Chapter 15 #2
A knock sounded on the other end of the line, and Alex’s voice filled his ear. “Worthy, what’s up, my dude?”
Grant held back the urge to roll his eyes at the man’s odd speech. “Mr. Harrington has asked that you call him immediately. Here is his number. Mr. Harrington, I shall end the call now so you may speak with Mr. Stone.”
“Thanks, Worthington.”
Grant pulled the phone from his ear as the call ended. He stared down at it, questions filling his mind until the device jangled in his hand. He swiped to answer the call on the first ring. “Alex, I need answers.”
“Well, hello to you, too, Big G,” Alex answered amidst the sound of clacking keys. “What can I do you for?”
“Julia is being questioned by the police. She said I should talk to you to explain why in the hell she just walked into the police station and admitted to being at Lydia’s after I was and won’t tell them she didn’t kill her.”
A sigh sounded on the other end of the line. “I can’t explain that beyond that Sunshine has your family’s best interests at heart, but believe me when I say, I vehemently disagreed with this plan. But don’t worry, with any luck in a few hours maybe we can clear her.”
“A few hours?” he barked as he spun on a heel and stormed across the room in the opposite direction. “You’re going to have to do better than that.”
Alex clicked his tongue. “Sorry, G Force, this is delicate work.”
“What is?” He flung his hands out, heat entering his voice. “Sorry, but Julia gave me precious few details. I’m assuming she’s protecting someone.”
“The Peak Princess herself. Among others. I hacked the security cameras and scrubbed the footage from existence but not before I stored it on an encrypted drive for our use.”
“And what was on it?”
“A variety of people visiting the Iron Lady. The most obvious assumption is that the last person to enter that apartment likely offed the Countess of Carnage.”
“And who was that?”
“The Harrington Heiress herself. Our favorite First Lady took it upon herself to misdirect the investigation.”
Grant slid his eyes closed. His assumption had been correct. Julia was protecting Sierra. Had his daughter killed her own mother? It would explain her reaction when they’d told her about Lydia’s death.
He slid into a seat, trying to process the situation as a string of emotions welled inside of him. A mixture of disbelief and admiration coursed through him. “Oh, what a mess.”
“I’m in the process of removing any traces of the lovely Summit Siren. I’ll then upload the new video to the security company. With any luck, that’ll shift the suspicion away from everyone.”
“Thank you,” Grant said as he squeezed his eyes closed.
“I’ll work as quickly as I can. Until then, stay strong for Julia and if you see her…tell her I’m on it.”
“I will.” He ended the call and let his head hang forward. He tightened his grip on the phone as he sat powerless as the nightmare unfolded around him.
He leaned back in the chair, a weak chuckle escaping him as he realized the seats were as uncomfortable as Julia mentioned. He couldn’t believe he was sitting on this side of them this time. And it wasn’t any easier. In fact, it was worse. Far worse.
Time seemed to slow. Worry rose in him as minutes turned to hours. Finally, Mitchell stepped from the back and crossed to him.
Grant rose from his seat, searching the man’s face for answers. “Well? Tell me they’re finished with her.”
“Sorry, Grant. They’re waiting on the ME’s report. It’s likely they will charge her if the time frame fits.”
Grant let a curse slip under his breath. “Get her out of this, Mitch.”
“Believe me, I’m trying. She’s not making it easy. She refuses to save herself and potentially incriminate someone else.”
He sucked in a breath as he shook his head.
“At least she doesn’t lunge across the table at the police like you do.”
“That’s no consolation. How much longer is this going to take before they do anything?”
“Hard to say. ME’s initial report could take hours.”
Grant’s jaw clenched as he shook his head, the feeling of powerlessness surging inside him. Mitchell’s gaze fell over his shoulder, his eyebrows knitting.
“What?” Grant asked, twisting to glance behind him. His posture stiffened as he spotted Worthington. What was his butler doing here? Maybe carrying a message from Alex Stone.
Grant crossed to him. “Worthington?”
“Yes, sir. I am here to help.”
“Help?”
Worthington’s jaw clenched as he curled his fingers into fists. “Yes, sir. You see, I believe I can…clear up this matter with Mrs. Harrington.”
“How?” Grant screwed up his face.
“It seems, sir, that Mrs. Harrington visited Mrs. Knight shortly after six. However, I visited her just before seven. She was alive when I entered that apartment. So, you see, Mrs. Harrington cannot be the killer.”
Grant’s stomach twisted as he stared at the man. Worthington had confronted Lydia? Could he have killed her, or had it been Sierra?
His heart sank as questions raced through his mind.
The idea of letting a man who’d become part of their family take the blame tore at him.
The weight of the decision pressed down on him like a physical burden as one final questioned blazed through his mind: could he let Worthington take the rap for his daughter?