Extortion

On the other end, Daniel Brooke reached 'Y' city with his assistant Henry August. Very soon they checked in to a hotel. In the hotel room, they both are working together sipping hot coffee.

Daniel Brooke asked Henry August "Did you find out the location from where the mysterious man called?"

"Yes, boss. Last time he called from a busy railway station of 'Y' city. He is very clever."

"Hmm." After that, they concentrated on their work and discussed many things.

After dinner, Daniel Brooke was lying on the bed trying to sleep. But his mind was filled with the thought of the mysterious man. He hastily came to 'Y' city but he was somewhat not feeling confident. He was worried if it was a trap then he would risk not only his life but his assistant would also fall in trouble. But he was also thinking that if this man really had the evidence that could prove Albert Harrison guilty, then no one could stop him to be a famous lawyer.

He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed deeply. Whatever this mysterious man was planning he couldn't find out if he didn't meet him, so he put aside his worries and prepared himself mentally to meet him.

After a few moments of tossing and turning, he fell asleep.

At mid-night, his phone started ringing. He looked at his phone and saw an unknown number, flashing on the screen.

He immediately answered the call "Hello."

He heard a bone-chilling cold voice from the other end "Hello Mr. Daniel Brooke. You finally come to the 'Y' city."

"Who are you?"

"Cut the crap. I don't have much time to gossip. I need one million dollars in cash by tomorrow. I will call you tomorrow again. Arrange the money."

The phone hung up immediately after these words before Daniel Brooke could digest what he just heard. He dialed the number again but it was switched off. He got so annoyed that he cursed loudly "Fu*k."

He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration and called Henry August to come to his room. Very soon Henry August was inside his room and asked curiously "Boss, is everything ok?"

"I just received a call from an unknown number. He asked me to arrange one million dollars in cash by tomorrow."

"What?"

Henry August's eyes widened in shock and he was about to collapse to hear this. He was yet to recover from the blow when he heard Daniel Brooke saying "Track the number and find out who the hell is he."

"Ok Boss."

Henry August dialed a number and instructed the man on the other end of the phone to track the number from which Daniel Brooke received a call just now. He looked at his boss and asked "Boss are you really going to arrange the money?"

Daniel Brooke thought for a moment, pressing his lips tight before he said "Wait... If he is the mysterious man then why did he call me? He used to call you. Why didn't he call you tonight?"

Henry August scratched his head while pondering in his mind for a while and said "No idea Boss. Could it be that it is from our enemy? Maybe our enemy planned a trap for us."

Daniel Brooke shrugged in frustration and said "As off now we have to play along. We will withdraw the money tomorrow morning but we have to be more careful."

Both of them sat down on the sofa and started discussing how to deal with this situation. At that time Henry August received a call and he answered "Hello."

After hearing something from the other end, he nodded and said "Ok."

He looked at Daniel Brooke and said "Boss, this phone call came from an area around a graveyard and as usual the number is switched off now and it is also registered in fake ID. Usually, these things are quite common with the mysterious man."

Daniel Brooke chuckled and said, "He is playing a cat- mouse game with us." He paused for a moment and asked "What about Albert Harrison?"

"He is busy partying with friends and beauties."

"Good. Let him enjoy it."

The next morning, Daniel Brooke went to the bank with Henry August to withdraw the money. Several hours later, they finally came out of the bank and went directly to the hotel and waited for the call from the mysterious man. Daniel Brooke instructed Henry August to assign someone to follow him closely. In the afternoon, Daniel Brooke received a call from an unknown number again.

Immediately he answered "Hello."

"Did you arrange the money?"

"Yes."

"Put the money in a bag. There is a dump yard seventy kilometers away from 'Y' city. You drop the bag there."

"Wait... Why should I trust you? If you don't give the evidence after getting money then...."

"Do you want the evidence or not? If you don't want then I'll hang up first. I don't have time to waste." The man spoke before Daniel Brooke could finish speaking.

Daniel Brooke said hurriedly "Wait....don't cut the call. One million dollars is not a small amount, so I just worried about that if you cheat me."

The man chuckled and said "If you don't trust me, you will not have come here in 'Y' city. Once I get the money you will get your precious evidence."

Dud...dud...dud...

Henry August was staring at Daniel Brooke during this entire time and he heard him saying "Henry, tell your men to keep eyes in the dump yard seventy kilometers away from 'Y' city. I need this man."

"Ok Boss."

Henry August left the room hurriedly after saying that.

......

In the 'X' city

Thomas Brooke was working in his office. Suddenly there was a knock on his office door.

"Come in." He summoned without lifting his head.

"Boss something is going on with Master Daniel."

He lifted his head only to see his assistant David Allen. He frowned deeply and asked, "What is it?"

David Allen looked flustered. He was very aware of the bad temper of his Boss so he hesitated for a moment to say anything. He heard Thomas Brooke's cold voice "Speak."

"Master Daniel is in 'Y' city and today morning he withdrew one million dollars."

Thomas Brooke was stunned by the information and shouted in surprise "What? When did he go to 'Y' city and why didn't anyone inform me about this?"

David Allen trembled in fear and he couldn’t lift his head. He stood on the same spot speechlessly. Few drops of cold sweat dripped down from his forehead. He heard his boss scolding "You all are useless. Track him closely. I want every detail of him and make sure he comes back home safely. If anything happens to him, I will not spare you. Now get lost."

"Y-Yes Boss."

David Allen rushed out of the office immediately.

Once he left the office, Thomas Brooke's expression turned gloomy and he started thinking something deeply. After mulling over for a moment, he dialed a number.

The call connected after a few rings and a small smile appeared on his face. He started saying "How are you old friends? Seems you are very busy these days. You almost forgot your friend."

He heard loud laughter from the other side of the phone followed by a deep voice "You are joking. How can I forget my old friend? Tell me, how can I help you?"

Thomas Brooke chuckled and said "How is Jasmine? When is she coming back?"

"Haha... She is coming back by the end of this month. You remember our promise, do you?"

"Mr. Mayor, I remember everything. Once she comes back, let them engage."

"Haha.. you are saying the same thing that I am thinking. For me, nothing is more important than her happiness. I can do anything to make her happy."

Thomas Brooke laughed and said, "Then we should become relatives very soon." He paused for a moment and continued "I need your favor."

"Tell me how can I help you?"

"I want protection for Daniel."

"No problem. I will arrange it."

After a few random chats, Thomas Brooke hung up the phone and a sinister smile appeared on the corner of his lips.

.....

In Bill Roth hospital

While Lisa was talking to his father happily she received a call from Anna Green.

"Hello, Anna."

"Hello... How is uncle?"

"He is better now. Tomorrow the doctor will perform PCI."

"Oh..."

Lisa frowned and paused for a moment. Then she started saying "Anna, are you all right?"

"Um... Yeah. I am fine."

Though she said she was fine, she sounded low. There were a few moments of pause. Then Lisa heard Anna asking "Lisa, can we talk in private?"

Lisa frowned even more deeply and thought for a while before she responded "OK. Meet me at the café near our school in the afternoon."

Then she hung up the phone and returned to deep thought. She thought of why she sounded so low. She was a cheerful girl full of vigor. Lisa never saw her less in confidence. There was definitely something bothering her. She was snatched back to reality by Mark Holmes's next words "Is everything alright dear?"

She shook her head and said with a smile "Everything is fine Dad. It's Anna, she wants to meet me. Don't worry you sleep for a while."