If you're loved by someone, you're never rejected, decide what to be and GO BE IT
-The Avett brothers
Recommend Reading Introduction to Unproven
DEFINITELY READ Prologue
Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three
Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six
Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty One
Chapter Twenty Two Chapter Twenty Three Chapter Twenty Four
Chapter Twenty Five Chapter Twenty Six Chapter Twenty Seven
Chapter Twenty Eight Chapter Twenty Nine Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty One Chapter Thirty Two Chapter Thirty Three
Chapter Thirty Four Chapter Thirty Five Chapter Thirty Six
Chapter Thirty Seven Chapter Thirty EightChapter Thirty Nine
Chapter Forty Chapter Forty One Chapter Forty Two
Chapter Forty Three Chapter Forty Four Chapter Forty Five
Chapter Forty Six Chapter Forty Seven Chapter Forty Eight
Chapter Forty Nine Chapter Fifty Chapter Fifty One
Chapter Fifty Two Chapter Fifty Three Chapter Fifty Four
Chapter Fifty Five Chapter Fifty Six Chapter Fifty Seven
Chapter Fifty Eight Chapter Fifty Nine Chapter Sixty
Chapter Sixty One Chapter Sixty Two Chapter Sixty Three
Chapter Sixty Four Chapter Sixty Five Chapter Sixty Six
Chapter Sixty Seven Chapter Sixty Eight Chapter Sixty Nine
Chapter Seventy Chapter Seventy Chapter Seventy Two
Chapter Seventy Three Chapter Seventy Four Chapter Seventy Five
Chapter Seventy SixChapter Seventy Seven Chapter Seventy Eight
Chapter Seventy Nine Chapter Eighty Chapter Eighty One
Chapter Eighty Two Chapter Eighty Three Chapter Eighty Four
Chapter Eighty Five Chapter Eighty Six Chapter Eighty Seven
Chapter Eighty Eight Chapter Eighty Nine Chapter Ninety
Chapter Ninety One Chapter Ninety Two Chapter Ninety Three
Chapter Ninety Four Chapter Ninety Five
Chapter Ninety Six Chapter Ninety Seven Chapter Ninety Eight
Chapter One Hundred
James stood by the desk in his study, waiting impatiently for Dorothea to be delivered to him.
He'd learned that his son was missing at shortly after seven this morning. Apparently Grayson had not come downstairs at his normal time to leave for school, and after twenty minutes of waiting Jason had gone upstairs to investigate. His car was still in the driveway, so he must have hitched a ride sometime after two am.
And the girl had not perished in the fire, no body or remains had been found. Which meant wherever Grayson was, she was with him, and the fact that he'd left his wallet and phone behind told James he had no intention of returning anytime soon. He had somehow discerned who was behind the fire. Or at least thought it a possibility best not to ignore.
James had spent the day trying to determine whether they had gone into hiding or opted to travel. He'd had men peruse security tapes at every bus station in the entire state of California and when that had turned up nothing he'd decided the most plausible scenario was they'd borrowed someone's car. His bet had been on Dorothea, though she'd been found at school with her car in the parking lot. Not to be deterred he'd hacked into the DMV and there he'd found another car registered in her name.
By the time he'd tracked this down it had been after noon, meaning they were well over the state line. And having no idea which direction they were headed made locating them extremely difficult. Unless they were pulled over for some reason, it could take days, and that's if he called in some favors. Otherwise it could take weeks, particularly if they were smart enough to stay off the main highways and out of major cities.
That left one possibility for locating them in a timely manner, and she would arrive any minute. His men had grabbed her when she'd stopped off at a deli after school. Now all he had to do was put a trace on her phone and get her to call them, keep them talking for sixty seconds, and he would have them. He berated himself for not putting a tracking device on Grayson's alternative phone the moment he'd learned of it, though it would have been tricky since his son would not have left it somewhere it could be easily lifted, or go unnoticed after it was.
There was a knock on his door. "Come in," he barked.
Dorothea was brought through it, sandwiched on either side by two men.
"Mr. Teller? What's going on?" She demanded immediately.
He smiled and indicated for her to have a seat, faintly impressed by her bravado. He waited until she sat, then dismissed his men.
"I apologize for the way this was handled, but I had a feeling that had I simply asked you to come, you would have politely declined."
"Why?" She asked innocently.
"Please Miss Chandler, let's not waste anymore of my valuable time. I know my son has taken your car, and I'd like to know where he's going."
"My car? My car was in the parking lot of the deli...”
He cut her off with a look, "I'm referring to the other vehicle registered in your name, a Subaru station wagon purchased in late January. Most likely by my son so he could carry on his secret affair with Miss Gilson who is now accompanying him wherever it is he is headed. So, again, where might that be?"
He watched her struggle to think of some kind of denial, then saw when she realized it was pointless. "I don't know, they didn't tell me, thought it was better that way."
He stared her down and when she didn't waver he nodded. "Fair enough, give me your phone if you will, the one you use to converse with them."
Again the brief inner struggle on her face before she reached into her purse and pulled it out. He walked over and took it from her, bringing it to his desk and opening the back to insert the trace. He went to his computer and programmed her phone to the tracer, then put it back together and handed it to her.
"Now call them. Keep them talking for at least one minute. And let me be very clear; if you in any way choose to alert them as to why you're making this call, or where you are right now, it will be most unwise on your part. You will act natural. You will express concern for their well-being, and relief that they are still safe."
Dori stared at the man, wondering if he would actually kill her. Considering what Grayson and Ary believed he'd just attempted… But what was to stop him from doing it anyway? Wasn't she a liability? Especially if he planned to finish what he'd started with Aryanne...God.
"I can see you are considering just what unwise might mean. Also you may be concerned about the welfare of Miss Gilson. So allow me to assure you that no harm will come to her. It would not be constructive, as it would only serve to alienate my son which is not an option since the future of my business as well as the continuation of our line is solely dependent upon him. I am a logical man Dorothea, I do not do things that serve no purpose."
"But don't you think you've already alienated him by attempting to murder the girl he loves?" She asked with one eyebrow in the air.
James waved that off, "Ridiculous. That fire was caused by an electrical issue, the power lines in that house have not been updated in forty years. I've spoken to the experts and they tell me it was only a matter of time. Now make the call."
Dori's hands trembled as she called up her very limited contact list, praying that he was telling the truth. She tried Grayson's number first, but it went immediately to voice mail, then she hit send on Aryanne's with the same result. She looked up at James, "I think their phones are off."
He stared at her for a moment, taking a deep breath. "Okay. We'll try again in a bit. Are you hungry?"
Dori shook her head. Yeah, right, the way her stomach was feeling whatever she ate would end up on his pristine hardwood floor.
"How about something to drink?"
She started to shake her head again, then thought better of it and said, "Do you have any whiskey?"
He smiled, "The finest money can buy."
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