Penance - Uncovering the truth, Secrets and confessions, and Twisted pasts

Chapter 65

Grayson took a taxi from the private airport to The Ritz-Carlton Boston, the city's usually lively streets now quiet in the early hours.

"I need you to record conversations between you and Mason, preferably arguments about the social contract."

Alison's voice turned quieter, almost like she was speaking to herself as much as to Grayson. "Sounds easier said than done."

Grayson understood what she meant. Recording Mason's conversations wouldn't be simple. Mason was good at getting his way, and Grayson knew that Mason might suspect Alison's true intentions. Alison needed to be careful, smart, and patient to catch Mason off guard. It was important to set up the right situation where Mason would reveal his real plans.

But if their plan didn't work, that was okay. Alison had saved recordings of Mason's phone calls, which could be a backup. Grayson knew that Alison had considered this possibility long before involving him. It occurred to him that she might have even taken IT classes to learn about breaking codes.

"Your recorded calls with Mason could be crucial evidence. And if we can get William and Hudson to testify, it'll strengthen your case at court even further," he continued. "Regarding your books, they should serve as your strongest evidence. You included secret clues that only you know about. Plus, having access to your past writing at Harvard would back up your case even more-"

Alison's voice suddenly became sharp, cutting him off. "There's a charity event, late this afternoon at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts. Mason's hosting it. And you, Mr. Know It All, are invited."

Grayson furrowed his brow in confusion, but before he could respond, Alison interrupted again. 

"I know what you're thinking: Mason's wouldn't want that. Well, I want that,"Alison continued, and Grayson didn't pay much attention to the last part of her sentence. "Mason's trying to maintain the facade of normalcy. I know having you there would be an opportunity to show Mason's generosity and his connections to the high society."

Grayson leaned back into the seat, running his fingers through his hair, thinking about what Alison just said. It was a clever plan he had to admit. If he attended the event as Mason's guest, it would provide an opportunity to gather more information, to see how Mason operated in his social circles. It was basically a win-win.

"Gray," Alison said slowly, using his nickname. This instantly got Grayson's attention. He could sense a shift in her tone, a hint of vulnerability creeping in beneath her usual confidence. He straightened in his seat without thinking, his focus solely on the conversation at hand.

There was a soft sigh on the other end of the line, and Grayson could almost imagine her leaning back in her chair, lost in thought. He could sense her struggle to articulate whatever was on her mind. "I'll see you there," she manage to say.

He knew there was something more, something she was holding back. But he also knew Alison well enough to understand that pushing her at this moment might not yield the answers he sought.

He heard a crackle through the earpiece, and he was certain Alison had taken it off. "Alison?" Silence greeted him, causing him to release a frustrated sigh. He wrestled with the mixture of emotions her words stirred within him. He had to tread carefully. He couldn't allow himself to get distracted by personal feelings now.

He gazed out of the taxi window, watching the city fly past in a blur. With things settled between him and Alison, he knew it was time to make a quick phone call.

He picked up his phone and dialled Alisa's number, his fingers tapping impatiently.

"Hello?"

"Any progress?" Grayson cut to the chase, eager for updates.

A brief pause followed on the other end. "I'm good, thanks for asking," irritation tinged Alisa's tone. "About the new phone, let me guess, Xander bugged your last one?"

"You're quite the guesser," Grayson acknowledged.

"Let's get to the point, shall we?" Alisa jumped right in, her tone resolute. "Unfortunately, we haven't made any progress."

Grayson took a moment to process Alisa's words. No progress? That was the last thing Grayson expected.

"It seems there's a data breach code in play. You'd think hacking it would give us easy access to the social contract, right? But it's not that simple. The password is rather complex. You've got three tries to guess it incorrectly before a firewall kicks in and alerts Mason Valentine. Our first attempt failed, so we've got two more shots at it."

Grayson sank back in his chair, letting out a deep sigh. "Have you tried any backdoor approaches?" Grayson asked, his mind already racing through possibilities.

"We've been working on it," Alisa said, a hint of frustration in her voice. "Mason's covered his bases well. It's like he knew what we'd do."

Grayson stared out the window, lost in thought, as the city continued to pass by.

"Grayson," Alisa's voice came through the phone again, her tone slightly apologetic. "I'll call you back as soon as I have more information."

Grayson nodded, even though Alisa couldn't see him, and ended the call. 

The odds were stacked against them, yet the game was far from over. As the taxi carried him closer to his destination, his mind raced with possibilities, each one a potential move in the high-stakes chess match that had captured his attention. And victory was within reach; he was just a move away from winning.