Freed: Fifty Shades Freed as told by Christian (Fifty Shades 6)
“That’s great news.”
“Mr. Grey, he was stunned to get the call.”
“I bet. Thanks for tracking him down.”
When that’s over I call Senator Blandino.
Our conversation is short and we resolve to have lunch next time she’s in Seattle.
Taylor is standing in the doorway when I finish the call.
“Yes?”
“Detective Clark is here, sir.”
“Show him in.”
Detective Clark has a firm handshake and a curmudgeonly, hangdog appearance. “Mr. Grey, thank you for seeing me.”
“Please sit.” I direct him to the chair in front of my desk.
“Thank you. I was hoping to get a brief history of your dealings with Jackson Hyde.”
“Of course.” I explain that I own SIP, and that Ana used to work for him, until he was fired, and all the circumstances around that, including my run-in with him at SIP.
“You assaulted him?” Clark’s eyebrows are raised.
“I taught him some manners. He attacked my wife.”
“I see.”
“If you check his employment history, he has a track record of being fired for assaulting his female colleagues.”
“Hmm… You think he’s behind the GEH arson attempt?”
“I do. We have the CCTV from Grey House.”
“Yes. I’ve seen it. And thank you for the CCTV from the garage. The forensic team have been examining the van.”
“Did they find anything?”
“This.” He pulls out a plastic evidence bag. In it is a note. He shows it to me so I can read the note through the bag. It’s scrawled in black Sharpie:
Grey, Do you know who I am?
Because I know who you are, Baby Bird.
I look at the words blankly.
What a weird note.
“Do you know what this means?” Clark asks.
I shake my head. “No idea.”
He slides it back into the inside breast pocket of his jacket.
“I have some more questions for Mrs. Grey. How is she?”
“She’s good. She’s remarkably tough.”
“Hmm… Is she here?”
“She’s at work. You could phone her.”
“I see. I prefer a more hands-on approach. I’d like to talk to her again, face-to-face,” Clark grunts.
“I’m sure I can make that happen. Given the intense press interest in my wife and me, I would request that you go to her office.”
“I can do that.” He nods and sits quietly while I send a quick e-mail to Hannah to see when Ana might be free.
“Hyde had a gun. Does he have a license for it?”
“We’re checking.”
“Have you spoken with the FBI team investigating the sabotage of my helicopter?”
“We’ve been in touch.”
“Good. I suspect he might be behind that, too.”
“Hmm… He does seem a little obsessed.”
“A little.” I tell him about Hyde’s computer hard drive, and all the information he had accumulated about my family.
Clark frowns. “Interesting. Can we have access to that?”
“By all means. I’ll ask my IT people to send it to you.”
My computer pings, announcing a response from Hannah.
“My wife is free at three this afternoon at her office.”
“Excellent. Well, I won’t keep you, Mr. Grey.”
He stands, as do I. “I’m relieved you have him. And hopefully he’ll stay behind bars for a long time.”
Clark’s smile is menacing, and I suspect he’s thinking the same. “Great view you have from up here,” he says.
“Thank you.”
Taylor shows him out and I compose an e-mail.
From: Christian Grey
Subject: Statement
Date: August 26 2011 13:04
To: Anastasia Grey
Anastasia
Detective Clark will be visiting your office today at 3 p.m. to take your statement.
I have insisted that he should come to you, as I don’t want you going to the police station.
Christian Grey
CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings, Inc.
I go back to searching through the contents of Hyde’s computer. An e-mail arrives from Ana.
From: Anastasia Grey
Subject: Statement
Date: August 26 2011 13:12
To: Christian Grey
Okay.
A x
Anastasia Grey
Editor, SIP
At least I get a kiss.
I open up Hyde’s files once more. He has a great deal about Carrick in one of the files. Why is he so interested in my dad? I don’t get it.
Notification of an e-mail from Ana pops up on my screen.
From: Anastasia Grey
Subject: Your Flight
Date: August 26 2011 13:24
To: Christian Grey
What time did you decide to come back to Seattle yesterday?
Anastasia Grey
Editor, SIP
The kiss is missing. I respond.
From: Christian Grey
Subject: Your Flight
Date: August 26 2011 13:26
To: Anastasia Grey
Why?
Christian Grey
CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings, Inc.
From: Anastasia Grey
Subject: Your Flight
Date: August 26 2011 13:29
To: Christian Grey
Call it curiosity.
Anastasia Grey
Editor, SIP
What is she trying to find out? I send a glib answer.
From: Christian Grey
Subject: Your Flight
Date: August 26 2011 13:32
To: Anastasia Grey
Curiosity killed the cat.
Christian Grey
CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings, Inc.
From: Anastasia Grey
Subject: Huh?
Date: August 26 2011 13:35
To: Christian Grey
What is that oblique reference to? Another threat?
You know where I am going with this, don’t you?
Did you decide to return because I went out for a drink with my friend after you asked me not to, or did you return because a madman was in your apartment?
Anastasia Grey
Editor, SIP
Hell. I stare at the screen, uncertain what to say. It wasn’t a threat.
Jesus.
She knows I came back before I knew about Hyde. If she doesn’t, she hasn’t done the time-zone math.