Chapter 3 A New Game Plan
The sound of a vehicle pulling up echoed in the living room as Greg sat there, staring down at the press release in the Kansas City Star online.
He got up at the sound, and slowly made his way to the front door only a few feet away.
Tessa slid the key into the lock and turned it, pushing the door open with her shoulder as she balanced the small box in her hands.
“Greg!” she said with surprise upon seeing him after she’d opened the door fully.
“I’m just grabbing the last of—” She stopped as it hit her that he was already there.
Greg was standing just inside the doorway like he’d been waiting for her.
That alone was enough to tell her something wasn’t right.
Greg didn’t usually wait for anything. She read his face and body posture.
“…Okay,” she said slowly, easing the door shut behind her.
‘That’s new,’ she thought. He didn’t smile, in fact he didn’t move much at all, really.
Just standing there, eyes on her, like he was trying to figure out where to start and failing.
Tessa set the box down on the nearest table without taking her eyes off him. “What happened?”
Greg finally lifted his eyes, which looked heavy and dark like he was sleep deprived. He let out a breath that sounded like it had been sitting in his chest for hours. “She’s gone.”
Tessa didn’t flinch—but her expression shifted. She attempted to piece it together. “Carry?” she asked cautiously. Greg nodded once. Tessa crossed her arms loosely, leaning her weight onto one hip. “Define ‘gone,’ Greg.”
“She accepted Veronica’s offer,” he said, the words coming out flat. “Right in front of me.”
That got a reaction, just not what Greg expected. “…What?” Tessa pushed passed him then turned back slightly. “No. That doesn’t make any sense. She wouldn’t just do that—what happened? What exactly did you do this time, Greg?”
Greg ran a hand through his hair, already shaking his head. “I tried to explain what was going on with Alice—how she was targeting Carry because of me, because of Veronica—”
“And?” Tessa pressed.
“And I screwed it up,” he said bluntly. “I couldn’t get it out right. She heard ‘Veronica’ and that was it.” He exhaled sharply. “She thought everything that was happening had nothing to do with her.”
Tessa studied him for a second longer, then shifted slightly to be more open. “Greg…” she said carefully, but Greg cut her off.
“…she’d been avoiding me all week.” That landed. His eyes flicked up to hers.
“What do you mean avoiding you all week?” she asked nearly intently.
“I know that now,” he said having not heard her. “I just didn’t—” He stopped, jaw tightening. “I didn’t connect it fast enough.”
Tessa looked Greg up and down then shook her head. She focused on his face like it had confirmed something for her. “No,” she said. “You didn’t.” There was no edge to it. Just fact. “Why was she avoiding you all week? What did you do?”
Greg looked away, started pacing a step before stopping again like he didn’t know what to do with the movement.
“She was so unnerved by Alice at the reception, but the girls were flocking around her like a protection detail. I couldn’t get a chance to talk to her.
She spent the night dancing with Billy Blake. ”
“And you just let her?”
“Alice was watching like a hawk, ready to strike. And Veronica made sure she danced with me every opportunity she had. That probably upset her even more.”
“Greg, I thought you were leaning toward Carry again,” Tessa interjected.
“I had the ring,” he muttered.
Tessa’s head tilted slightly. “You what?”
“I had it,” he repeated, quieter now. “I was going to ask her.” That changed everything.
Tessa let out a slow breath, her arms dropping to her sides.
“And she never knew.” Greg shook his head once.
Silence settled between them—but not empty.
Heavy. Tessa stepped a little closer now, her voice softer but more direct.
“So let me get this straight,” she said.
“She thinks she was just… what? In the way? Secondary to whatever you’ve got going on with Veronica?
” Greg didn’t answer. Didn’t need to. Tessa nodded once. “Yeah. That tracks.”
He looked back at her, something sharp flickering for a second. “That’s not what it is.”
“I know that,” she said immediately. “You know that.” She took another step closer. “She doesn’t.” That hit harder than anything else so far. Greg’s shoulders dropped just slightly.
“I think I lost her,” he said. Tessa didn’t let that sit.
“No,” she said. “You might have. There’s a difference.” He looked at her again. “That depends entirely on what you do next.” Greg didn’t answer right away. His eyes drifted past Tessa for a moment—somewhere else entirely—like something else had just forced its way into the front of his mind.
“…It’s not just that,” he said finally.
Tessa watched him carefully. “What does that mean? There’s more?”
Greg exhaled slowly, then rubbed the back of his neck like he was trying to work the tension out and couldn’t. “Keith came in right after,” he said. “Him and Brick.”
Tessa’s brow furrowed. “Security and KCPD? What did they want?”
Greg looked her directly in the eyes now, the intensity of it all filling him within. “They pulled something off the cameras.” There was a slight shift in her posture now. Less emotional. More alert.
“What kind of something?” she asked slowly.
Greg continued gazing at her, now fully present—but it wasn’t better. “Millard Calput,” he said and that landed hard.
She went tense, remembering the briefings Keith had given in their kitchen just a few weeks ago. Tessa straightened. “You’re sure?”
“They’ve got him on camera,” Greg replied. “Inside the building. Garage access corridor.”
“Doing what?!” she nearly demanded, a sense of dread in her voice.
“They don’t know yet,” Greg said. “But he wasn’t alone.” Tessa didn’t say anything—stunned. Greg’s jaw tightened. “Keith thinks it’s tied to Lance.”
That name hit differently. Tessa’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Lance Marsden? The little brother they always picked on as never good enough?”
Greg nodded again. “ They have flight records and shipping manifests. Multiple passports. Asia… Mexico… back through Canada. Invoices tied to shipments he shouldn’t even be touching.”
Tessa let out a slow breath, processing. “That’s not corporate fraud, Greg. I thought Brick was after Jason and Philip for corporate fraud.”
“No,” he said quietly. “It’s not fraud.” Silence stretched for a second. “It’s much more than that.” He let it sit for a moment as he gathered his thoughts. He focused for a moment. “Keith said one of the codes matched a fentanyl derivative,” Greg added. “Laced with something else.”
Tessa’s head turned just slightly, like she was recalibrating everything she thought this situation was. “And this was happening then?” she asked.
Greg gave a hollow nod. “Exactly. While I’m standing there trying to explain to Carry why Alice is targeting her… while Veronica’s making everything public…” He let out a short, humorless breath. “While I’m holding a ring I never even got to use.”
Tessa studied him—really studied him this time. “You’re in the middle of something a lot bigger than you thought,” she said. Greg didn’t argue. “What can this mean?”
“I think it’s all connected,” he admitted. “The pressure on Carry… Alice… Veronica pushing things public… Lance moving product…” He shook his head slightly. “It doesn’t feel random anymore.”
Tessa was quiet for a long moment. Then she stepped closer—closing the distance between them completely now.
“Okay,” she said, calmer than before—but more certain.
“Then you don’t guess your way through this.
” Greg looked at her. “You should have gone after her then, Greg, but you didn’t.
So don’t chase Carry blind,” she continued.
“And you don’t ignore that kind of threat either. ”
He let out a breath. “So what do I do?”
Tessa didn’t hesitate this time. “We have to talk with Aunt Willamina.”
Greg blinked once. “Now?”
“Yes, now,” she said firmly. “Because you’re too close to this—and you’re mixing everything together.
” She pointed lightly toward him. “Your emotions, your assumptions, whatever Keith just dropped on you… it’s all bleeding into one decision.
” Greg didn’t respond—but he didn’t push back either.
“She’ll see what you’re missing,” Tessa added.
“She always does.” A few seconds passed, then Greg nodded once.
“…Alright,” he finally agreed.
Tessa grabbed her phone out of her purse without hesitation. “Good,” she said. “Because if this is as big as it sounds—” She paused, looking back at him. “—then this isn’t just about getting Carry back anymore.”
Greg shifted his stance slightly, the weight of everything settling in again. “No,” he said quietly. “No, it’s not.”
Tessa started dialing the number for Aunt Willamina.
“I’ll ask her over here right now, and we’ll figure this thing out together, just like we did as kids when we had a big problem.
” They headed to the kitchen as she called Aunt Willamina.
“That’s right,” she was saying as they entered the kitchen.
“Can you come over right away? Great. See you soon.” She turned toward Greg as they got to the kitchen.
“Coffee while we wait?” Greg just nodded, barely able to respond now as the weight of the situation settled on him again.
The sound of the front door opening was subtle—but it carried through the house. Tessa looked up first, lowering her coffee cup just slightly. “She’s here,” she said quietly.
Greg sat still, frozen like a deer caught in the headlights. He tensed up like he was bracing himself before stepping into something he couldn’t walk back from. Then he turned and looked toward the dining room.