AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"You are welcome any time, sir, but it might be best to give us a few weeks before you visit. Like I said, Delancy and I are still fixing the place up. We don't currently have a guestroom ready."
"Let me know when it's done." Marcus chuckled. "I want to see it in all its glory."
I smiled at his easy response. "I will, sir, and maybe you can inspect my new security training facility while you are here." I just wanted to toss that out there since I hadn't had a chance to call and talk about what I was planning.
"Security training facility?"
I gave him a quick rundown of what I hoped to do with both the security training center, the security company, and the shipping company. I told him about the things I had already done and the things I wanted to do in the future to expand both businesses.
And then I explained my reasoning.
"You don't want to stay with the same products?" Marcus asked. "They seem to be doing okay."
"No, sir. There's been a huge crackdown on drugs and human trafficking here in New York over the last few years. I suspect that is why your numbers have been down lately."
"How did you know that?" Marcus asked sharply.
"Estimated guess, sir."
"Well, you estimated right. The numbers have been going down at a pretty steady pace over the last two years. People here in Spain are not pleased."
"And that's why I believe these endeavors will work. There's an untapped need here for highly trained security personnel in this city, both for people in our business and the social elite. If you add in home, car, and computer security, I have no doubt that I can meet my twenty-five-million-dollar quarterly donations."
Donations. I still hated that word.
"Twenty-five million?"
"Yes, sir," I replied. "That's what I am required to send my grandfather every quarter."
"It's fifteen million, Alejandro."
"I'm positive that it's twenty-five million, sir. All the banking records I received after Martinez turned things over to me show that he has been making the same quarterly payments for years."
"I need to call you back, Alejandro."
"Of course, sir."
"Don't forget to fax me that agreement from your grandfather when you get home."
"I won't, sir."
"I'd also like you to fax me some of those banking records."
"It might be easier if I emailed those to you. There are a lot of them."
"That's fine. Do whatever you have to do, but I want those records in my hands by morning. And don't discuss this with anyone until I give you the word. Understand?"
"Sir?"
"Do not speak to anyone about this, Alejandro, and that's an order."
"Yes, sir."
I was not surprised when Marcus hung up without a goodbye, but I was a bit disturbed by how upset he had seemed when he did. I had always suspected that my grandfather was skimming money off what was to be turned over to Spain, but this confirmed it in my mind.
And now Spain knew it as well.
I had taken the time to make my phone calls because they needed to be made, but they were more to distract myself from the knowledge that Delancy had been put in danger and I hadn't been there to protect him. The guilt was heavy, but no heavier than my sheer panic that he had been hurt.
