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Taken off guard, I blanched. I set my phone on the table and activated the recording device. He glanced at it, and my heart pounded, but he didn’t say anything, just removed his sunglasses.
“Holden, this profession is very dangerous. There’s no room for a personal life. Your emotions will trip you up and get you killed.”
“I understand.” I attempted to relax, Brian’s voice and coaching ringing through my head.
“Then what can I do to help, so we can get down to business?” Tim took a large bite of his hamburger, then wiped his mouth with the thin paper napkin.
A large glass of ice water was placed before me, and I took a drink, stalling momentarily. I had to play this just right. “As I mentioned on the phone, River is pregnant … with your grandkid. She needs medical care and a safe environment. Once she’s home, I’ll let her know that I’ll help with the baby, but that we’re over. I’m on your terms after that. Whatever you want, wherever you need me, I’ll be a hundred percent committed.”
Tim stared at me, his eyes searching my face. “I have no idea where she is.”
I propped my elbow on the table and continued to hold his gaze. “The one thing I know about you, Dad, is that your connections are limitless. You can pull a string from across the world, and it will ripple all the way to Washington state. You’re powerful. I assume you have men that work for you, guard you, and obey your every command.” I hoped feeding his ego would help my case.
“I do.” He stopped eating. I had his undivided attention.
“If you don’t know where she is, I’m betting that you know who has her, and why. Bring her back here safe and sound and I’ll do anything you want. You’ll own my fucking soul, old man.”
If Tim had peacock feathers, he’d be strutting around the park. I’d finally realized that he didn’t see people as human beings. They were nothing more than possessions to him, and I was playing into that, hoping like hell he’d take the bait.
Tim lifted his chin and narrowed his eyes. I wondered if he was attempting to determine if I was on the up-and-up or jerking him around.
He cleared his throat. “I have the perfect job for you. We fly to Monte Carlo in three days. Don’t tell anyone. Don’t talk to anyone about working for me. Keep your mouth shut.” Tim stood and slipped on his sunglasses again.
“What about River?” I asked as I rose from my seat. “We don’t have a deal unless she’s returned safe and sound.”
“I heard you, son. Wait by your phone.” With that, he turned and walked away.
“Fuck,” I muttered. What the hell did all of that mean? I picked up my cell and pushed the side button, ending the recording. Shoving it in my back pocket, I began to leave the same way I arrived. Once I was out of sight, Zayne fell in several steps behind me. This time he was wearing a gray baseball hat that shaded and hid part of his face.
“Keep walking. Don’t look at me,” he said in a hushed tone. “Tim has armed men all over the park. Take a left up here and head to the gift shop. A guy named Tad will pick you up. He’s one of Pierce’s employees and drives a black Mercedes with tinted windows just like mine. He has red hair and blue eyes. Get in and pretend that nothing is happening around you.”
My heart hammered against my chest. Tim had weapons trained on me. What the actual fuck?
Purposefully relaxing my shoulders, I continued to walk the park like I didn’t have a care in the world. I followed Zayne’s instructions to the letter.
Minutes later, I reached the gift shop, and a Mercedes rolled up. I opened the door and identified Tad before I hopped in.
“Do you have any idea what’s going on?” I asked as I fastened my seatbelt.
“Tim has men trained on you, Holden. He’s waiting for one wrong move,” Tad explained. He pulled onto the main road and headed in the opposite direction.
I turned to him, my gut twisting into painful knots. “It was a precaution, right? He’s testing me?”
Tad cleared his throat. “I hope that’s what it was. Either that or he’s onto you.”
I scrubbed my face with my hands, adrenaline pumping through my veins. “How will I know?”
“You won’t until you hear from him again.” Tad flipped on his turn signal and waited for the traffic to clear.
“I have no fucking clue what the hell happened out there.” I blew out a sigh and stared out of the passenger window as the trees and buildings passed by.
Tad’s cell rang, and he answered from his steering wheel.
“Holden, it’s Sutton. Hang on, Tim is making a call. I wanted to loop you in,” she explained.
My entire body went rigid with tension. If I believed in prayer, I’d be on my knees begging like a little bitch for a break in River’s case. But I wasn’t. I’d stopped believing a long time ago.
“The clock is ticking,” Tim said, still not using his Bluetooth.
