CHAPTER 9: GRAYSON

Grayson lands in Phoenix and finds eight voicemails waiting: seven increasingly worried messages from Xander and one recent update from Zabrowski. Zabrowski reports that Juliet Grayson is still in custody, but no arrest paperwork or charges have been filed, suggesting someone has already interfered with the process.

Grayson deletes the message and decides the lack of formal arrest makes freeing Juliet simpler. A car he arranged from London is waiting in long-term parking, and he drives a Ferrari 488 Spider because the situation requires an entrance. Grayson relies on his remaining resources, the Hawthorne name, and Zabrowski’s investigation, which has told him Juliet goes by Gigi, is the younger twin by seven minutes, and has a sister named Savannah.

As Grayson prepares to intervene, the chapter reveals why Juliet matters: Juliet and Savannah share a father with Grayson, Sheffield Grayson, though the twins do not know Grayson exists or that Sheffield is dead. Sheffield disappeared publicly after attacking Avery, and Grayson has quietly monitored the twins ever since. Grayson reminds himself that he is in Phoenix only to solve a problem, not to reveal himself or build a relationship.

At the Phoenix Police Department, Grayson uses confidence, appearance, and assumed authority to unsettle the officers. When he demands that they release Juliet, a higher-ranking lieutenant challenges him. Grayson reads the situation quickly, infers that the lieutenant is connected to whoever has been delaying formal charges, and bluffs by implying they share a powerful mutual contact, forcing the man to choose between making a call or taking Grayson to Juliet.