Page 213 of Titus

Wyatt and Colton’s lighter expressions grew serious as they exchanged a look.

“What is it?” Jim finally asked.

Sebastian looked toward Mark, and the man’s grin vanished. For the first time since arriving, the man looked serious.

Mark folded his hands together. “When word reached our media outlets and I saw the reasons Titus was arrested, something didn’t sit right with me.”

We all remained quiet while my pulse kicked up.

“I know a forensic investigator in Europe, and a few months ago he mentioned something unusual over drinks.” Mark looked at the folder, then back at the men at the table, and said, “He mentioned that a private client had hired multiple firms.”

Jim’s expression sharpened. “For what?”

Mark held his gaze. “To dig through decades of Hawk Enterprise records, including corporate structures, hidden ownership, dormant entities, and shell companies.”

“No shit,” Wyatt said as if he’d already known what Mark was implying.

“The client wanted everything connected to Herbert Hawk. At first, I didn’t think much of it. Titus ran a clean business, and we knew that man had endlessly worked to clean up after his father’s shit. But then I saw the poor bastard in cuffs for something his old man had hidden, and that’s when I went back to that conversation with my friend.”

I felt my stomach tighten as Spencer slowly opened the file. I watched as he studied the first and second pages, and the color drained from his face on the third.

“What the hell is this?”

Mark leaned back. “The beginning of when this all started.”

Jim’s voice lowered. “Better question. Who hired your friend?”

Mark looked around the table. “That son of a bitch, Christian Jameston.”

CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT

The silence following Mark’s statement lasted several seconds. None of us moved or said anything now that it was definitely confirmed that motherfucker had everything to do with this.

Jim broke the silence. “So, Christian Jameston hired investigators?”

Mark nodded once. “Several of them, actually.”

Wyatt laughed. “That fucker spent money to investigate Titus?”

“He spent a lot of money investigating Titus.”

Spencer glanced over at Mark. “How much?”

“Millions.” Mark reached for his drink. “The European forensic investigator he reached out to was a man I met three years ago. I’d helped him with a marina acquisition in Greece.” Mark shrugged. “We’ve stayed in touch.”

“How did you know he knew anything about this?” Colton asked.

“Because when we were having drinks four or five months ago, he was venting to me about this.” Mark looked around the table. “He thought something was off about this particular client who reached out to him.”

Jim folded his arms. “What exactly was strange to him?”

“Well, when he was hired by this private client,” he said.

“Christian,” Spencer answered, glancing down at the documents, then back at Mark.

“He found it odd that Christian didn’t contact him directly,” Mark said. “He used attorneys, consultants, and corporate intermediaries.”

“To remain anonymous,” I added.