The Last Option
Chapter Thirty-Six: The Discovery

Sitting in what was once Nathan Hicks' chair and facing the window behind the desk, Louis looked out over the buildings across from Southern Hilltop Gold. It was almost noon and he had decided to clear up some of the paperwork typical of the office by taking a look at the facades of the buildings where other companies as important as his were operating. There were no other mining and jewelry companies nearby, so he couldn't challenge himself to buy one that was smaller than Southern unless he sought them out. He was also thinking of making his way into other areas and seeking to associate or buy a small one in the textile sector, for example, or the telecommunications sector, which was booming and growing.

He was in those thoughts when the intercom on his desk rang.

"You have a call from Mr. Irons," Camila said through the phone when he answered. "Line two."

He picked up the phone and answered by pressing the line button.

"Why are you calling me at this number? You always do it on the cell phone."

"Sometimes you have to switch media," Duncan said from the other end of the line. The last name Irons was what he used to call him without saying his real last name, "especially when I have news to give you." "Speak," Louis ordered, assuming this was the news he had been waiting for two months.

"His name is Bernard Sullivan, I imagine you already know who he is. I myself was surprised when I found out.”

Louis Randall was speechless for a few seconds.

"Are you there?"

"Yes, here I am. I really didn't expect it."

"Your friend the judge recommended that he recognize him as his son, and he did. Your friend didn't tell you about that?"

"No. Strickland didn't take the case, the very cowardly man repented at the last minute, although he did have the wisdom to put Campbell, the one who replaced him, in the play. At least he dismissed the case."

"I thought Strickland had taken the case. It already seemed strange to me that he hadn't told you who had the child. Well, anyway, there you have the name of whoever has it. Do I start watching him?" Louis thought for a few seconds.

"Not for now. Let me first have a little interview with him to see if he still has any intentions with Phil to have the boy recognized as a Hicks. I'll be letting you know, thanks."

Louis hung up and was thoughtful again. So Nathan's driver was the one with the child, he thought, partly surprised. He had been surprised not to receive in the company the account of the hospital expenses for his injury when the kidnapping attempt, forgetting about it completely and did not pay more attention to him. He had ordered his liquidation but he never went to collect it, perhaps because Nathan assured him and his wife a good amount of money for having his child. That must be it.

On the other hand, the driver had recognized the child as his, which did not worry him at the moment, but he could not be trusted. Yes, he would have to talk to him to see what he thought, if he decided to stay quiet with the boy or was planning to go after Rebecca and him later with Phil's help.

He realized this was Nathan and Norma's fourth attempt at having a child that Duncan had heard about; the fourth attempt kept absolutely secret, with a rented belly, that of the driver's wife. He also realized this was the reason for Nathan's constant visits to that luxury apartment, to visit the driver's wife who was pregnant with his child. He surely had her there well cared for and comfortable, there could be no other reason.

He hit a button on the intercom and called Camila. Within ten seconds she was in front of him.

"Do you have the phone number of Nathan's driver?"

"Which of the two? she asked. Mr. Peterson or Mr. Sullivan? I have both."

"The last one, this Sullivan guy, of course. Call him and set him up for a meeting with me tomorrow morning. At nine."

"Right away. What do I tell him is the reason for the meeting if he ask me?"

"Tell him it's about his settlement and other personal matters."

"Okay."

Camila left the office and went to her desk; she knew that Bernard was traveling, so she made a little time to make Louis believe she was calling him, then go back in or call him on the intercom and tell him that she couldn't make the appointment because he was traveling.

But coincidentally Bernard called her at that moment on her cell phone.

"What a coincidence! she exclaimed. "Believe it or not, a moment ago Louis Randall asked me to call you to meet him. When do you return?"

"I'm getting on the plane right now," Bernard said. "We should be there in four or five hours. Why would Randall want to see me? We have never met formally, nor do I want it either."

"He says that it is with regard to your liquidation and other things, which surprises me, since it's always the company's Accountant and the administration department who are in charge of the liquidation of the personnel." "That's not what he's calling me for then, he must already know that I'm the one with Nathan's baby."

"And what are you going to do? Will you meet him?"

"Should I do it. I don't know what I'm up against with him, and by talking to him I can replace out." "Shall I say yes, then? He says tomorrow at nine."

"Tell him yes, I'll be there tomorrow."

"Okay. See you later?"

"Sure. How's little Nathan?"

"I recently called Laura and she says he's very well. He is all smiles! Every day more beautiful."

"I'm glad to hear it. I'll see you in the afternoon then."

"See you."

Camila closed the communication, happy with the expectation of seeing Bernard again. Not many days had passed, but it seemed like years to her.

In turn, on the plane, Bernard was thinking more about Louis Randall, and about the uncertainty of knowing what that guy would come up with the next day.

"Does that guy you told me that you think he hired the murderer already know that you have the child?" Anthony asked him, sitting next to him and having heard part of the conversation he had had with Camila.

"I think so. He wants to see me tomorrow, maybe to meet me and see what I think about it."

"Do you think he will speak about the subject directly?"

"I hope so. If he ignored me all this time it's because he didn't know I'm the one with the child. Maybe he's up to something. Maybe not. We'll see."

For his part, Louis was not thinking of Bernard and the boy at the time, rather he was thinking of giving Duncan a warning for becoming overconfident with him. He had been doing it for a while now and he waited to see if he would return to the formality with which he had always treated him, but he still had not. Enough was enough, the fact of being his lover did not give him the right to take certain liberties he had not allowed him, and being on a first-name basis with him was one of them. He had to make it clear to him.