Chapter 2 - THE FIRST CALL
Andrew called his banker six times before the man finally answered.
“What the hell is happening?”
Andrew demanded.
His banker sounded nervous.
“Your revolving facilities have been suspended.”
“By whom?”
“I’m not authorized to discuss the beneficial lender.”
Andrew stood so quickly that his glass fell.
Brenda watched from the sofa.
Margaret entered wearing a silk robe.
“What is it?”
Andrew ignored her.
“I own that company.”
He shouted into the phone.
“You work for me.”
“No, Mr. Andrew.”
The banker hesitated.
“We service your accounts.”
“The credit itself comes through an external capital group.”
Andrew stared at the dark windows.
“What group?”
Silence.
Then the banker said the name.
“Escalante.”
Andrew stopped breathing.
Behind him, Brenda frowned.
“Escalante?”
Margaret’s face changed before Andrew’s did.
Only for a second.
But Brenda noticed.
Andrew turned.
“You know that name?”
Margaret recovered quickly.
“Of course not.”
The lie came too fast.
Andrew ended the call.
At six fifteen, the company’s chief financial officer called.
Then the head of acquisitions.
Then two board members.
By seven, Andrew had received eleven notices.
Every one carried the same legal signature.
ESCALANTE CAPITAL HOLDINGS.
At seven twenty-three, he called Mariana.
She answered on the fourth ring.
“Turn everything back on.”
Andrew did not bother saying hello.
Mariana stood in her father’s office overlooking Manhattan.
“I’m sorry?”
“You heard me.”
Andrew lowered his voice when a servant passed.
“Whatever little game you’re playing, stop.”
Mariana almost smiled.
“You told everyone last night that you gave me everything.”
“I’m simply checking how much of it was actually yours.”
Andrew gripped the phone.
“You’re my wife.”
“Not for much longer.”
His voice hardened.
“You think walking into some office with your father makes you powerful?”
Mariana looked toward Rafael.
Andrew still did not understand.
“My father didn’t make the call, Andrew.”
“I did.”
Andrew went silent.
Then Mariana heard a door close on his end.
“Where are you?”
“At headquarters.”
“Whose headquarters?”
Mariana answered calmly.
“Mine.”
She ended the call.
Andrew stood alone in his study.
For the first time, uncertainty replaced anger.
Then Brenda entered.
“We have another problem.”
She held up a tablet.
“The security footage from last night is gone.”
Andrew stared at her.
“What footage?”
Brenda swallowed.
“The footage from the room where the necklace disappeared.”
Andrew’s eyes narrowed.
May you like
“How do you know exactly which footage is missing?”
And for the first time since Mariana left, Brenda had no answer ready.
