Chapter 12 - Grant’s Price
Grant agreed to cooperate the next morning.
Not because he regretted anything.
Because he was afraid.
I watched his interrogation through one-way glass.
He looked exhausted.
The expensive suit was gone.
The arrogance had followed.
Nolan placed photographs of the safe-house attack in front of him.
“Pike knows you’re talking.”
Grant stared at the shell casings.
“He’ll kill me.”
“Then give us something useful.”
“I want immunity.”
“You’re not getting immunity for what happened to Lily.”
Grant looked down.
For the first time, shame appeared.
I wondered whether it was real.
Then I remembered the burn on Lily’s shoulder.
I stopped wondering.
“I want witness protection.”
Nolan leaned back.
“Start talking.”
Grant rubbed his face.
“Pike approached me two years ago.”
“Why?”
“Money.”
“He had gambling debt.”
“I had access to investment structures.”
“You laundered money?”
Grant nodded.
“For people connected to Kessler.”
“How did Evelyn become involved?”
Grant looked toward the mirror.
He knew I was there.
“When she joined the task force, Pike saw an opportunity.”
Nolan’s voice hardened.
“To kill her?”
“Not at first.”
“What changed?”
Grant swallowed.
“She discovered one of my shell companies.”
My breath stopped.
I remembered asking Grant about a transfer months ago.
He told me it was a client restructuring.
I believed him.
“She didn’t know what it was,” Grant continued.
“But Pike said eventually she would.”
“So you arranged the ambush.”
Grant closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
My nails pressed into my palms.
“And Lily?”
Grant went silent.
Nolan pushed the photograph marked Secondary Removal toward him.
“What was supposed to happen September 14?”
Grant looked sick.
“Vanessa was supposed to take her.”
“Where?”
“To Pike.”
“Why?”
Grant whispered.
“Leverage.”
“Against whom?”
“Me.”
Nolan frowned.
Grant finally looked directly at the mirror.
“I never planned to kill Lily.”
I entered the room.
Grant’s face collapsed.
“Evelyn.”
“You let a man put a date on our daughter’s disappearance.”
“I was going to stop it.”
“When?”
“I don’t know.”
“After Vanessa finished breaking her?”
“I never told Vanessa to hurt her.”
“You told Lily not to tell me.”
His eyes filled.
“I was scared.”
“So was she.”
That silenced him.
I stepped closer.
“Where is Pike?”
Grant looked at Nolan.
Then at me.
“He has a warehouse near Commerce City.”
“What’s there?”
“Files.”
“Money.”
“Backups.”
“And?”
Grant hesitated.
“A list.”
“What list?”
“Everyone inside the government he owns.”
Nolan leaned forward.
“Where exactly?”
Grant gave an address.
Then he looked at me.
“But if you go there, he’ll know.”
“How?”
May you like
“Because Pike always knows.”
And somewhere behind us, an alarm began screaming through the detention center.
