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He had the utmost faith in the woman who had come to hold what was left of his heart in her hand. The loss of his wife and daughter had literally brought him to his knees, and Brook had been the one to help him stand after he’d come to terms with such tragedy.
He would not allow her to fall victim due to someone else’s sin. Silence wasn’t the answer, and he would do whatever was necessary to bring her back home.
The door finally opened, though Graham refused to display any reaction when the guard led Jacob through the doorway. Whereas Brook took after her mother with long black hair and a heart-shaped face, Jacob resembled their father with wavy brown hair and a square jawline.
That was where their similarities ended.
Brook had often posed the question of whether nature or nurture was responsible for her brother’s reprehensible conduct. She believed that she had finally found her answer two months ago.
Graham might be able to confirm her suspicions today.
Jacob hadn’t uttered a word since he had been escorted into the room. The guard took his time in securing the inmate’s handcuffs to the metal eyehook in the table before doing the same to the chain in between the man’s ankles.
Jacob hid his irritation well at being subjected to such treatment.
Before too long, the lock of the door latched after the guard’s exit.
“It’s not like my sister to send in a lackey.”
“Your sister is otherwise engaged,” Graham replied offhandedly, comfortable in the early stages of their conversation. He was genuinely surprised that Jacob hadn’t tried to enter a battle of wills, remaining silent as a test of some sort. “What can you tell me about Lorena Dobbs?”
“Dobbs? Lorena Dobbs?” Jacob gave a slight shrug of his right shoulder before slowly shaking his head. “The name doesn’t ring a bell, General Elliott.”
Graham casually leaned against the wall and slipped both hands into his pockets. He didn’t mind staying awhile, or at least letting Jacob believe in such a state of mind.
“I can understand the desire for a bit of company after being confined to your cell twenty-three hours a day.”
Graham had read the profile that Brook had spent years honing on her brother. There were several ways this meeting could have begun, and now Graham had his answer. While Jacob liked to boast about his kills and the fact that he was usually three steps ahead of law enforcement, he was opting for another route today.
“If you’d like, I can have a copy of The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi brought to your cell,” Graham offered with a small smile. “I seem to recall you were quite fascinated with the copy in my private library during your brief visit to my home.”
Graham could sense that his off-the-cuff remark had Jacob reevaluating his strategy. The fact that the offer hadn’t elicited a response was very telling in the grand scheme of things.
It hadn’t been long after Brook had agreed to go into business with Graham that Jacob had sent his sister a nonverbal message. The man had waltzed through Graham’s front door posing as a repairman, misleading the woman who took care of the residence while he was away on business. Jacob had merely wanted his sister to know how easy it was for him to insert himself into the lives of those she chose to associate with on a daily basis. Graham and Brook hadn’t become intimately involved until much later.
Still, Brook had received her brother’s message loud and clear, and so had everyone else on the team. Precautions had been doubled, but Jacob had finally outwitted them by using someone else. What he didn’t seem to realize was that Graham wasn’t leaving this room without information regarding Lorena Dobbs’ whereabouts.
“No? Well, if you change your mind, just have one of the guards reach out to me,” Graham said with a small smile. Not once had he altered his restful posture. He removed his right hand from his pocket to snap his fingers. “It just dawned on me why you wouldn’t feel comfortable fessing up to knowing Lorena Dobbs. I didn’t realize this trip would be a waste of my time. I’ll let your sister know what transpired here, and she’ll change course accordingly. Brook has a talent for being able to draft a profile, doesn’t she?”
“Do you really believe I’m that gullible, General?”
Graham had been hoping that Jacob would respond in such a cynical manner, which caused his smile to widen. He stood to his full height and walked toward the table, not stopping until he was able to rest the palms of his hands on the back of the metal chair.
“Gullible? I wouldn’t use that particular adjective to describe you, Jacob. Presumptuous, maybe. I am curious about one thing, though. Did you truly believe that you could control someone like Lorena Dobbs? According to her profile, the woman is impulsive. What transpired at Ms. Deering’s apartment yesterday proves your protégé has anger management issues.”
For the first time since Graham had been in Jacob’s presence, the man slipped slightly in his stoic posture. It was evident that he hadn’t appreciated Graham’s label of Dobbs. He’d taken a chance at creating a scenario for Jacob to absorb, but Graham could have easily shown his chips too early. He’d been in enough situations to read a room correctly, though.
“I don’t know anyone by the name of Lorena Dobbs, General. You’ve wasted your time coming here.”
Graham merely nodded, as if he had accepted Jacob’s answer. Both were aware of the other’s tactics. It was time to show a few cards.
Graham went for the shock value.
“Did you know that I offered Brook a clean slate?” Graham leaned down so that his forearms rested on the back of the metal chair. He met Jacob’s stare, and it was obvious that the statement had caught the man’s interest. “It would have only taken one call. One call to have two men come into this prison, witness your last breath, and then disappear into the dead of night. Can you imagine the sense of freedom your sister could enjoy with a simple phone call?”
For the first time since Jacob had been brought into the room, his gaze left Graham’s face to study the walls. By the time he had finished searching every corner, it was evident that he understood the significance of such a location.
“You’ve been inside my house, Jacob. I don’t doubt that you know everything about me, which means you also know what I am capable of in situations like this one.” Graham paused, but not for effect. He simply wanted to make certain that Jacob had enough time to soak in the meaning behind his words. “Regrettably, I gave my word to your sister that I would never make such a call. You have her to thank for you still being six feet above ground. I don’t get it, but Brook seems to believe death is too easy of an out for you.”
