Chapter Six
Bane looked over at Serenity. “If she is paying for protection, look for the same amount to leave their bank on the same day of each month. Killian thinks he’s worth a lot of money, so the amount would be hefty.”
Serenity began to type. She brought up the financial records again and then began to track them from month to month. She looked up but didn’t say anything, not yet.
Sergi saw her troubled gaze and asked softly, “Did you find something, child?”
Serenity nodded. “Yes. La Donna has been paying a fixed sum every month for the last six months.” She looked over at Bane and explained what she found, “But the transfers are going to an account under your name, Bane Jessin. Not Aaron Killian.”
Bane stared at her and asked, “My name is on that account?”
Serenity nodded.
“May I see your screen?” Bane asked quietly.
She turned it so he could view it.
Now he laughed and told her, “That’s not my account. Look, he spelled my name wrong and I don’t bank at that establishment. Whoever she’s been paying, it wasn’t me.”
Sergi walked over and looked at the bank account.
Bane was right, Killian had indeed spelled his name wrong.
The account was under the name Bain Jessine.
He shook his head. “I wonder about something here...Exactly who is it that LaDonna thinks she’s hired all these months?
I mean if she thinks she’s hired a man named Bane Jessin, the truth is going to hit her hard.
She may have been paying Killian and not know it. ”
Bane cocked his head at Sergi. “He has faked being me more than once. Although I vowed to kill him if I ever caught him doing it again.”
“Shall we find out?” Sergi suggested.
Yuri passed the photo of Killian to Bane but didn’t say a word.
Bane, Felix and Sergi walked down the hall to the cell room that held LaDonna.
Felix opened the door for them to enter.
The woman was sitting in her wheelchair again, watching them carefully. She frowned at Bane as she didn’t know him then she swung her glare at Sergi. “When are you going to release me? I’ve done nothing wrong.”
Sergi shook his head. “Oh, my dear, I’m not releasing you until I get you back to Russia and then you’ll be held in another cell such as this one until you go to trial.
It will be for accepting stolen goods and placing the Bratva in danger with your illegal extortion of the factions here in New Orleans.
We also found several boxes of Russian explosives in your warehouse. ”
LaDonna shook her head. “You are making shit up. I don’t know why you hate me so much, but that isn’t right.”
“Oh, it’s right,” Sergi told her. “We found the list of your extortion victims and then when we looked into your business, we got paperwork for the sales. Then my men found you jerry-rigged the weapons with biologics intended to kill thousands of people. We even found your traitor link and Dominic is in as much trouble as you are.”
She shook her head. “I don’t understand any of that. Because it is not true. And I don’t even know this Dominic you speak of. As a legitimate business, I’ve got shipments coming and going but I don’t know anything about any biologics.”
“Legitimate?” Sergi retorted. “Save your breath, woman. I don’t have time for your dramatics.
We have all the proof we need to place a noose around your neck.
I know about the items we collected and the Russian explosives in your warehouse should have still been locked away at a secret Bratva installation.
And by the way, do you know who this man is? ” He motioned to Bane.
LaDonna barely looked at Bane and shook her head. “Why? Should I know him?”
Sergi shrugged. “Perhaps, you should. You’ve been paying him for protection for the last six months.”
LaDonna turned her head to stare at Bane for a long moment then she scoffed. “The men I hire are known to me. You captured most of them. I don’t hire men sight unseen.”
“But you’ve been paying into an account under my name for the last six months.”
LaDonna frowned as she now studied him a bit closer. “Just who the hell are you then?”
“Ever heard of Bane Jessin?” he asked.
LaDonna’s frown deepened. “Yeah, I’ve heard that name but you aren’t him.”
Bane produced the photo of Killian and asked, “Is this him?”
She studied the image then nodded. “That’s the guy. I always meet the men I hire.”
Bane shook his head. “That is not Bane Jessin. His real name is Aaron Killian. He’s been lying to you, pretending to be me for a long time now.
” He paused then said, “And if you think he’s coming here to get you out of this cell, you would be wrong.
Unless it would be to get you out then put you six feet under, perhaps. ”
Sergi shrugged and added, “He’ll probably come just to get his 50 million as he did pay you for those biologics you denied having but he will not succeed. As we have a future execution all set up for you, Ms. Rinc.”
She still looked unbothered as she shook her head at the threats. Her bluff looked solid though her eyes showed a glint of fear now.
“He will pay the price for disrespecting me,” Bane stated. “So no worries there.”
LaDonna glared at him and spat, “I don’t believe you are Bane Jessin.”
Bane shook his head. “Use common sense, woman. Why would I be welcome here with Mr. Constantine? Well, that would be because I am the real Bane. This man you paid is fake. In fact, he seems to have been playing you for a double fool. He is your bioweapon customer and your protection.”
LaDonna studied him to see his steady stare and she let out a growl. “That filthy, stupid bastard! I will gut him with a spoon for his lies.”
Sergi nodded. “Maybe in the next life, you can get on that. But for now get used to the view between the bars. Not that you’ll spend a significant amount of time there but Russia isn’t like America, where you might spend twenty years behind bars then walk out of prison for your crimes.
No, that's not how Russia does it at all. If you are found guilty, you stand in front of a squad of guns within days.” He turned away and on his way back to the door he looked over his shoulder at her to add, “And speaking of fakes and liars, we know you can walk, Ms. Rinc. So you can cut the act. You will get no quarter or mercy for trying to portray yourself as a disabled person. The High Council hates liars and thieves.”
Bane smirked. “I also hate lies and thieves. So you can feel happy that Killian will receive death for many crimes and misdeeds going back for at least two decades. The list is too long to cite here. So there is that to be happy about.”
Before Felix closed the door, LaDonna began screaming at them. Telling them she had a long reach and that she could get free. She truly had no idea that all her reach as she called it was over. They had caught her and her extortion racket was over.
Once Felix closed the main door, her screams were muted. Felix shook his head as if his ears were ringing. “Damn, where is my Tylenol? She is a walking, talking migraine.”
Bane nodded in agreement.
The three men walked down the hall in the beautiful silence.
When they entered the war room, James looked up and nodded.
Bane turned to Sergi and announced, “James found Killian.”
Janes smiled. “Serenity found some and I found the rest.”
“Where is this puke?” Felix asked.
James just raised an eyebrow then said, “He was spotted at a hotel here in the Crescent. I have a video of him checking in. So, I imagine he is sleeping? I backtracked his vehicle and it looks like he drove all night to get here. But now, he doesn’t seem to be in any kind of hurry.”
“You have him on camera?” Viktor asked.
James nodded. “Oh, yeah.” He turned the screen to show them and indeed on the recording Killian was checking in at the King Hotel’s desk.
Bane nodded, then warned, “Since you will be going after him a few warnings are warranted. Be very careful. He’ll have a backup man in place and if he doesn’t check in with them, the other guy, usually one of his brothers.
.. will follow him. In this case, I think he’s got his backup already in place. ”
“He has brothers?” Felix asked.
“And this is already in place?” Viktor asked.
“As far as I know, yes,” Bane explained what he knew of Killian’s tactics.
“Normally, a hit man wouldn’t need a second in place.
We are a solitary profession. I happened to remember he always thought he was so special but he knew he had to have a backup.
He isn’t as good as he makes out to be. He has to have help all the time. ”
Viktor looked over at Sergi and said, “We can go and pick him up.”
Sergi nodded. “Da, I think it’s time we met.” He looked over at Bane.
He smiled at Sergi and it was the kind of smile that would give most people a sudden chill. “I cannot wait.” He turned to Viktor and said, “Warn your men to be wary of a car following you back here. Randal will probably be around there and he will follow you.”
Viktor rushed out of the room and soon they all saw vehicles on the camera feeds leaving the hotel in a hurry.