Page 47 of Silent Vendetta (Vendetta Duet)

“Everything okay over there?” Barry questioned.

“Fine. Let me try to patch in the accountant.”

And so I did, introducing them to each other.

“Jeff,” I said, “I want you to give detailed financial records to Barry Mansfield. Specifically, more details about an accounting transaction that took place the year my father died. Barry, send him the transaction in question; I’ll provide you his email.”

Jeff hesitated. “I…sir?”

“It’s possible money went missing the year my father died. Jeff, do you recall any unusual accounting transactions?”

“I…” Jeff hesitated. “It’s been a long time, but I can look into it and give Barry what he needs if that’s what you want.”

“It is.”

I ensured both men had each other’s contact information before I disconnected the call.

Grayson widened his stance, staring at me as I steepled my fingers. “You still haven’t explained exactly what you need from me.”

“The PI is going to be talking to some people. He may need help…motivating them to speak.”

Grayson’s jaw tightened. “What the hell?”

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the desk.

“I know you’re into some bad shit, Grayson,” I said, noting the narrowing of his eyes. “And after you vanished that first time and made it clear you didn’t want to talk about it, I haven’t asked you about what you do since. Because I never wanted you to ask what screwed up stuff I’m involved in. But I get the impression you’re the type of guy that could motivate people if they needed it, yes?”

I remembered Grayson as that giggling kid, chasing me through the house with our toy guns. But after Dad’s death, darkness settled in him, erasing traces of that joyful boy.

Mom had been so damn worried about him, and then he really took a turn. Got involved with some shady characters. She tried to hire all kinds of therapists and who knew what else to try to help Grayson, but he slipped further and further through her grasp.

Hardening to stone in front of her eyes.

As an adult, he had no job that I knew of. Though that wasn’t terribly surprising, given he was a billionaire like me, but I knew he was up to something. His absences were frequent and mysterious. No explanations, no trace, just sudden reappearances with that guarded look in his eyes. Whenever I asked him where he’d been, he’d always been evasive.

The guy was always alone. No friends, girlfriends, or dates.

“What are you asking me to do, exactly?” Grayson pressed.

“Barry will be asking some people to pull off the impossible over the next couple of days. I will throw all the money I can to encourage them, but if anyone still won’t cooperate, I may need you to”—I tilted my head—“convince them cooperating is in their best interest.”

Grayson scrubbed the side of his face. “And how encouraging do you want me to be, exactly?”

“Non-lethal.” Not sure if I needed to clarify that. Better safe than sorry, I guess. “But whatever motivation you use, it has to be quick. We don’t have time for someone to be motivated slowly.” In other words, torture.

“This isn’t what I normally do, Hunter.”

“And what is it that you normally do, Grayson?”

“You really want to have this conversation?”

“Do you?”

He licked his lips. “You’re asking me to get involved in this and won’t even tell me everything that’s going on?”

Grayson looked up at the ceiling as Luna’s pounding ended. Finally.

“Look, I’m into something deep, but like I said, accomplice after the fact is a nasty charge. Will you help me or not?”

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