Chapter 13 #2
I lapse into what I started calling him four months into our relationship. He’d think it even odder if I didn’t. I’ve always been affectionate and usually say the term of endearment without thought. With Jorge watching and listening, it feels forced.
“Ich liebe dich.” I love you.
“Ich liebe dich auch.” I love you too.
Heidi’s watching me with suspicion as I hang up.
She can tell something’s up, and it’s more than caution while discussing this—situation.
I glance at my mom, and she’s staring off into space.
I walk to her and wrap my arms around her like I have since I was a toddler.
She leans against me in a way she never has before.
She’s looking to me for strength I need to dredge up from somewhere.
“Mutti, we’ll get through this.”
She nods, her head resting on my shoulder.
She gives me a squeeze but lingers before pulling away.
I guide her to the sofa, and she sinks onto it beside me.
I’m only half paying attention to my sister’s conversation.
It sounds like Friedrich isn’t taking it in stride like Bastian did.
He’s not overbearing, but he’s far more protective than Bastian.
It’s not like he thinks Heidi’s incapable, and Bastian doesn’t think that about me.
He’s just more mindful of things. Bastian assumes I’ll tell him if I need his protection. I never have, so he doesn’t offer.
When she’s done, she joins us on the sofa, sitting on the other side of our mom.
We both lean against her. She rests her head on top of Heidi’s while stroking my hair.
My eyelids droop closed, and I exhale. I let myself relax for a moment, feeling better having my mom and sister near me while we’re awake.
I want to know what Jorge’s doing, but I’d have to look over my shoulder to do that.
I’m too comfortable, and I don’t want to be so conspicuous.
However, the moment’s ruined when my phone rings.
I slide it from my pocket. There’s no name or number on my screen.
I rise and hurry to Jorge, showing him my phone.
I don’t want to put it on speaker in case something’s said that’ll upset Mutti and Heidi.
At the same time, I want Jorge to hear everything.
He nods as I come to stand beside him. I hold the phone between our ears with the volume all the way up.
I think we’re far enough away that my mom and sister won’t hear whoever’s speaking on the other end.
“Hallo.”
“Hallo, Anne.”
“Who is this?” The accent sounds American, so I switch to English.
“Santa.”
Sick fuck!
“Did you leave me any more gifts?”
“How would I do that with your Chihuahua yapping next to you?”
Jorge. He’s neither Mexican nor little. I stand by my comparison to a Rottweiler.
I glance up at Jorge, and his expression is entirely blank. I can’t tell if he’s insulted, impatient, bored, or pleased these fuckers made contact.
“I don’t have any pets.” I play dumb for now.
“Ms. Schlossberg, you know who I mean. You’re far too intelligent to pull off the dumb blonde act. It doesn’t suit you. You’re in a suite with Jorge Diaz. Interesting place to spend the night when your father’s missing.”
Does he think this was some booty call?
The implication suggests he doesn’t know my family is with me.
Would I be here banging Jorge with my mother and sister around the corner?
You were nearly ready to do that very thing last night.
It would’ve taken little encouragement. I hate admitting it to myself. It feels like a personal failure and a betrayal to Bastian.
“What do you want from me?”
“I’m glad you asked. Your father owes a large sum to people he pissed off because he’s kept them waiting. The hand was a warning to get your attention.”
“You certainly did that.”
“He owes six million euros. You need to pay that amount. Then we’ll discuss ransom.”
If that’s true, then Papa’s still alive.
“I want proof of life before I do anything.”
Jorge nods at my request. His approval makes this a bit less terrifying.
“Demanding anything from me isn’t good for your father’s health.”
“Perhaps, but it’s the only condition I have. I need to see my father’s alive and well before I give anything.”
“If you’d like him to remain alive, you won’t be so pushy.”
“I’ll only give the money if I’m positive he’s still alive. If he’s dead, I owe you nothing.”
I won’t give this man jack shit if I don’t get my father back. I’ll set him up with law enforcement and stand back.
“I’ll collect one way or another. How would your mother and sister feel if I hacked you to bits and sent you to them piece by piece?”
“Let me hear his voice. Send a photo with something that shows the date and time.”
“Avoiding the question tells me you didn’t like that idea.”
“The only thing I’d like right now is to see and hear my father.”
My phone pings with an incoming message.
I tap the screen and pull up my texts. There’s a photo of Papa.
A bandage covers his arm, and bruises mark his face.
Who knows what they’ve done that I can’t see?
Someone’s holding a phone beside him. The time matches what I read on my device. The date matches too.
My mom and sister sit in anxious silence as they watch me and hear only one side of the conversation. I nod, and relief visibly sweeps over them.
“There. You have your proof. You will transfer six million into your father’s Swiss account.”
“I can’t move that much money without raising flags all over the place. It’ll take me a couple days to get that much.”
My gaze shoots to Jorge as panic threatens. I can’t possibly accomplish that. His expression goes from blank to reassuring. I can’t tell what he’s reassuring me about. Will he help me get that money together? Does he know a way to avoid it? Does he have some Black Ops team that can rescue Papa?
“I’ll do my best. If I can’t get all at once, then consider what I do a sign of good faith.”
“Good faith?” The man laughs at me.
“Yes. Just like I consider the photo one. If you’re lying to me, you’ll get nothing.”
“You won’t know one way or another since you need to make the deposit before I return your father.”
The call ends. I stare at my screen, avoiding my gaze meeting my mom’s or sister’s.
When I’ve gathered my thoughts enough to not feel my head’s a tornado one moment and blank the next, I gaze up at Jorge.
When he doesn’t respond with a solution immediately, my gaze drifts to the box—or where the box should be.
My gaze flashes back to Jorge. He mouths his response, and it makes my stomach twist.
“Mini-fridge.”
Oh, God. It’s keeping it from smelling as decomposition sets in.
“Do you know the Swiss account information?”
“Not off-hand. I’d need to get into my laptop or my father’s. I don’t know where Papa’s is, but mine is in my office. I only brought my purse with me.”
It’s not until after I respond to Jorge’s question that I realize we’re speaking English.
My mother and sister both speak it, but not as fluently as I do.
They don’t use it as often. I don’t know how much of the conversation they understood.
I assume most, if not all. I’m certain at least Mutti did when she stands.
“Are you going back to your office? You can’t go alone.”
“I don’t think we need either computer just yet, Mrs. Schlossberg. If we do, I will take Anneliese. I have men who can stay behind to guard you, and I have ones who can come with me.”
“Do you travel with an army?” Heidi’s question could be accusatory; instead, it sounds like she marvels at the idea.
“Not quite. But I’ve been to a few countries on this trip. When I travel for this long, I ensure my men can have adequate time off by having a contingent large enough for them to rotate.”
“Smart.”
Not that he needs Heidi’s approval, but he smiles when she gives it. My family and I look at Jorge, waiting for him to tell us what’s next.
“I’m going to call my brother. He’ll get into the banks and examine your father’s personal accounts.
He’ll go back through the firm’s banking records too.
He’ll piece it all together. He can also make it look like a transfer’s on its way when it isn’t.
There’s not much he can’t do with a computer. I’ll be right back.”
He shuts his laptop and picks it up, tucking it under his arm. He grabs his phone from beside his wireless mouse.
“Mrs. Schlossberg, may I step into your room, please?”
Mutti nods, and he takes off, leaving me to wonder exactly what he means by there’s not much his brother can’t do with a computer.