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“No bluff here,” Connor said, his nose inches from Sherwood’s. “I have something, but I want to hear you ask for it. It must be really valuable to you.”
Sherwood spun around and went for Josie. He grabbed her up out of the chair and held her by the arm, one hand out to stop Connor from coming for him. “Don’t even think about it!” he shouted. “I’m done with your games, Randall. Is this information more valuable than this woman?”
“No,” Connor replied, his eyes on Josie. He gave her a quick wink and then nodded toward the necklace. “It’s inside the coin. There’s a small hollow space inside.”
Josie let out a gasp of breath. “Did you know that all along?”
“No,” Connor replied, his heart pumping a message to her. “I only discovered it a little while ago.”
She nodded, her gaze moving from the coin in Sherwood’s hand and then back to Connor. He tried to convey the truth to her and then he looked down at his boot, hoping she’d realize he wasn’t going to double-cross her.
While Sherwood tried to open the coin, Connor sent a warning glance to Josie. She was back in the chair and settled, but he could tell instead of fearing for her life she was busy calculating how she was going to get them all out of here. Sherwood knew she wouldn’t leave without everyone he’d been holding, so he obviously wasn’t too concerned about her trying anything. That and the two men with the big guns at the door, of course.
But Connor knew she wouldn’t give up. She was that kind of agent. She’d save these people, even though they’d all kill her in a New York minute if the cards were turned.
Staring past the two guards, Connor gave her an imploring glance. He couldn’t let her attempt to help him. They’d shoot her just to spite him if he moved.
Sherwood finally motioned to Connor. “Show me how to get into this thing. Now!”
Connor did as he asked, praying Sherwood wouldn’t download the whole thing right away. Just a few more minutes...
When Connor sprang open the coin and showed Sherwood the tiny square black card, the other man stared at it as if it were a piece of gold, then he turned it around and around in his hand. Finally, he turned back to Armond. “I have it now. I have the whole operation right here. And there is nothing any of you can do about it.”
Armond lifted up and snarled. In the corner, Vanessa and Lou both tried to talk through their taped mouths. Connor looked from Sherwood to Armond, then to Josie. He sent her a slight shrug, then looked down at his boots again. Would she understand what he was telling her?
Josie leaned close to Armond. “What is it? What are you trying to say?”
Sherwood heard her and rushed to the bed, pushing her back in her chair before he knocked Armond back down. “You’re not going to blow this for me now, are you, old friend?”
Armond gained strength, anger coloring his wrinkled, shrunken face. Then he lifted up and stared straight at Connor.
“My son,” he said, hatred in his eyes as he cut them back to Sherwood. “That’s the real prize that you can’t take away. Connor, you are my son.”
TWENTY-ONE
The room went still. Vanessa’s eyes widened to the point of popping out of her head. Armond’s watery gaze held Connor’s. Lou dropped his head, his body shaking with either rage or emotion.
Josie sat stunned and flabbergasted, thinking she’d heard wrong. Surely she’d heard wrong. She tore her eyes away from Armond and lifted her head toward Connor. Had he know this all along?
Could she trust anyone?
“What is he talking about?” she asked, her eyes still on Connor. “Connor, what is he saying?”
Connor stood frozen to the spot, his face ashen and pale. “That’s a lie,” he finally said. “You’re just desperate to say anything to save yourself, Armond.”
Louis Armond shifted on the bed, his gaze roving until he centered his eyes on Sherwood. “Tell them,” he said. “Tell them everything and...let me die in peace.”
Sherwood started laughing. “Of course Randall knows. How do you think he got that fancy loft apartment and drove that nice sports car? Think about it, Gilbert. He wasn’t shadowing Armond because he wanted justice. He was following his daddy around, hoping for the keys to the kingdom. It’s in the will—all of it.” He pointed toward Vanessa and Lou. “And these two didn’t want that will or any of the Armond company records to be found.”
