The Law of Motion (Law Series) (13 page)

             
“No, no, no.” She whined, bringing up a video clip of Paul Neil’s press conference. “He just publicly handed her a multi-
billion
dollar corporation. I mean, if I were looking to score, why not?”

             
I responded through clenched teeth, “
Paul
is the reason this shit is happening?”

             
“It a possibility.” Dario admitted. “We need to look into it.”

             
Ross muttered a few words in Italian before pulling out her gun, checking the clip and putting it back  “What we
need
to do is pay a little visit to Daddy.”

             
“I’ll drive.” I nodded grabbing my gun and my keys. Someone was going to pay, and since I couldn’t get to the guys that took Juan at the moment. I would start with the reason him and his friend were taken.

              “You can’t go in there Mis
s
” Paul Neil’s assistant tried to halt Alyssa as she lead the way straight into the conference room that was adjoined to Paul’s office. “He’s in a meeting.”

             
I'd never seen the light, the fire, extinguished out of my Alyssa's eyes, like I did when she came back from that chase. When I looked at her, there was just...nothing. She looked haunted and defeated and about five seconds from breaking something. She was a wreck, with her shirt torn, her shoes muddy, and her hair sticking wild in every direction.

             
But as I watched her now, she was beyond words with anger. She was cleaned up now, wearing the spare clothes that she kept at work. Opting to take a shower at the office last night, not wanting to come home. Though I can’t say that I was any help with a that. I fucked up, and the kid we all loved was gone. And though no one said it, they all blamed me. I should have checked that fucking bathroom, if I did, those boys would have been home. And Chance wouldn’t be storming Neil Tower like it was Vi
ñ
ales, Cuba. The part that made me mad was that I knew she hated me for it.

             
“Like hell I can’t.” She responded to the lady, for the first time since she stormed out of the elevators. This was definitely a team affair because every single member of Gravity was behind her, with me at her side. The men in suits didn’t know what to make of us, let alone Alyssa when she announced her presence with a direct. “Your meeting is over Paul.”

             
One of the lower level execs offered to get security, but Mr. Neil just shook his head. A mixture of embarrassment, stress, curiosity, impatience, and a dash of amusement crossing his features all at once.  “That’s alright son, just tell Patricia to hold all of my calls.” The guy nodded and left looking a bit hesitant.

             
Paul Neil directed his attention to his daughter one hundred percent. “You know Alyssa, if you are going to take over when I am gone, you should get use to making appointments.”

             
“I’m not takin
g

” She let out a quick exhale before starting again. “  I’m pressed for time Paul, and this is way more important than anything you are doing here.”

             
Paul was offended by that statement, sighing with strained patience, “Contrary to what you believe, this was a
very
important meeting. You should know your impromptu announcement last week has caused quite a stir with our shareholders. They were already uneasy about your future appointment
without
you threatening to dismantle Neil Industries. Luckily I was able to pass it off as a joke.”

             
She completely ignored the last part of his statement focusing on the beginning. She was beyond mad, because the first words to leave her mouth were in Spanish, and way too fast for me to pick up even the slightest hint. She slammed her hand down on the conference table struggling to change back to English.
“
I don’t care, because
your
impromptu press conference has gotten my godson and  a little boy kidnapped.”

             
His forehead creased in confusion. “Boys?”

             
Doc cut in, “Yes,
my
little boy, Paul. Alyssa’s godson. He was taken a few hours ago.”

             
A normal person, would have immediately gone into sympathy and apologies, but not Paul. His response was a more confused. “You have a son?”

             
“
Yes
, we have a son.” Ross countered crossing her arms in front of her. “One that I would like to get back, if you are done asking asinine questions.” Her medium skin though normally rosy, was now paling, her expression hard.  Her posture was line straight, military breeding making her no one to be messed with. After knowing her for almost a decade, I’d seen her knock dozens of men twice her size on their asses. So this look I was more than familiar with.

             
I put my hand on the small of her back whispering in her ear. “Easy Wild Child… You being in jail won’t get Juan-Carlos back.”

             
“I know,” She whispered back through a clenched  jaw, not bothering to look at me. She kept her chin angled towards Paul.

             
Paul didn’t notice, his attention was already back on his daughter. “I just don’t see how…”

             
“Some guys are looking for a payday and got the public announcement that C
h

Alyssa hit the lottery.” Macon explained, stopped mid sentence and cut his eyes to Alyssa. Knowing she saw this as no prize. “So to speak, that is.”

             
Kristen continued. “They thought that with Juan being around her as much as he is that she was his mother. ”

             
“Have you called the police Tawny?” Paul asked, a hint of concern in his question.

             
Doc answered her question the best way that she could, “Law Enforcement is involved.”

             
“Sir, we need to know if you have had any recent threats? Any one suspicious around the office…any thing out of ordinary at all?” Jackson asked.

             
Paul shook his head. “No nothing odd here in any way, do you think that I’m in danger?”

             
Alyssa scoffed in disbelief, “This isn’t
about
you
Paul. This is about saving Juan Carlos De Luca. A four year old boy, who was taken by  men who want God knows what! 
Because of you
!”

             
“Me? Alyssa, I’m guilty of nothing but wanting to give my daughter everything.” He argued back.

             
“For the last time, I am
not
your daughter. You don’t belong in my life and I want nothing from you, but I swear, if something happens to him, I
will
kill you.”

             
Everyone was silent, and I wasn’t sure if it was because she had just threatened to murder her “sperm donor” as she called hi
m
without hesitation. Or the fact that she was one hundred percent serious when she said it.

             
Paul, though shocked in silence at first, managed to respond. “Alyssa Giselle Marshall. I know that my absence all of these years, has hurt you to the point that you resent me. I know that I missed a lot of your life, and am still on the outside now. But I do know that you don’t have a bad bone in your body. Yeah, you own a gun, but you aren’t a killer.”

             
If I had questions before, they were all answered then. Paul Neil knew
nothing
of Alyssa Marshall. Though I knew that she would never tell him about Cuba, I didn’t think he was oblivious to her career in the Air Force as well.

             
If it weren’t an already tense situation, I am sure that someone would have scoffed, or corrected him with some joke, but instead Alyssa just shook her head. “
Deje que algo le pasara a él, Paul. Y verás lo que soy capaz de hacer
.” She replied, her voice steady and even. She turned to us with a “Let’s go,”  before walking out the door.

              I couldn’t even understand what she said and I  could feel chill in her threat. Walking out of the office we were greeted by security, and before any of them could approach us I heard Paul call from behind us. “It’s alright, they’re leaving.”

             
Getting to the car, I couldn’t hold my question anymore. “What did she say?” I asked after closing Alyssa’s door walking around to my own.

             
Tink looked nervous about the exchange upstairs, but she answered my question with a sigh. “She said ‘Let something happen to him Paul. Then you will see what I can do.’” She fidgeted with her hands. “She means business.”

             
“No shit.” I muttered getting inside. I brushed the hair out of Alyssa’s face, and she tilted away from me. She was still angry, but the rejection stung all the same. “You ok?”

             
“Let’s get back to Gravity.” She answered, ignoring my question. Yeah, she blamed me, that’s for sure.

             
“What you got for me, Cam?” I requested as soon as we were back in the office. He was just getting off the phone.

             
He cleaned his glasses as he spoke. “I just got some info from the pictures. Bus driver, David Grubbs, kidnappers Myles Thompson, and  Terry Windsor.”

             
Tink started going to work on the names immediately pulling them up on the screen. Already knowing Myles she started with someone else. “David Grubbs, is a welder for C&K Inc.  Well
was,
he was laid off eight months ago. Terry Windsor was custodian for the same company. Myles too.

             
Alyssa, who had been pacing back and forth finally took a seat on the sofa in the lobby of the Gravity office. “Tink, we need to look into C&K, if we can find out why they lost their jobs maybe we can figure out the rest..”

             
“On it, on it, on it.” She promised.

             
Alyssa’s phone rang again and she pulled it out, this time looking at the caller ID. “It’s unavailable.” She jumped up putting it in the center of the table we were all surrounding.

             
“Tink set up the trace.” I ordered.

             
She ran over with her laptop, her flipped hair bouncing. Taking the phone and attaching a USB cord to it, connecting the other end to her laptop. “I can trace faster with a hard line.”

             
“Answer it,” Cam encouraged before she missed the call.

             
Ross halted her, putting her hand on it. “I don’t want them to know that you aren’t Juan’s mother. They might think that the kids are useless and do something crazy.”

             
“That’s a good idea.” Doc nodded.

             
Chance nodded and pressed the button to answer and put it on speaker.

             
"Sooo, have you figured it out yet?" the distorted voice questioned, taking a deep breath and chuckling slightly. "Well Alllysssa," they called out, still cackling. "I know you're there, Alyssa. And I know you're not alone, so any of your Gravity bitches, that Ken doll you have for a husband, or even Daddy himself can answer for you... Are you listening?"

             
I sneered, looking to Cam, who motioned for her to talk, but the way that the voice spoke, you couldn’t help but walk away.

             
"What do you want, Myles?” She asked, picking the phone up.

             
A crazed, cackling laugh exploded from my phone, only to end with, "Wrongggg!!! I thought you were supposed to be a private eye." The voice paused, like they needed a breath. “Though I should give you some credit, you aren’t far off.”

             
“Whoever you are, what do you want?” She asked closing her eyes as she spoke.

             
"Oh… not much.. Let’s say…" The voice taunted on,  "Fifty thousand dollars? What do you think, Alyssa? Fifty for both?"

             
"Tell me who to make my check out to?" Alyssa growled, practically shaking with hatred.

             
"Not so fast there,
senorita
," the voice teased "I'm not done yet," they taunted.

             
I could tell she was losing patience. “Then tell me what you wan
t

”

             
Squeals and cries of more than one child echoed in the background, and we all froze. "Don't interrupt me again!"