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Tollison turned to face Seth. “You’re in negotiations to sell your company to Brooke-Porter Digital?”
Seth couldn’t hide the bite of frustration in his tone. “You know that already or you wouldn’t be here.”
Call him crazy, but Seth would swear he saw a flash of respect in the agent’s eyes.
“You’re pissed. Understandable.” Tollison pinned him with an assessing stare. “If I’d had the week you’ve endured, I’d feel the same.” The agent’s words went some way to dampening Seth’s frustration. “The moment you signed the statement stating you’d entered negotiations with Brooke-Porter Digital to sell Shazad, you came onto my radar. The second the posts concerning Adam hit the web, you moved from general study to dedicated attention. More because of their timing. And now there’s been an attack on Dillon and a small matter of a suspicious bank deposit concerning Detective Justice.”
Adam spoke before Seth could comment. “Dane, Seth’s only heard of these latest hits seconds ago.”
“How about you tell us exactly what it is you want from our brother?” Heath rested his hands on his hips, conveniently drawing attention to the badge clipped to his belt.
The faintest hint of a smile moved Tollison’s mouth, if only for a second. “You’re sticking up for your brother. I would too in your shoes. I’m not Seth’s enemy, Detective Justice. I need everyone to get that clear, so we don’t waste time.”
The guy’s manner was direct. In a way, he fit right in.
“Ask your questions, Tollison.” Seth needed to keep things cool. Nothing, certainly not whatever he could salvage from this latest catastrophe, would be helped by Heath and Tollison butting heads.
The agent had given Adam a heads up, and for that, Seth would play smart.
Tollison’s gaze switched to Adam who moved to sit on one of the four bar stools. Seeing their brother sit was like a switch flipped from red alert to orange. Heath’s posture became more at ease, but he continued to stand. Dillon settled on the edge of the sectional lounge. Seth was too wired to sit, but he would allow things to unfold as Tollison wished—for now.
The agent leaned back against the counter. “Adam and I go way back from when I worked for the same people he does now. That’s why I’m here and talking to you off the record.” He traded a measured look with Seth. “The posts regarding Adam weren’t made by an amateur. They shared confidential details nobody wants in the public realm. It’s safe to say enemies from Adam’s past will make the most of that opportunity.”
Nothing Seth hadn’t guessed, but having the agent repeat the notion Adam was vulnerable to hostile physical retribution fired a jolt of fear through Seth. His big brother, the one who had saved his arse many times back in Sydney, was now a target.
Tollison surveyed the room. “But that’s not my main motivation in speaking with you. I’m investigating Stanton Fox, including his commercial dealings. The man has…friends who, with him, facilitate money laundering, insider trading and a myriad of other activities that may or may not include murder.”
The room fell silent. Whatever shit Fox’s into is deep, ugly. Adam wasn’t wrong. And Seth had invited this mess into his life, and that of his family.
Family. His body tensed. Did Harper know any of this? Of course not. This was a woman who got excited about colored pens at an office supplies store. The tightness in his muscles released. She didn’t have the guile to pull off that kind of bullshit and still seem so genuine.
Jesus, Harper would be crushed. She might not like her dad, but he was still her father.
Tollison wasn’t done yet. “Fox is aware of our interest and has taken steps to make scrutiny as difficult as possible, but my team and I like a challenge.”
Seth could see it in the steel of Tollison’s gaze. The guy didn’t scare easy. That could prove either good or bad for Seth. “And you think somehow I’m involved?”
“Hours after you signed a document on the sale of Shazad to Fox, a series of unfortunate events unfolded, all designed to inflict damage on your family. I’m curious as to the timing.”
Adam crossed his arms over his chest. “As I said to you earlier, we’re already examining that angle.”
Tollison slid a glance to Adam. “I’ve no doubt.” Then back to Seth.
“We have no proof the timing is tied into anything…or anyone connected to Brooke-Porter Digital. All we know is that Heath, Dillon, Adam, and I have been targeted.” Seth kept to the facts.
“But not Zach?” asked the Agent.
“Not yet.” And God, Seth hoped he wasn’t, especially with Milly involved.
“What contact did you have with Stanton Fox before he approached you regarding selling Shazad?”
“I was introduced to him once at a tech convention a year ago, but apart from that, I’d only seen him address crowds at business functions and read about him in the press.” The guy was a billionaire. It was impossible not to know of him.
“So you had no prior contact, including no third party contact on his behalf?”
“No.”
“Including consultants offering to broker a deal? No political figures, business mentors from outside counselled you about selling Shazad to Brooke-Porter Digital before Stanton Fox contacted you?”
