Chapter 15 - Grant’s Last Bargain
Grant asked to speak with Silvio that afternoon.
The prosecutor advised against it.
Silvio went anyway.
Grant sat behind reinforced glass in the detention center.
His side had been treated.
His face was bruised.
But his arrogance remained.
Silvio picked up the phone.
Grant smiled.
“Congratulations.”
Silvio said nothing.
“You got the shares transferred.”
Still nothing.
“You think that means you won.”
Silvio looked at him.
“You almost killed children.”
Grant’s smile faded.
“I never wanted them to suffer.”
“You put a temperature sensor in the car.”
“That was to make sure things happened quickly.”
Silvio stared at him.
Grant realized what he had admitted.
Too late.
Silvio leaned closer to the glass.
“Thank you.”
Grant’s jaw tightened.
“They already know.”
“They didn’t have you saying it.”
Grant’s eyes hardened.
“You’re recording this.”
“Of course.”
Grant leaned back.
Then he smiled again.
“Fine.”
“You want truth?”
“I’ll give you truth.”
Silvio waited.
“Lucinda was supposed to be in the SUV too.”
Silvio frowned.
Grant continued.
“The original plan was the three of them.”
Silvio’s blood turned cold.
“Why Lucinda?”
“She had become weak.”
“She kept asking questions.”
“She started moving money into accounts I couldn’t reach.”
Silvio stared at him.
“You intended to kill your wife.”
Grant shrugged.
“I intended an accident.”
Silvio’s fingers tightened around the phone.
“What stopped you?”
“She left the keys in her purse.”
“She came back early.”
“The children were already inside.”
Grant’s smile turned ugly.
“So I adapted.”
Silvio wanted to smash through the glass.
Instead, he remained still.
“What else?”
Grant looked at him.
“Voss has a copy of the Palermo video.”
“It’s fake.”
“Doesn’t matter.”
“It matters.”
“Not to the people he sent it to.”
Silvio’s expression changed.
“Who?”
Grant leaned forward.
“Federal prosecutors.”
Silvio said nothing.
“Voss scheduled its release if he was arrested.”
Grant’s eyes gleamed.
“You exposed him.”
“So now he exposes you.”
Silvio almost smiled.
“You think that scares me?”
“It should.”
Grant lowered his voice.
“Because the video isn’t the dangerous part.”
“What is?”
“The man who made the original.”
Silvio frowned.
“You said Voss made it.”
“He edited it.”
“He didn’t film it.”
“Who did?”
Grant looked around the visitation room.
Then back at Silvio.
“Carlo Ventresca’s brother.”
Silvio remembered the name.
Nico Ventresca.
A man who disappeared after Carlo’s death.
Grant continued.
“Nico has spent twelve years waiting for someone to give him a reason to come after you.”
“And Voss just gave him one.”
Silvio stared at Grant.
“Where is he?”
Grant smiled.
“Closer than you think.”
The line went dead.
A guard entered the room on Grant’s side.
Visitation was over.
Silvio stood.
As he turned, his phone vibrated.
A photo message appeared.
Ethan and Mia were visible through a long camera lens.
They were outside the prosecutor’s protected residence.
The photograph had been taken less than two minutes earlier.
Below it were six words.
May you like
YOUR BROTHER TOOK MINE.
NOW I TAKE HIS.
