Page 37 of The Prince's Secret Daughter
“It is!” Paul’s voice came out too quickly, almost pleading, as he wiped his hands under the desk in an attempt to hide the dampness that had begun to cling to his palms. But it wasn’t secure. Paul knew it, Alfonse knew it, and the way Alfonse watched him only made him feel smaller.
Alfonse’s eyes remained fixed on him, the silence stretching between them like a heavy weight. Paul knew that Alfonse was a man who didn’t tolerate incompetence. Everyone in this room suspected that the weapons weren’t just missing; they were gone. And they were in the hands of people who were about to make Paul’s entire world crumble.
“I know the case is missing, Paul,” Alfonse said, his voice cold now, cutting through Paul’s defenses. He knew. Alfonse always knew. "Hell, I know exactly where it is." Alfonse watchedthe impact of his words on the slimy, weak bastard and almost smiled.
Paul’s eyes widened in disbelief. "What do you mean?" His voice cracked slightly, but he quickly masked it with a nervous chuckle. “That can’t be right.”
Alfonse gave a faint, amused smile, though it didn’t reach his eyes. "Prince Raj Al-Sintra had the weapons delivered to the police two days ago. The pistols were dusted for prints.” He paused, letting that information sink in. “Now tell me—why do I know that, but you don’t?" His voice was smooth, but there was an underlying menace that made Paul’s stomach churn. "I suppose it doesn’t matter that the weapons have already been identified, traced back to Micky Riaggio’s men. In less than twenty-four hours, Micky and his crew will be arrested."
Alfonse could see the younger man’s panic. His worst nightmare had just come true. The weapons had been used in a crime, and now, Alfonse knew everything. He shifted his gaze to the older man and wondered if Paul was about to pass out. The man was only in his sixties, but Paul Grishom looked as if he’d just aged twenty years in the past ten minutes.
“Do you understand the consequences of this?” Alfonse continued, his tone growing colder with every word. "You’ve messed with my plans. Those arrests were supposed to happen months from now. This was meant to be a controlled operation, but now?” He lowered his voice. “Now, Micky’s going to be all over this. And it’s your fault." He leaned forward, his hands resting on the desk as he fixed Paul with a piercing glare. "You’ve screwed this up, Grishom.” Another long pause, then he relented, leaning back once again and pretending to flick a speckof dust off of his knee. He shrugged, tilting his head slightly. “But I’ll let you try to fix it."
Alfonse watched the younger man carefully. The hope in Paul’s eyes was immediate. Alfonse knew that the idiot couldn’t fix this. The police had the weapons! Alfonse had sources inside the police department. Arrests were imminent and both the district attorney as well as the chief of police were preparing for a press conference.
Still, it amused him to watch the two men wiggle. Besides, if Paul or Nathan could fix this, then great. If not, Alfonse had a backup plan in place.
Standing, he gestured to the two men who were both looking like they’d been given a stay of execution. They hadn’t. Alfonse was simply being polite in allowing the men to try and fix the problem. "I trust that everything will work out properly," Alfonse said, his voice taking on an almost mockingly calm tone. He stood, his movements deliberate, the power in his posture undeniable. “I want that case returned to me.” He paused, watching Paul squirm just a little more. "Personally," he added, stressing the word with an edge that sent a chill down Paul’s spine.
Paul nodded quickly, his hands shaking as he stood, his legs almost giving out beneath him. He could barely meet Alfonse’s eyes. "Of course, sir. I’ll get it back, I swear."
Alfonse turned to leave, straightening his jacket with a satisfied smile. But just as he reached the door, he glanced over his shoulder, a slow, deliberate look that lingered just a little too long on Paul’s son, Nathan, who was standing by the doorway, tense and watching.
“Let me remind you of something,” Alfonse said, his voice carrying a warning that only Paul could hear. “You’ve been trusted, Paul. But trust is a fragile thing. Don’t make me regret it.” With that, he strode out of the office.
As Alfonse stepped into the hallway, his eyes caught sight of a young woman walking towards him. Her beauty struck him immediately, but it was her sharp gaze, her intelligence, that made him pause. She was more than just another pretty face, he realized. And that intrigued him.
For a brief moment, Alfonse allowed himself to appreciate her poise.Pity, he thought with a smirk. She would have been a lovely distraction, but he had more pressing matters to deal with today. As he continued toward the elevators, the weight of the missing case and the chaos it had caused still burned in his gut, but he was already calculating his next steps. He’d handle this—he always did. And Paul Grishom? The man would learn that there were consequences for failure.
Chapter 33
Helen saw the man and felt her stomach tighten. Not from awareness, although the man walking towards the elevators was definitely handsome, in a dark, dangerous way. No, it was the sense that this man was a predator. He’d killed people, she thought with absolute certainty. Whoever he was, the man was lethal in a way that she didn’t want to know about.
When he turned the corner, Helen breathed a sigh of relief. She felt as if she should count her fingers and toes, just to make sure that they were still attached.
A moment later, Helen heard one of the guards mutter something. She looked at him and nodded. “I agree,” she said, even though she hadn’t understood the guard’s words. It was the tone that she’d grasped. And the meaning.
The three of them didn’t say anything more as she continued towards Paul’s office, but they froze just outside the door when they heard raised voices.
“What the hell were you thinking? That man’s a criminal!” Nathan bellowed.
“What do you think we are?” Paul shot back, looking equally frazzled. “If anyone really knew what we did here, we’d all be arrested!”
Helen’s eyes widened and she looked at the guards, wondering if she should just leave.
There was more muttering, then the door to the office slammed shut. Helen heard muffled sounds behind the door,but nothing that she could understand. However, when Helen looked around, there were several other staff members standing, wide eyed, in the hallway. No one said anything, but everyone seemed painfully uncomfortable.
One of the staff members rushed off down the hallway, muttering something about updating his resume. The other two remained frozen, not sure what to do. Helen took the initiative. Walking over to them, she tried to convey a sense of urgency. “I’m getting out now,” she whispered. “I realized something was off a couple of days ago.” She looked pointedly over her shoulder at the closed doorway, then back at the employees whispering, “I don’t know what Paul and Nathan are up to, but resign, effective immediately. Whatever they are up to, you won’t want to be a part of it.”
The employees stood there for another long moment, obviously terrified. It took them maybe two more seconds before they nodded their heads and turned, hopefully to pack up their offices and leave.
Helen hoped that they would spread the word about what they’d overheard. Whatever Paul and Nathan were up to, Helen didn’t think it was fair to bring innocent employees down with them. Even if the staff members were innocent, if the police or securities and exchange agents came in to investigate, anyone who was still working for the company would be required to defend the company’s activities. That would mean hefty legal costs, most of which the average worker couldn’t afford. Most people were just trying to put food on the table, pay for child care, health care, and, hopefully, have a bit left over for a vacation during the summer months.
Turning around, she stared at Paul’s office door. Should she go in? Or should she just hurry back to Raj and Angela?
Before she could decide, the door sprang open to reveal a scowling Nathan. But as soon as he saw her face, his features brightened to a smile that Helen knew was fake.
“Hey there! I thought you were with our client!”
