Page 43 of Gator

“No. I’m saying he might have a claim, but we would need to verify that, present to a court of law, and prove he is capable of becoming a board member. There’s a lot to unpack in this, Eric.”

“But he doesn’t know,” said Dylan. They all stared at her with a questioning look. “He doesn’t know that G.R.I.P. is connected to all of you. He thinks it’s just some other company. He wanted to know where you were located so that he could use whatever G.R.I.P. has and destroy you. He thought he could do that, but he can’t.”

“Have we received letters from him? Any notifications that he wants to be involved in the business?” asked Doug.

“Yes,” said Paige. “But we didn’t know it was him. Pigsty was able to trace the IP address and the e-mail used to Hanz. We didn’t bother before because we just blew it off as junk mail. Now that we know, we went back, and he’s sent dozens of messages saying he has a legal right to become a part of G.R.I.P.”

“What are we going to do?” asked Gator. “Wait, you said he can’t, Dylan. What do you mean?”

“I mean, he can’t because he used money from my father’s company to buy into Carswell. He took that money illegally and owes it to me and others. You cannot buy into a company with stolen gains. Even I know that,” she smiled.

“I think I love you more right now,” smiled Gator.

“I think we’re going to welcome Mr. Metzger for his first official tour of G.R.I.P.,” said Luke. Dylan’s eyes went wide, her face a blank white canvas. “Don’t worry, Dylan. It will be Mr. Metzger’s last visit to the bayou.”

Dylan nodded and then looked at Ian. She knew that this was going to be the only way they would get free of him. It would be the only way they would have a life together, but it was still hard to think of killing another person.

“You won’t have to be out there, baby,” said Gator. “I’ll be out there with the team, but he won’t know who we are. He’s never seen any of us.”

“I know,” she nodded. “I’m just scared for all of you. What if he insists on bringing Messina? Isn’t he really dangerous as well?”

“Honey, we’re dangerous,” he smirked.

“I know,” she said, nodding at him. “I know that, but you’re also my husband now and Joey’s father. I’m worried on a whole different level.”

“Listen, if he thinks he has a claim because of his funding and board role with Carswell, we’ll figure out the legalities of that. He doesn’t have a descendant to inherit any of this should he die, and he’d have to prove that the money he used to invest was his own. We can show that it was stolen from the company he ran with your father.”

“He’s right,” said Luke. “What Hanz is trying to do is stake his claim as a rightful part owner of G.R.I.P., perhaps even take a board position, and then make decisions about how the new tools are used and distributed. More than that, he just wants to see the new tools and, most likely, tell Messina about them.”

“But he’ll see the property,” she whispered.

“He’ll see G.R.I.P. That’s all. He will get here just like we got you here. In a blacked-out car, or we’ll take him the long way down the river and through the bayou. He’d never find it again. We’ll block his phone from using GPS services. If he attempted to find us again, he’d be lost in the bayou.”

“You have an answer for everything,” said Dylan.

“We’ve been through a lot of scenarios in our history,” said Luke. “We try to plan for everything that comes our way, but we don’t always do it perfectly. We do, however, protect what is ours.”

“What can I do to help?” asked Dylan.

“You just need to stay safe with Joey,” said Cam, kissing his daughter-in-law’s forehead. “We’ll make sure to handle Metzger. If he and Messina are planning on using G.R.I.P. as their personal bomb factory, we’ll make sure that doesn’t happen.”

Dylan nodded, nibbling her bottom lip. She kissed Ian and then started to leave the auditorium.

“Dylan?” called Luke. She turned toward him. “You did great. We wouldn’t have figured this out if you hadn’t remembered seeing that information in the folders. Thank you.”

Dylan smiled at the big man, nodding. At the door, Ajei, Kate, Sophia Ann, and Gwen were waiting for her.

“I guess it’s time for the girls to bug out, right?” She smiled. Kate smiled at her, taking her hand.

“Actually, it’s time for the girls to have some fun.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

The cafeteria was buzzing with females of all sizes, varieties, and levels of beauty. Dylan thought it should be filmed and used as a public service announcement on the inclusivity of all types of women. They were tall, short, thin, thick, blonde hair, brown hair, black hair. Blue eyes, green eyes, hazel eyes, gray eyes. There were doctors, lawyers, engineers, teachers, chefs, artists, and so much more. Accomplished, beautiful, strong, and every last one of them were survivors.

On the tables were trays of chocolate cupcakes, brownies, cookies, and a chocolate fountain. Chocolate martinis were served, along with chocolate liqueur. Big bowls of whipped cream, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries were at the ready to enhance their experience.

There were a dozen open laptops for various shopping sites. With winter coming on, they would need warm clothing, and nothing helped a mood like a new sweater or a new pair of jeans. They laughed, choosing their splurge items, then happily watched as Charlie displayed her new winter line of lingerie for her website. All of the women bought something, many buying one of everything.

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