CHAPTER 32
C HAPTER 32
A s they left the courthouse, Curtis asked if Rae was able to join them for the trip to New Bern, then suggested they take his SUV. His demeanor was oddly formal, enough to erase Rae’s high spirits from the courtroom. When he opened both passenger doors, Rae slipped into the rear seat. She wanted another chance to study the two of them together.
Curtis waited until they joined Highway 70 to say, “This morning, I received a text from Jiyan.”
Rae asked, “I’m sorry, who?”
“Jiyan is as close to a guard or butler or personal aide as Daddy will come these days,” Amiya replied. “Why a text? Why not call?”
Curtis nodded agreement to her question. “I suspect because he didn’t have time to call and keep it secret.”
Amiya stared at him. Finally she said, “Ajeet.”
“Yes.”
“Same question,” Rae said.
“My cousin,” Amiya said. “Go on, Curtis.”
“Ajeet met your father’s plane in Washington. He is flying down with them.”
“Oh no.”
When the pair went silent, Rae said, “If I’m supposed to be playing a legal role here, somebody needs to tell me what’s going on.”
When Curtis did not respond, Amiya said, “Ajeet is a dangerous, ambitious fool. The man is poison. As a result of the kidnapping, Ajeet inherited his father’s shares and now sits on our board.” Amiya’s reaction was interesting. Rae thought she could actually see the woman come into her own. Her entire demeanor sharpened as she told Curtis, “We need to take this very seriously.”
“I agree.”
“There is a specific purpose to his meeting Daddy.”
“Why Washington?” Curtis confirmed. “Why now?”
“I suspect the second issue is the more important,” Amiya said.
Curtis nodded with his entire upper body. “Why now?” he repeated. “Why would Ajeet choose this particular moment? What purpose does it serve?”
“Tell me what you’re thinking,” Amiya said.
Curtis hesitated, then said, “I will if you insist. But I think it would be better if we hold off guessing.”
“Wait until they arrive,” Amiya said. “See the man for ourselves.”
“Why Washington? Why now?” Curtis said again. “Once we have the answers to those two questions, we can chart our next steps. Not before.”
Rae could see Amiya wanted to argue, but in the end, she merely asked, “Did Jiyan say anything else?”
“Yes. Ajeet is traveling with four bodyguards.”
Amiya hissed.
Curtis glanced in the rearview mirror. “I contacted Dana. I hope that’s okay.”
“Of course.”
“She has enlisted a group she’s used before.”
“Bodyguards,” Amiya said. “Daddy will hate it.”
“They’re not just for your father,” Curtis replied.
* * *
They arrived in New Bern early enough to stop at Gail’s for a lunch no one wanted. But Curtis insisted, saying they had no idea when they might have another chance to refuel. Throughout the meal, he and Amiya continued to speak in terse bites, their few words reflecting a turmoil shown on both faces. Rae played the willing observer.
Seated in the pizzeria off Highway 70, Rae began seeing the entire situation in a different light. On the surface, nothing changed. Three attractive young people picked at food no one seemed particularly interested in eating. Twice, the waitress came by and asked if everything was all right. Rae doubted the pair seated opposite her even noticed. They remained deeply involved in the unfolding dilemma, their words emerging like bursts of steam.
As they waited for the bill, Curtis began working his phone. Frowning.
Amiya asked, “What is it?”
Curtis gave a fractional shake of his head, kept working.
“Curtis, tell me.”
He rose from the booth. “I can’t access our accounts.”
Amiya’s eyes widened. “Ajeet?”
“Has to be.” He stepped away. “Take care of the bill, I’m going to try and reach our banker.”
When Rae and Amiya emerged, Curtis was already behind the wheel of the car and the motor was running. Soon as they were underway, he announced, “Our bank received a court order an hour ago, freezing all our accounts. Corporate and personal.”
Observing them was like staring into a mental prism. Rae saw them, their worries, their fears. But mostly, what she studied was her own future. Here was a dividing line. She could not logically spell out why she was so certain. Even so, down deep where it mattered most, Rae was absolutely certain. This moment marked a life transition. Perhaps for all three of them. But most definitely for herself. The small-town world she had been content to claim as hers, all this was about to undergo a seismic shift.
If she wanted.
Which she did.
Rae felt the same gut-level draw she had experienced before turning down offers from the big-city firms. Only now, she had the chance to become involved in major corporate affairs, spread across multiple time zones and nations, while remaining part of her beloved Crystal Coast.
Amiya asked, “What should we do?”
“We have to tell your father. He needs to be a part of whatever comes next.”
Amiya stared at him. “He’s ill and he’s bound to be exhausted from the journey. Not to mention Ajeet bullying his way onto the plane.”
“This can’t wait. You know it, as well as I.” Curtis gave her a chance to object, then went on, “There’s a hidden reason for Ajeet being on that plane.”
“What?”
He shook his head. “This isn’t logic talking. It’s my gut. But I’m certain. Denying us access to our accounts is only the tip of Ajeet’s blade.”
Rae knew these two were not shutting her out. Their terse half-spoken conversation had nothing to do with confidentiality. They were simply testing the mental waters.
Rae felt no need to insert herself. Her time was not coming. It was already here.
When they were ready, they would ask her help. And she would spring into action.
Their trusted ally.