He sighed. “Yes, I’ve been waiting for your call.”
I supposed he was waiting to hear my side. “Yesterday was a shitshow. My twin would never have made his way into your house with Julia without outside help. You know that, right?”
Gregg’s voice lowered. “I don’t know what to believe anymore. Tell me that Julia is safe.”
“She is.”
“If this call is about the balloon payment, I’m prepared to put another lien on our home if you require immediate repayment.”
I stood and paced near the windows. “I don’t want repayment.”
“Julia told us that you were demanding it since she...”
“Juliatold you,” I repeated. “When?”
“Yesterday, after you left with her. She texted and explained about your brother—Phillip is his name, right?”
Fuck.
“Gregg, listen to me carefully. Julia has been with me since we left your house. She doesn’t have her phone.”
“Has she told you that she’s changed her mind about marriage, to you or to Skylar?”
“No, she hasn’t. If a text message said that, it wasn’t from her. She had no way to contact you via text. Phillip took her phone.”
“That doesn’t make sense,” Gregg said. “I have the text messages, including the alarming one this morning.”
Alarming?
“Phillip must have sent them.”
“What about the raid on your plane?”
My head shook. “It wasn’t a raid. It was a delay tactic. Wires were crossed. My security alerted the police that Phillip may try to take Julia to the plane after forcing the wedding. My assistant didn’t get that message. Everything has been worked out. You need to have Julia’s phone deactivated immediately. If Phillip is sending messages to you and Ana, he could be contacting others as well, pretending he’s Julia.”
Gregg’s voice lowered to a whisper. “What the fuck, Sherman? After what she sent this morning, we’re beside ourselves. I need to speak to my daughter.”
“You will. I promise. I also promise she’s safe.”
“I want confirmation.”
“Fuck, Gregg, Julia isn’t in danger now. She was when she was in your house, and you did nothing to stop it.”
“Donovan, you should know, our attorney advised against involving law enforcement. He said to wait for your demands, but after today’s text, we couldn’t.”
“What the fuck are you saying? Law enforcement? My demands? My only demand is to disconnect her cell number.”
“Julia said she…” He cleared his throat. “Donovan, I don’t care who you are or what you can do to Wade. Julia is our daughter. I swear to God, I’ll fight you.”
My grip of the handset tightened. “What did her text say?”
“She confessed she is frightened. She’s worried you won’t let her leave. She said you hurt her.” His tone deepened. “Face the fact, she doesn’t want to marry you.”
“Gregg, Julia isn’t harmed. Our wedding isn’t cancelled.” I hurried to my overcoat. “I’m headed back to her right now. You’ll be able to speak to her in less than fifteen minutes.”
“I need proof,” Gregg said, “I’ve contacted the Wisconsin State Patrol. Taking her over a state line without her consent—”
Disconnecting the call, I tossed the receiver onto my desk. Donning my coat, I stepped toward Connie’s office and my gaze met Michael’s. “Come with me. We’re headed to the house.”