“Yes, I can do math, honey,” I replied, leaning forward and pouring him a glass of tea.
“We could’ve retired on that money.”
“You’re talking out of your ass, Grant. You don’t want to retire. You would be bored out of your mind,” I said, trying to reason with him. I handed him the glass and a napkin and rolled my eyes at his trembling hand.
Money-hungry bastard.
“A loss like that is significant,” Mr. Stone commented. “But what’s more important is that the victims got justice.”
Grant’s shoulders slackened.
“You’re right, Mr. Stone. I was only thinking of myself and my family at the moment.”
“No need to apologize. It’s only natural to want to look after yourself and your loved ones. And please, call me Ross.”
* * *
At some point, I zoned out of the conversation. I should’ve been paying attention, but I couldn’t. Not when I felt that everything he said was too perfect, and I couldn’t tell if I was seeing things that weren’t there and making a fuss, or if my intuition was trying to tell me something.
I tuned back in.
“The best thing about Sentinel is that power doesn’t scare us, Mr. Baker. Influence only matters if you let it. Our focus is your safety—not politics.”
That was a smooth answer… too smooth.
“Do you coordinate with law enforcement if things get dangerous?”
“When it benefits the client. Otherwise, we prefer to handle matters internally. Fewer moving parts that way. You understand, right?”
“I understand,” Grant answered. “We’ve thought about going to the police, but with little to no evidence, we’d be laughed out of the building.”
“I hate to say it, but corruption runs rampant in police departments, from the bottom to the top. They can’t be trusted to protect anyone but their own interests.”
“What is your retainer?” Grant asked.
“Normally, we’d charge $100k for a case like this with full residential coverage, travel security, and cyber monitoring; however, I can offer our services today for $80,000.”
“Why the discount?” I inquired, narrowing my eyes suspiciously.
“Longevity. These issues you’re having with Mr. Branson will not disappear overnight. It’ll be several months, maybe a year, before he loses interest,ifhe loses interest.”
Grant cleared his throat beside me and crossed an ankle over his knee.
“Thank you for the consideration, but money isn’t an issue. We don’t need a handout.”
Mr. Stone didn’t flinch. “It’s not a handout, Mr. Baker. It’s a calculated investment. We prefer long-term contracts with clients who understand the gravity of what they’re facing. You’re not hiring bodyguards—you’re hiring surveillance, discretion, and possible neutralization. That kind of work requires trust and consistency.” He leaned forward slightly, voice steady. “The discount isn’t charity. It’s an incentive. Because if we’re going to be in your lives for the next twelve months, I’d rather start on solid ground.”
Grant tapped his knee with his thumb as he considered.
“How soon can you deploy?”
“We can have a protective detail here by sunrise tomorrow.”
“Do you mind if my wife and I step aside to discuss?”
“Not at all.”
“Feel free to help yourself to refreshments. We will only be a minute,” Grant said, helping me off the couch.