Page 130 of Unseen Danger
And who was the other man? The second voice was kind of familiar, but different enough she couldn’t place it.
Alvarez led her around the sharp corner with another growl.
Her gaze jumped ahead to the light from an open doorway. Wasn’t that Peter’s room?
She drew her Sig and kept the weapon low at her side for now. If Peter was really D-Chop’s extortionist, the man who’d stalked her and hired the kidnappers, this could get messy.
You’ll be next.
If Peter was the one who’d left that note in the outbuilding and he’d meant it for her like Branson thought, he could say it again to her face.
“With me.” She whispered the command to Alvarez as she slowed by the open doorway.
“Then how do you explain this?” Branson’s voice bellowed from the room, strong, powerful. Safe.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” If Peter wanted anyone to believe him, he’d better calm down and stop shouting.
Confident that Branson must have things under control, Nevaeh stepped into the doorway.
Alvarez let out a well-timed growl that silenced both men, drawing their stares.
Peter stood near a desk that held a computer and printer off to one side of the huge bedroom.
Branson hovered about six feet away, his stance wide and ready, a sheet of paper in his hand. He hadn’t drawn his gun. Should be a good sign.
“Everything okay in here?”
“Nevaeh.” The way Branson said her name and the way his eyes lit at the same time, lessening the tension around his mouth, did crazy things to her pulse. He was happy to see her.
She couldn’t help the smile that found her lips. “Hey.”
“I don’t need a crowd in my room.” Peter glared at her—the most emotion she’d ever seen on the little man’s face. “I’ll thank you all to leave now.”
“Oh, we’re not going anywhere, Peter. But you are.” Branson stepped closer to Nevaeh, ratcheting up her heart rate and warming her through just with his proximity. “Louis is with D-Chop in his suite just in case.” He said the words in a low, quiet tone, as if sharing a secret. He kept his gaze locked on Peter as he held out the paper toward her. “I found this on Peter’s printer tray.”
She glanced at the text, exactly the font and size of the other threatening notes.
$25 million. By tomorrow noon. We both know you can afford it. You owe me. Leave the money in a suitcase, locker #15, Jackson & 9th St. Ramp. If it isn’t there by noon, I’m coming for you. You won’t survive this time.
Nevaeh lifted her gaze to the little man who glared at Branson, then at her. As if they were to blame for what he was doing. But why was he doing it? Because he had some vendetta against rappers from his bad experience? Seemed a stretch. “Why?”
“I don’t even know where that paper came from. Someone must have broken into my room. Like you did.” He aimed the remark at Branson, anger shooting from the eyes behind his glasses.
“D-Chop just told me Peter wanted to be his hype man.” Branson didn’t take his eyes off Peter. “D-Chop said no. More than once.”
“So? Is that a crime?”
“No.” Branson took a step toward Peter. “But extortion is. Kidnapping is. Arson, damage to private property, endangering children…Shall I go on?”
“You can talk until you’re blue in the face. You can’t prove anything.”
“I think this note will do that for us, Peter. And the fact that it’ll be on your computer, along with all the other threatening notes. Knowing you, I’m sure you saved each one, neatly labeled.”
Peter clenched his round jaw. But his fingers shook as he adjusted his glasses.
Hard to believe this small, seemingly shy and harmless man could be behind everything. That he would do that to D-Chop, who’d treated him well. Anger for her friend, for the guy who’d helped Jordy and so many others, rose in Nevaeh’s chest. “D-Chop gave you a really good job. He didn’t have to do that. Why would you think he owes you?”
A harsh laugh popped from Peter’s mouth. “You know what he said when he offered me this lackey’s job?” Peter’s lips curled in a humorless smile. “He said it would give me a chance to watch and learn. From him. From the hype man he hired instead. As if I needed to learn.”