Charles listened to the disconnect tone before lighting a cigarette.
He didn't even smoke it, just held it as the ash fell loosely across the table.
His phone rang.
It was Ross Moore. "Ms. Harrison was kidnapped, but she's safe now. The police have taken over," he reported.
Charles furrowed his brow. "I tasked you with looking out for her. How did you let this happen?"
Ross nervously apologized. Charles cut him off, uninterested in excuses, and hung up.
A sophisticated middle-aged woman entered the room. Charles extinguished his cigarette.
"Mrs. Clade," he said, nodding slightly.
Jenna Clade, still elegant in her maturity, noticed his mood. She smiled faintly. "Problems at work? Or... Yulia mentioned you missed a call from a secretary. Did that cause a delay or something?"
"Nothin
