Page 18 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 2
"Thank you," I said.
James lifted up the pen and quickly filled out the information as I tried not to stare at the blood stain. He pushed the clipboard back through the slot and we walked over toward the seating area. Before we even had a chance to sit down, we heard a beeping noise. I looked over my shoulder at an officer who had just opened up a door.
"James Hunter, please come with me," the officer said.
That was fast.James kept his hand in mine as we followed the police officer through the door. We walked down a narrow corridor into a larger room with tons of desks. This was actually a lot more like T.V. shows and movies. Detective and policeofficers were on phones, a few guys were handcuffed to chairs, and there was a buzz of electricity in the air. There were even maps on the walls and pictures of wanted subjects. We followed the officer to a desk and sat down.
"I'm Officer Daugherty and I'll be handling your case." He glanced at his notepad. "I understand you're filing a complaint about blackmail against Isabella Hunter. Correct?"
"Yes," James said.
"Wife?" he asked as he jotted something down in his notebook.
"Ex-wife. I'm getting remarried tomorrow."
Officer Daugherty looked up and eyed me coolly. "Name?" he said.
"Penny Taylor."
"Okay." He turned to his computer and typed something on his keyboard. He scrolled with his mouse and glanced at me once more. "You have a much better record than your future husband."
It took every ounce of restraint not to ask about James' record. That was one thing I still didn't know about. I knew he had been arrested in the past. I just didn't know all the details. "Um...thanks," I said instead.
The officer smiled. "I'll need to know the specifics of the blackmail. What were the demands and what were thecompromising materials that Isabella Hunter had against you?" He started typing on his computer again.
"Right," James said. "She had photos of us having sex in my office that she was going to leak to tabloids if we didn't send her 20 million dollars." He shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
Officer Daugherty paused in his typing and looked up at him. "Did you say 20 million dollars?"
"That is correct," James said. "And we gave it to her."
"Okay, well, that escalates this to a felony. Do you know if your ex-wife is currently in New York City? We're going to need to bring her in for questioning."
"I have no idea," James said.
Officer Daugherty typed something into his computer. "Do you have any documentation of her demands and threats?"
"She had been sending pictures and notes to Penny all week trying to get in her head. And then she sent her some text messages about the money yesterday. Show him, Penny."
I pulled my phone out of my purse, clicked on the text message thread, and slid it toward Officer Daugherty.
He picked up the phone and thumbed through the messages. "Okay, give me one second." He lifted up his desk phone and typed in the number from my cell phone into his phone. He immediately hung up. "The phone used for these texts has been disconnected. Are you sure it was her?"
"It was definitely her," I said.
"Were the photos and notes she had sent you signed?"
"No. But one of the things she sent was notes that James had written her when they were married."
"Was there anything else?"
I tried to think. "Yes, there were emails too that she sent me at work. But they were just from a random email account and she didn't say her name."
"Okay, we're going to need access to those as well. I can send an officer with you to pick up the pictures and notes she sent you. We will need access to your work email."
"I can give you temporary access to our server," James said and gestured for Officer Daugherty to hand him his pen and notebook. James quickly jotted down something in the notebook and pushed it back toward Officer Daugherty.
"Alright," he said. "Do you know what bank this account is in? We'll need to verify the amount you're claiming as well."
