“Jakob speaking,” I answered in a clipped tone.
“I know that.” David’s voice held a hint of amusement as it always seemed to.
“How can I help you, David?” I stifled a sigh. He was my brother, but there was no brotherly love between us. To be fair, our relationship might have been different if our father had treated us both equally. However, he hadn’t, and David had a superiority complex that infuriated me. I couldn’t stand him.
“What are you doing this weekend?”
“Not sure. I’m thinking of going boating.”
“Where?” David sounded interested.
“The Caribbean.”
“Oh, yeah, you just bought that hotel, didn’t you? Where is it again? St. Croix?”
“Yes, I bought a hotel, but it’s not on St. Croix. It’s located on a private island near the British Virgin Islands.” I felt a smug smile on my face as I spoke.
“Oh, yeah, you have two, right?”
“Two what?”
“Islands.”
“Yes, the hotel is on the developed land. The other island is smaller and undeveloped.” I paused, my brain ticking over. “What’s the purpose of your call, David?”
“Can’t I see how my brother is doing?”
“What do you want?” David was like a little child, transparent when he wanted to get something.
“We’ve got a problem.”
“What problem could we possibly have?”
“There’s a woman trying to shake us down.”
“Shake us down?” My voice was dry. “What does that mean? Did you get someone pregnant?”
“She’s been asking about the company and Dad. Her dad used to work for Bradley, Inc.,” He paused. “She’s been trying to get her hands on some shares so she can get into the shareholders’ meeting next week.”
“Okay?” I stepped out of my car and stared at the sleek lines of my black GranTurismo Maserati. It was worth every one of the hundred and fifty thousand dollars I’d spent on the car. Though next time I was going to have to make sure I didn’t drive the car when I felt like I might be around a crazy woman. I didn’t want any scratches on my baby.
“We think she’s coming for shares in the company.”
“Okay?” Once again, I didn’t know why he thought I cared.
“And she could cause trouble for us if she digs too deep.”
“What do you mean?” I sighed as I ran my fingers along the side of the car and then walked into my building.
“She might find out about the background of all the products . . .” His voice trailed off. “She seems to want to talk to Mattias.”
“Well, then she can’t be in that deep, can she?” My voice was wry. “If she wants to speak to Mattias, then she can’t know much.”
“What happens when she realizes there is no Mattias?”
“You need to distract her before that happens.” I was bored. How many times was David going to call me in a panic because someone wanted to meet our fictional brother?
“Her father was the inventor—”
“Wait, what’s her name?” I stopped outside of the elevator, my mind suddenly very focused on the conversation.
“Bianca . . . Bianca London.”
“Bianca London,” I repeated, my heart racing as I said her name. The first name meant nothing to me, but the last name—the last name conjured up images of my mom sitting on the couch, drinking a glass of wine and telling me stories through her tears. London was a name that I wasn’t going to forget anytime soon. London was the name of the couple who had ruined my mother’s life. If it hadn’t been for their interference, she might have been happy. She might have been married to the man she loved. She might still be alive today.
“I know her name rings a bell,” David said lightly, though I knew he was gloating inside. He knew how badly I wanted to find out what had happened to the Londons. I’d only asked him once if he knew anything about her, but even once was enough. David knew me well enough to know that if I was asking, it was for a reason.
“What do you want, David?” I wasn’t interested in playing his mind games; psyching people out with words and vague clues was a tactic he’d picked up from our father, and I for one didn’t have time for all the back-and-forth. I liked to be straight and direct. I didn’t have time for mind-fuckery. I’d never seen the point, but I supposed that I never knew how I might react in certain situations.
“I think we need to figure out exactly what Ms. London knows.”
“So do that, then.” I walked into my apartment and locked the door behind me. I stared out the windows at the New York skyline and smiled at the sight. This apartment had the best view of Manhattan and it never ceased to amaze me.
“I’m going to get to know her, but I think we might need a more exhaustive plan.”
“What does that mean? A more exhaustive plan?”
“Larry Renee suggested it.”