Joe. “That’s the country where Kalee was working with the Peace Corps. This company wanted to lease the land not only to mine the silicon but manufacture a computer chip they needed for a new radar they were producing. Someone inside that company figured out what Evette was doing and decided to help Evette and started sending information.”
I stopped and thought about Delilah Watts. She meant well, but in reality, she’d fucked Evette.
“Abrams didn’t know Evette was looking. Not until Delilah started sending those emails,” I said to Zane.
“That’s Garrett and Tex’s thought, too. Garrett went over the emails again. Delilah was careful, but she sent one from her work computer and didn’t erase all fragments. She made a mistake and Abrams found out about Evette.”
“So none of this was Evette’s fault. She was under the radar until Delilah figured out who she was and what she was doing.”
Zane remained silent, his face impassive, which said everything.
Fucking hell.
“Who took us?”
“Jacko Yaffe and Mario Newman. They work in the security department of BZ Systems, a competitor of Abrams. They wanted Delilah. Jacko was the one that you and Evette took out, copped to everything—only with a twist. He told the cops he and his buddy Mario took you and Evette for ransom. It was all his idea and Mario was just along for the ride. BZ Systems has terminated their employment. However, Tex already tracked down new accounts set up by BZ in Mrs. Jacko Yaffe and Mrs. Mario Newman’s names. It’s shady as fuck, but since Jacko already confessed and Mario corroborated the bullshit story, as far as the police are concerned it’s open and shut.”
“And Evette’s no longer in danger.”
Zane jerked his chin and with his best social mask firmly in place he answered, “Yes. It’s over for Evette. The threat has been neutralized.”
That may have been the truth but there was a hell of a lot Zane wasn’t saying.
Before I could work out if I was pissed as hell I was out of the loop, or if I was angry because my head was throbbing like a sonofabitch while wearing a dress in a hospital bed, Joe decided he had more to say. Unfortunately, I had no choice but to lie there and listen.
“Obviously, I know my daughter. I know when she gets something in her head there’s no stopping her. I can also see you’re there in that bed and she’s not. That counts for something. I would like to know more about what happened but not now. After I’ve seen to my family and you’ve rested. I hope you understand that while it counts for something that my daughter is unharmed, it’s still not enough for me to approve of this situation. I can do the math. I know Evette has only been in Maryland a short time so unless you knew her before she came asking for help I know it is too soon for her to be living with you. I also know she’s stubborn and my opinion on this matter is unwelcome. So I’m hoping that you will see where I’m coming from and not have my daughter move in with you but instead convince her to move home with her mother and me. If you love her the way she thinks you do then this shouldn’t be a problem. A long-distance relationship while she heals from a traumatic experience would be in her best interest. I’m going to call the police barracks and confirm the men who kidnapped my daughter are in custody and there’s not a possibility they’ll get out on bail.”
“I’ll save you the call and trouble, Mr. London. Chief Carson is personally seeing to this case and she’ll be interviewing Gabe as soon as he’s up for it. I’ll make sure she has time to meet with you.”
“That’ll be fine, Mr. Lewis. And, Gabe, I hope you think about what I said.”
It didn’t escape my notice that Joe referred to Zane as Mr. Lewis and he simply used my given name. He was the authority figure. I was just the shmuck in the hospital bed who he didn’t want for his daughter.
Not gonna fucking happen.
“With all due respect—”
“Gabe,” Zane cut me off. “Let’s let Joe go take a walk. I think he’ll find that once he’s cooled off he might’ve misspoken.”
Joe frowned. “I’m unclear—”
“You are correct, Mr. London, you are unclear about a lot of things. One is you thinking you know your daughter. I’m a father myself. I’m