Chapter 63
CHAPTER 63
ELIJAH
W hen Pen enters the office, I drop the file directly to her machine. She hits a few more buttons.
“And now we wait,” she says.
I pull her into my lap, and her arms wrap around my neck.
“We’ll find out what he’s up to,” Pen promises.
“I hope so. Harper’s had enough to deal with in her young life. I know I’ve been hard on her, but that’s what big brothers are for.”
Pen chuckles. “I’m not sure Harper would see it that way. But she loves you. Family supports one another.”
My phone rings. Quentin’s number flashes up.
“I need to take this,” I say.
Pen moves off my lap to perch on the side of my desk.
“Quentin,” I say. “I’ve got you on speaker. Pen’s here too.”
“Hi, Pen,” he says. “What can I do for you? Your message was a little cryptic.”
I fill him in and hear him moan.
“What is it with that man?” he hisses. “I’ve not heard anything on the grapevine, but then I’ve not been looking. I have the family name flagged in case a story comes in, but he may know that. Our friendship is not exactly a secret. Give me a couple of hours, and I’ll see what I can find out.”
“Thanks Quentin. I’ll owe you one.”
“No worries. We’ll speak soon.”
He hangs up, and I stand up, moving towards Pen.
She grins up at me. “Your desk?”
“Why not? It will help me the next time I’m working late.”
Pen’s arms wrap around my neck, and she pulls me down. Our lips touch as her phone rings.
Our foreheads meet and Pen chuckles.
“Sorry, looks like we’re wanted.”
Pen answers her phone.
“We’re bringing him in.”
“We’ll be right there.”
Pen clicks off and drops off the table.
“Time to go. Let’s see what the old bastard has to say for himself.”
It’s unorthodox, but they let me stand behind the mirror and watch as the officers questions Sir Leonard Crawley.
He sits there smugly. He doesn’t even try to deny what he’s done, but according to Pen’s source, the man is bankrupt. Has been cut off from those who he previously classed as friends. As for associates, he’s not giving anything away. It’s beginning to look like what started out as a vendetta against me may have become a way to replenish his depleted cash. Selling access to the highest bidder through my firewall.
His lawyer is doing his best to keep him quiet, but it’s like he wants the world to know what he’s done. It’s like he thinks he’s untouchable.
“Do you know who I am? I am Sir Leonard Crawley. Twelfth Earl of?—”
“Sir, I don’t care who you are. There are allegations of espionage being laid out against you.”
Crawley sits back and crosses his arms over his chest.
“I think it’s you who doesn’t understand, lad. They couldn’t make the charges stick before. What makes you think you’re any smarter than the last one who tried?”
He chuckles to himself like it’s all a game.
The pompous old git really doesn’t have a clue. Mum wonders why my brothers and sisters have so many issues with people of our own class. This is why. They don’t live in the real world. Don’t care about those around them.
Pen and Kat are shown into the room. Pen having gone to meet Kat at the entrance.
“No denial. It’s like he’s been waiting to be caught. He thinks he’s above the law. It’s sickening,” I say, a sense of unease settling in my stomach.
“And you can tell Elijah Frazer, karma’s a bitch. He threatened to ruin my reputation and my name. For what? That little whore his brother was fucking.” The venom in his tone is clear. “Just like his father. He wasn’t any more successful in bringing me down. He should take heed.”
I suck in a breath. My father died in an accident. A tragic accident. A hit-and-run driver ran him off the road. They eventually caught the guy, only to find he was four times over the legal limit.
The police officer who’s with us turns to me. I see the question in his eyes.
“He threatened my sister-in-law last year. I provided a dossier on him. Everything I uncovered in his seedy past.”
“I’d like a copy, if you have one. There are several incidents that have his name attached to them. Including the disappearance of a girl his son was seeing.” The officer says.
My blood runs cold.
“I’ll have it sent over, again. But I have to warn you. I didn’t get these legally. I probably shouldn’t be saying that to an officer of the law, but it’s why your colleagues couldn’t use them before.”
Pen steps forward. “Call this number,” she says.
The officer takes the paper she’s holding out and nods.
We turn and look into the room and watch as Crawley becomes more and more irate. It’s like he wants to be heard, but isn’t being given the recognition he wants.
His face grows puce with the vitriol he’s spouting. The two officers with him try to calm him down but to no avail. His lawyer tries to halt proceedings. Take a break to speak to his client.
We watch in horror as Crawley freezes, his eyes wide and mouth open. His hand goes to his chest.
“Tell them it’s not over,” he hisses. “Tell him and that little spy of his?—”
He cuts off, his eyes rolling back in his head as he slumps forward onto the table.
The officers in the room dive into action. One hits the emergency bell, alarms going off. The other pulls Crawley onto the floor and begins administering CPR.
The officer next to us calls for an ambulance, as Kat, Pen and I watch helplessly as they try to resuscitate Sir Leonard. An ambulance crew arrives in record time, but after twenty minutes they call time.
We all look at each other.
“ Shit. ”