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Paolo saw him, walking over. “Is everything okay?”
“Just a mix-up at the bank. Glad I had enough cash to cover lunch.”
Remi gave Paolo a hug. “The meal, as always, was fabulous. And I absolutely love your new location.” She waited until they were well out of earshot before asking, “Did you find out what was going on?”
“Not even close. I spent the last few minutes with one of the credit card companies, who informed me that I’d canceled that card about an hour ago. I assured her I hadn’t.”
“She didn’t believe you?”
“Even worse, she didn’t believe I was me.”
“How is that possible?”
“Not sure. I couldn’t reach Selma or Lazlo. Busy signal.”
Remi held up her phone as they walked to the car, hoping to find some connection. “This doesn’t make sense. They’ve worked here before.” She looked over at Sam. “What do you mean, a busy signal? We have call waiting . . .”
“Exactly.”
“What’s going on?”
“It’s time we find out.”
43
Sam unlocked the car doors, opening Remi’s, before walking around to the driver’s side. He started the engine, the air conditioner blasting, then took off down the road, going over all the possibilities of how and why their cards were declined.
Not quite the same, but what came to mind was that Oliver and his uncle had suddenly found themselves destitute, which was what led to them selling off their possessions and putting Payton Manor on the market. While Oliver had naturally assumed that his uncle was somehow responsible, Sam now believed otherwise. “I hate to say it, Remi. There’s only one reason I can think of that all this is happening.”
“That would be . . . ?” she asked, holding her cell phone at various angles, still trying to get a signal.
“Every account frozen, no access to money or credit. Sound familiar?”
She looked up in alarm. “You’re saying someone hacked our accounts? How vulnerable are we?”
“Right now, our biggest problem is being stuck in a foreign country with no assets. If that’s the case, it could take days or weeks to sort through it all.”
Remi’s moment of panic was over, her expression turning to one of determination. “If they’re targeting us, we’re on the right track.”
“Or it could just be that we’re helping the Paytons, and someone wants to stop us.”
“Or both. We definitely need to talk to Selma.”
“And if we can’t get in touch with her? We need to get into that auction. We need cash.”
“And the proper clothes to get into a black-tie affair.”
“I’d say a quick trip to the airport. Get some money, our satellite phone, and clothes from the jet that’ll get us into the auction. We’ll figure out what’s going on from there.”
When they arrived at the airport, what they didn’t expect was to find their jet locked in a hangar with no sign of their crew. When they tried to get access, a uniformed security guard was called, the young man standing quietly behind a dark-haired female clerk who was hesitant to tell them the jet was being held for non-payment and any access forbidden until the bill was paid.
“How?” Sam asked. “It was paid before we arrived.”
“My apologies, Mr. Fargo, but the account has been frozen, and the credit card charges reversed. When we tried to contact you by mobile, you didn’t answer. We had no choice. Unless, of course, you are here to make the payment?”
Something he couldn’t do, since neither he nor Remi had a credit card that would work. “Any chance we can get on the jet?”
“Unfortunately, it’s beyond my control.”