Chapter 145: Chapter 145
Brianna was right to think so. And Lucien agrees with her idea. When they went out to meet the person for lunch today, they were well prepared. Through Brianna's idea, they made sure the whole place was secured. Leandro Michaelson's men from the private army were also there to guard the entire place with the utmost discretion. While Brianna's men were also on standby, taking their posts from a distance. Some of them were wearing civilian clothes, blending in with the crowd, while some were in camouflage, taking aim from their sniper positions.
No one would have thought that maybe next to the presidential residency, the place they were about to meet with this person could be considered as the most secured area in the whole capital.
There were also two teams of IT taking responsibility to cover the security of the place through internet connections and surveillance cameras. Jack was directing Brianna's team on where to go and what to do. While the other party, the private army, was being advised and guided by Leandro Michaelson's IT team.
The person Brianna and Lucien was about to meet today did not want to reveal his or her identity. They could only receive messages from the person who was using a burner phone.
"Is our contact already there?" Asked Lucien as they were getting off the car at the City Mall's parking area.
Brianna checked her phone, and as she looked at it, a new message popped in.
"Just arrived and said it's waiting for us," Brianna replied.
She sounded calm and composed, like always. If she was ever nervous or excited, Lucien nor Tatum could never tell.
"It still sounds weird that we could not tell if we are about to meet with a man or woman," Lucien casually mentioned as they walked to the elevator. "What do you expect to meet, Anna?"
"A woman," Brianna did not keep her thoughts to herself.
Lucien was amused at her answer. She did not sound hesitating, not even just calculating, because Anna sounded sure by a hundred percent. Lucien just considered the possibility that Anna was hoping it was a woman so she would feel comfortable to ask everything she wanted to know, but then again, he also reminded himself that no gender would have been difficult for Anna to handle. So he was somehow surprised why she would think it was a woman. There might be a reason to that which only Anna would know about.
"A woman? May I ask why you think it's a she and not a he?" Lucien sheepishly asked.
Tatum was behind them, but Lucien did not care. He was curious to hear another intelligible answer from Anna. It amuses him to realize that her mind thinks above and beyond he could even comprehend. The fact that Lucien is a successful person, doing business afar from what his family had already established or what his parents are known and well respected with, is a solid proof that he is a smart person himself, but Anna's level of intelligence and wisdom is so impressive he could not help admiring her more for such qualities.
"I am not so sure you will agree, but I can feel this person is not supposed to be found, and we happened to make a contact after all these years. I have a feeling she also wants closure from this case," Brianna replied, still in the same manner and countenance.
Lucien was taken aback. He expected an answer, but he was not ready to hear such deep and detailed reason she would give him for a response.
What made it difficult for them to know the gender of this person was the fact that there was only a name. They were not sure whether it was the first name or the last. And it was only by chance they got this contact number. It wasn't obvious to know what message it was from among the notes they found out. There were combinations of numbers, numeric signs, and alphabets with weird wordings, written all on one page but with the paper turned upside down, blending with all the other words in the notepad. But Brianna figured it was a phone number, a very old phone number. No one would have thought it still existed. But as the number was registered to a certain company, it was kept active with a forwarding machine.
Knowing her dad was a private investigator, Brianna tried to think just like one. She put herself in the shoes of her dad. Just like she is doing now, investigating the reasons behind their death, her techniques worked. She realized they would use codes or hidden text. They will have the information scattered. And is it was not easy to see the messages written on her dad's PI notes along with the detective's, who handled the case. It took Brianna a few nights and a few days to understand most messages and notes, which were randomly jotted words—along with some contact numbers, clearly written. Those must have been his targets for questioning or possible information provider. She has tried dialing a few of them, but each one she tried was no longer in service.
But when she dialed this number, she got decoded; it was just a hunch; still, she made a go for it. That was part of not leaving any stone unturned, after all. No one answered even after a series of ringing until she was asked to leave a voice message and she did. She was willing to wait until she gets a response, but not long after she cut the call, she got a message.
A different number returned the message! Asking for a meeting.
Brianna quickly asked Jack to trace the location of that number that sent her a message, but they found out it was no longer active. It was turned off!
The person must have thought that if someone had found out about the secret message of the number. It was no longer safe. But as Brianna introduced herself with her full name, along with the confidence knowing the notes she got that number were from her dad, the person would know her as the daughter.
It could have been dangerous!