Chapter 125 Christian Bailey
The three-day plan was almost done in just one afternoon.
After dinner, Elsa was thinking about changing her flight when she got a text from some unknown number.
[Hey, it's Christian Bailey from the Miller Group. We met earlier today. Can we set up a time to talk?]
Elsa had a gut feeling Christian was the dude who'd been eyeballing her earlier.
Elsa: [Sure, when do you get off work?]
[5 o'clock.]
Elsa: [Let's meet at the café on Sparkling Brook Boulevard.]
Elsa suggested the closest spot.
"I know you. You're not Madelyn Hernandez. You're Elsa Miller." Christian had ditched his work clothes for a black hoodie. He sat down and got straight to the point.
Christian hadn't called her out earlier, so he must be here for hush money.
If he wanted something, it was easier to deal with. Elsa mentally calculated how much it would take to keep him quiet and how she could use him, but she kept a poker face, staring at him.
Elsa didn't have the cash, but Luke did. She already owed him a lot, so asking for another $300,000 shouldn't be a big deal.
"If you ever need my help, just let me know," Christian uttered.
He looked like he was in his early twenties, but his face had a seriousness that didn't match his age. Elsa knew that look all too well. It was the same as when her depression flared up.
"I think you've got the wrong person." Until she knew what Christian wanted, Elsa wasn't giving anything away.
"Elsa, I know you caused the Miller family to lose the bid last time." Seeing Elsa wouldn't admit it, Christian decided to lay it all out.
"So what?" Elsa raised an eyebrow.
Christian offered, "I joined the Miller Group with my own agenda, but my skills are limited. Elsa, are you trying to find flaws in the Miller family's fire safety project? I can help you, and we can work together."
"That's just what you think." Elsa didn't directly respond. If he was trying to trick her into revealing her plan, she wasn't falling for it.
Seeing Elsa's indifferent attitude, Christian got anxious. He opened his backpack, pulled out an old, yellowed newspaper, and placed it in front of her.
"This newspaper is from 10 years ago. I think it might help you believe who I am."
The Maplewood City Daily, a 10-year-old newspaper, ran a front-page story on the Miller family: their inadequate fire safety system in a building design resulted in the tragic death of a young firefighter during a fire.
Elsa had heard about this. She remembered the outcome: three main project leaders were imprisoned, and the Miller family paid millions in compensation.
"The so-called main project leaders who took the blame weren't the real decision-makers. My father was one of them," Christian's face darkened as he spoke.
Elsa took a closer look at the report.
The words "Keith Bailey, Charles Williams, Michael Brown held criminally responsible" caught her eye.
"Your father is Keith Bailey. He should be getting out of prison soon, right?" Elsa asked.
Christian looked to be in his early twenties. Thinking he lost his dad around age ten, Elsa felt a bit sad.
"He won't be coming out." Christian's voice was low, almost choked up.
"What happened?"
"My father died in prison."
Elsa's expression darkened. "What about the other two?"
"The same. Over the past 10 years, they both died in prison in different ways."
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