deafening. My father had no idea the amount of patience I possessed. Hell, I’d waited six years for Miles. I could wait two minutes for him to come up with a response to my threat. Finally, my patience was rewarded.

“What do you want?” I would swear I could hear my father’s teeth grinding to a nub in the background.

“I told you. I’m tired of you holding your so-called evidence against me. I want you to call off your assassins and leave me alone. I want to exchange information. You give me the evidence you have, and I’ll give you mine. I don’t want to keep looking over my shoulder waiting for the day you succeed in killing me. I just want this to end.”

“So, you’re telling me that you’ve suddenly given up making me pay for what happened to your sister? After all these years, you’re just going to let it go?”

I let out a huff of air. “If it means staying alive… then, yes.”

I’d given up in believing in God the day I discovered what was being done to my sister. But now, I prayed with every fiber of my being that he believed me. He had to. Or all of this was for nothing.

“And what if I don’t agree?”

“Then I turn everything I have over to the FBI and deal with the consequences of my actions later.”

Silence reigned while I held my breath waiting for my father to decide.

“Fine, then meet me at midnight in the old warehouse district by the pier. Just off Division Street.”

“No,” I responded, succinctly. “We will meet in two days. Your house at 3:00 pm. You don’t have a choice. There will be no other options on the table but that. Take it or leave it.”

I refused to play this game any longer. My stomach churned at my father’s callous words. No, not my father. Charles Santiago. Criminal. Monster. But not my father.

“Fine. I will see you then. And you better come alone.”

“I’ll be there.”

No longer able to bear speaking to him any longer, I disconnected the call. My eyes closed, and my whole body slumped into my chair, mentally and physically exhausted over the verbal confrontation. My heart ached at the pain my baby sister had gone, and continued to go, through.

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