The Marvelous Elijah’s Return

A died manFor the first time, sleep was not something Elijah knew for an entire night, and when the morning light crept into his room, he was sitting onthe edge of his bed, feeling a bit exhausted after spending every second of last night rearranging the chess board to his liking, and it was time for him to make his first move.

But as he reached for his phone, an unknown number suddenly popped up on the screen, causing him to pause and then answered, frowning when heheard, “You little crook…”“Who is this?"

Elijah asked impatiently.

“You are loaded as fuck! It’s all diamonds… The ring is worth millions of bucks.

You have been shitting around with the act of being a broke ass, but you got the dollars and you are not afraidto spend them on Peach!”“It’s you… from last night’s call…"

The frown on Elijah’s face deepened, realizing that Jacob was switching in between contacts, and then he heard his voice laugh hysterically through the phone before saying, “Why though… Why hide the fact that you are loaded with cash… What’s your sick game here, boy? Huh?!"

“You have five more minutes to send me the next picture of my wife,"

Elijah said calmly.

“Right… Right.

And now that I know how much you are willing to spend on just a wedding ring forher… I have a little more than Elmer’s lawsuit getting dropped, to ask for Preach freedom."

“Name your price… I am listening.”The line went quiet immediately, and Elijah woke from the bed, pacing back and forth across his room in his socks.

Twenty million dollars!!"

Jacob finally shouted over the phone.

“Twenty million for her release.”Immediately, Elijah’s expression darkened, and he silently snorted at those words before saying, “I don’t have that kindof money laying around but give me one week, and I will get it.”“So you are fucking loaded! Wow… I asked your wife how much she thought her ring was worth, and she called a couple of thousand dollars in guesses… Peach doesn’t know who you are… What are you playing at?!"

Jacob said with a type of cockiness in his tone that made Elijah realize Scorpio was a hundred percentright.

“Your five minutes are up.

I would like a picture of my wife now.”“Oh, don’t worry, boy.

Now that I know the value of who I have, Peach will be well -taken care of… Until you make the wrong move… then I canpromise you that her pretty face is never going to look the same."

“No need for threats… I will start arrangements for the money and Elmer’s release today.

Just… Don’t… Don’t hurt her.”“We have eyes on you, boy… I hope you know what’sat stake here… Don’t tempt me to unleash my dogs that are drooling over your wife…"

“Like I said before… There’s no need for threats.”The call abruptly ended in Elijah’s ear, and he withdrew his phone to stare at the screen, taking only five seconds to dial Scorpio up.

“Good morning, boss."

said

firm by those words, but I needyou to pick up a list of items forme…”As Madam Jewel was about to drink her tea, she halted the cup against her lips as Dean

“What’s wrong?"

Jewel asked half-heartedly, not caring much for

shaking slightly, and thensaid, “Melina did not go home yesterday… and she’s not picking up her phone.”A spark of worry woke in Madam Jewel’s heart since she knew that she had called Melina to help her with Jacob’s plan last night, and she knew that Jacob hadPeach, meaning that Melina executed her part perfectly, but why she never went home was what had

said, “You know Melina… She has friends and loves to hang out

at him, and yet, inside, shewas worried since

her phone… This

before looking away, trying hard to put a positive

That’s what I’m trying to figure

into his eyes, she realized her son was frowning at her, and she mumbled, “Let’s not act like Melina has not done some weird stuff

“Mother,"

whispered, feeling a sense of guilt and shame rise within

turn up…

Let’s just wait."

your word then,

wife followed after him, her smile slowly faded into agrimace as her mind drifted back to the last conversation she had with her granddaughter and that

the table and dialed her granddaughter’s number, tapping hernails anxiously against the table in hopes that Melina would

phone vibrating on his dresser and his brows snapped

picking up her phone and shoving it into

will muddy the damn water, and we can all roll around in it till someone drowns to death…”Elijah mumbled, his eyes darkening before he

he heard a knock on his door, and he sighed at his reflection in the mirror before heading toopen

“Good morning, boss."

greeted him and then pushed past Elijah and entered the suite with

“Where are we heading,"

looking at his boss with a raised

“To see Mr. Bamford,"

Elijah replied.

reporting Peach’s kidnapping to the

feeling uncertain about

then said, “No, to have lunch withgoing to do about

Ryan asked.

What are

except to head to the company and run things there like everything is fine…

to go down, and I need you three hands as clean as possible… just in casethings go south, okay?… Plus, this Jacob guy got eyes on me, and if he is watching me, then you guys are also under his watch.”Frowning, Matt hesitated as he stared at his boss in concern

just gave him a weak smile and patted his shoulder

nine o’clock, Elijah walked into Mr. Bamford’s office, and the chief constable