He accepts the glass of whiskey and says casually, “In return, I possess information concerning the keys.”
My breath stills as I maintain my blank expression, and his eyes flick past me to where our wives are deep in conversation.
“I merely have information regarding them, not their whereabouts or what they unlock. What I can tell you is that until the terms of Enrico’s will are carried out to the letter, the locks will remain undetected.”
“Do you know who has the keys?”
He shakes his head. “No, but I’m aware of the conditions of their use.”
“How?”
I’m curious, and his sinister smirk tells me I’ll remain unenlightened.
“Enrico was a shrewd businessman and a slippery one, too. He was a great poker player and always prided himself on being four steps ahead of his opponents. It’s how he saw everyone; they were merely pawns in his game. He would have been well aware of Morgan’s intentions and sought to counteract any move she may make before she had even decided what it was.”
I listen intently because Malik must never be underestimated, and he says in his Middle Eastern drawl, “When he set up the trust funds as collateral against his company, he sent it overseas. There is a company who specializes in this, and discreet is their middle name. I have it on good authority that they are holding his secrets, and only when the terms of the will are met in their entirety, will the daughters be contacted.”
“And if they don’t fulfill the terms?”
“Then the inheritance returns to Enrico’s estate and will be used to pay off his debts, and the surplus, if any, goes to the executor.”
“Morgan.”
He nods. “It appears so.”
My mind is buzzing because we are up against a dead end. On the one hand, we control the sisters. They are married and hopefully pregnant by now. It may take longer; it could take several years, but time is on our side.
It’s not guaranteed, though, and yet without the keys, we will gain no access to the secrets they unlock, which means it’s imperative we locate them and fast.
He says thoughtfully, “You asked about the keys. I believed them to be with the sisters. Am I wrong?”
“It appears that Sister Agatha Maria of the Order of the Holy Mother of God took it upon herself to give them to an unknown woman. Unknown to us, of course, but not, as I suspect, to her.”
“Then ask her.”
He shrugs as if it’s the easiest thing in the world, and yet he does have a point.
He slams the drink back, and as I refill his glass, I fix two glasses of champagne for the ladies, and as he takes one to his wife, I do the same.
CHAPTER 29
TIFFANY
Dinner is pleasant, mainly because of Eliza. The two men are brooding, occasionally only exchanging a few hushed words, mainly listening to Eliza as she attempts to fill in the awkward silence.
After we finish the most exquisite meal, they make to leave, and before they go, she leans closer and whispers, “We leave for Dubai tomorrow evening. I would love it if we could meet for lunch. Allow me to repay the favor and come to ours. Say two o’clock.”
“I would love that.”
Her warm smile is a welcome one, and as they leave, I’m grateful to have a friend at least.
“What did she say?”
Joseph closes the front door, and as we head to the library, I relay the conversation.
“I wonder what she wants?”
He is thoughtful, and I snap, “Perhaps a friend. I could certainly use one right now.”