Chapter 25
More trouble
Declan
Downstairs, I check in with Mary in the kitchen before doing anything else.
Endo sent me one of his two chefs, and while I appreciate the gesture, I’m pretty sure he sent her because he found out Dina joined us at the mansion.
Connor told my uncle Cass, and Cass told Endo.
Gossip travels at the speed of light in the family.
Mary, for all intents and purposes, is Endo’s spy.
Connor and I grew up with Mary. In fact, she made sure we ate only the best food in the world, but she comes from a family with long and thick ties to the Macarleys.
Since I’m doing my own thing now, I wish Mary had stayed with Endo.
Not that she’s unwelcome. She is most certainly welcome, but I don’t appreciate my uncle sending someone here without asking me first.
We embrace and kiss on the cheek. Twice.
“They done ate all the croissants.” She jerks her head toward the cops outside, who are having breakfast at the family table by the pool where Connor and I fought last night. Someone hosed our blood off the cement. My money’s on Mary.
“Thank you for cleaning up.”
“Don’t mention it. I wish Con hadn’t let them in. I’m allergic to corrupt hypocrites. I don’t know how they call themselves righteous police, and then come eat all the croissants from the table of the man who bought them with blood money.”
She’s talking about my father. “They can’t resist your croissants.”
Mary snorts. “I’m making a fresh batch for you.”
She hands me a cup of coffee, and I walk outside, where, as Connor said, five cops sit around my family table eating croissants and chasing them with pineapple juice. Two cops in blue uniforms, two in dark suits, one off by himself at the edge of the pool.
The tall, dark-haired man wears a sharp, tailored suit. He gives me a curt nod but remains over there while I greet the others. I wonder if he’s a cop. A detective, maybe.
I don’t shake hands or introduce myself, but politely greet them as I sit down. Connor is at the other end of the table, his eyes darting to the man at the pool.
I shake my head. We won’t be inviting him.
If he wants to come, he’ll have to stand, or one of the cops can get up so he can sit with us.
If he’s content to stare at the pool water, I’ll pretend that’s fine with me.
He bothers me over there by himself since I have to extend my vigilant watch past my immediate surroundings at the table, but I can’t let on.
I intertwine my fingers in front of me.
The cop on my right, a man with a full head of gray hair, starts. “Mr. Crossbow, let me begin with an apology. My former colleagues interrogated Dina Ferrar before we knew she was your…”
“Fiancée.” More serious than girlfriend. If the rumor spreads, men will likely avoid her for many years to come. I think she’d appreciate that. Too bad I’m included among those men. If I could reverse the time she spent with her ex, I would.
“We are very sorry and glad you paid her bail.”
No bail was set, so he’s asking for money. This police department is a damn tragedy. “You’re welcome. Anything else you need from me?”
“Well, we have many different topics to discuss. Do you prefer a briefing-style delivery or just the parts that you need to hear?”
“Briefing, because you can’t possibly know which parts I need to hear.”
The officers proceed to detail the situation in the city and assure me they’re handling the aftermath of my father’s demise. I get the impression they’re reporting to their boss. Because the government pays the cops so poorly, my dad’s bribes fed their families.
I almost feel sorry for them. Almost. But then I remember there’s not a single person at this table (aside from my brother) who wouldn’t shoot me if they knew they could get away with it. Not a single one.
When I look around the table, the cops appear comfortable, as if they’re visiting a friend.
Connor poked and probed into Massio’s surveillance system, but this part of the house didn’t have cameras.
I thought they might have come to serve me with a warrant or question me or even arrest me, but for all I know, they’ve come for the food and a debriefing, like they did the month before and the one before that.
The whole time the detectives are talking, I’m thinking about the corruption that runs deep inside their ranks and the poor folks like Dina, who spent years forced to vote the same officials into power over and over again.
They changed nothing. Not that I’ll run for office, but anyone who worked for my dad will be replaced.
Starting with these two-faced cunts at my table.
“Do either of you have any questions?” the detective asks.
Connor checked out ten minutes ago. He’s still eyeing the guy at the pool.
“How often do you deliver briefings?” I ask.
“Once a week. Usually on Mondays.”
“Is it always the four of you, or is it a rotation?”
“Usually, it’s just my partner and me.” He nods at the man next to him.
“But I’m his new partner, Mr. Crossbow,” the other cop says. “I took Detective Ramres’s post.”
I frown. “You say that as if I should know who that is.”
“She left her post after the incident with your fiancée.”
I shake my head. “The fact that I have to discipline one of your employees is baffling to me. Though maybe I shouldn’t be surprised since you’re here delivering a briefing to me as if I’m your boss. Which I am not. However, I appreciate the gesture. A question. Why did you come to me and not Ivan?”
They exchange glances, then stare at the table. Nobody answers. I’m not even sure why the two cops in uniform are here. For the show? The food? Security? “By all means, someone speak.”
When nobody does, Connor shouts at the man by the pool, “Hey, you. You want water in your lungs?”
The man turns. “No, thank you. I’m just waiting for you all to finish.”
“How very polite,” I mumble. “Are we finished?” I ask the detective who speaks for the group.
“There is a matter of the rifle,” he says.
“What rifle?”
He appears uncomfortable and swallows.
Connor laughs. “He’s messing with you all. Go on, tell us about the rifle.”
“What’s the matter with it?” I ask.
“Forensics lifted a partial fingerprint.”
“So?”
He gulps, clearly uncomfortable. It’s a good thing patience is a part of my job. Connor is already fidgeting; I might just have to threaten the guy with murder to make him speak faster. If this is the best speaker of the cop house, no wonder four people had to come to do the job of one.
“We fear the fingerprint might implicate your fiancée.” He looks up to where I assume Dina is standing on the terrace.
Connor waves her down, and she arrives wearing a tight little red dress and low-heeled black sandals. Her hair is up in a messy bun, and she put on eyeliner and mascara. Dina is a sexy woman. Every man looks and then immediately shifts their eyes away.
I’m pleased to see them all even more uncomfortable now that she’s arrived.
“Where is the rifle?” The table is full, so I stand for Dina to sit.
She’s reluctant and maybe even scared to sit next to the corrupt cops, but it’s important that she reclaim her space.
Like I said, if they think she’s under my protection, they won’t come near her.
The only one who would dare would be Ivan and their chief.
“Where?” the detective repeats, seemingly confused.
“Yes, where is it?”
“In the evidence locker.”
“Why didn’t you bring it?”
The detective looks around the table. When everyone stares at it, I stand beside him. Instantly, he reaches for his weapon.
“Don’t,” I command. “You should’ve brought me the rifle. As a gift. A peace offering.”
“The chief has it locked up.”
“That seems like a problem you might want to handle, Connor,” I say, and walk over to the man standing by the pool.
“I’ve a feeling you want to talk to me alone.” I stretch out my hand.
He shakes my hand. “Hartley Glass.”
“You a cop, Hartley?”
He shows me his badge. He’s from the International Security Command. ISC. These guys are ghosts. I trained with one of them, and the only reason I knew he was in ISC was because we formed a friendship during our training. This guy is bad news.
“I assure you I have no interest in the arms trade.” That’s my uncle’s business. If I need weapons, I’ll call him. In fact, I have a pick up today. Is that what this is about? Did they find out about the container Endo sent me? Pfft. They can have it.
The man smiles.
If I had hackles, they’d rise now.
“I’m sure you don’t. Why would you when you could just make a call and have anything delivered to your port?” He points at the sea.
“That’s not my port yet, but I appreciate the vote of confidence. What can I do for you?”
We move farther away from the table. This can’t be good. I’m already having trouble with Ivan and the chief. I don’t need ISC breathing down my neck.
“Mr. Crossbow, is this not one of your uncle’s staff members?
” He shows me a video of Slada. Black sunglasses on, she chews gum and drags the detective who beat up Dina out of the police station.
By her hair. She shoves the detective into the SUV by the back of her neck and a kick in the ass, then gets in the vehicle and peels off.
In broad daylight. With the press taking pictures.
I chuckle. “I’m going to give her a Christmas bonus.”
“That detective was found dead this morning.”
Ah. “And?”
“It looks bad on you.”
I shrug. “It’s not on me. The video you have proves nothing. The woman in the video is alive.”
“The detective was Ivan’s informant and the chief’s sidepiece of ass. You can see how this won’t win over the chief of police. You can’t control Selnoa without the police.”
“Then the people will elect another chief.”
“Exactly, Mr. Crossbow.”
Is he ordering a hit on the chief? Is he really?
“I have to hand it to you. I’ve never been approached this way before.
” This guy is in my house ordering a hit on the chief of police who, by all accounts, now holds the city in his fist. I’ve done deeds for governments and agencies before, but usually those are handled in underground lounges or bars, not out in the open, where anyone could connect the person who ordered the hit and the hitman. But maybe that’s the way ISC does it.
“I know about the shipment your uncle is sending.”
“Confiscate the shipment. Arrest Slada. Hell, arrest me if you like. I still won’t work for you.” If I take out the chief, it can be done of my own accord.
“The chief is with Ivan now. Briefing him. You will have two of the most powerful factions against you. I give you forty-eight hours before you’re all dead.
You’ve brought what? A few dozen people.
Unless you plan to invade the city and flood it with the army neither you nor your uncle has, your odds are shit.
Trust me, I’ve seen this type of loss before. ”
I admit that ripping control from Ivan and the chief won’t be easy. I need people. People I can trust. I also need the cops of the city to back me and not Ivan. They won’t if the police chief doesn’t. I just can’t off the chief for the ISC.
“The chief will get replaced,” I say. “You have my word. Then you can do what you will with him.”
“Which leads me to my second request.”
“I’m all out of favors.”
“This one is minor. A show of mercy.”
We lock eyes. “For whom?”
“Ivan.”
“Ivan?”
The man nods. “I need him alive.”
“I need him to bend the knee, then.”
“He’s already put out a hit on you.”
“Fuck. Who is coming for me?”
“Not my brother, that’s for sure.”
I pause. This got personal for him. “Who is your brother?”
“Sebastian Glass.”
I frown. “This is the second time today where people name-drop and expect me to know who it is. I don’t.”
“He trained with Master Yi with you. Said you are his brother from another mother.”
Rule number one about Master Yi’s training? There is no Master Yi’s training. We were never there. “I’ve got no idea what you’re talking about.” I walk away.
“Your uncle Cass knows him,” the man shouts, and Connor looks over. I don’t want Connor involved in this. He’s crazy enough to do anything for Uncle Cass. Connor swore up and down he wouldn’t rest until Daniel Pembroke and everyone responsible for the capture and torture of Uncle Cass suffers.
I walk up to the man. We’re about the same height and eye level. “I said I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
The man grits his teeth, his temper rising. “I have a match for the partial fingerprint on your rifle. Your friend Dina will not like wearing an orange jumpsuit instead of that pretty red dress. She won’t last a day in prison, and I can put her there with a single phone call.”
I reach for my weapon when I hear Dina’s heels and catch sight of her coming over.
“Hey,” she slides her hand into mine. “Are you about done here?”
Gun in hand, I’m ready to take this guy out, knowing it will cost me and mine our lives.
Besides being the brother of a good friend of mine who got himself in trouble, probably, he’s an ISC agent.
If you touch one of them, the agency comes for you.
Right now, he’s offering to work with me, but he’s unwilling to take no for an answer.
Dina digs her fingernails into my arm.
I chuckle, although nothing is funny. “I hope you have a clear glass shower, Mr. Glass, so you can see me coming.”
He doesn’t like that. He narrows his eyes and tucks his hand under his suit. I can tell he’s unaccustomed to people telling him no, and that he’s holding onto his temper by a thread.
Dina looks from me to the man, then back to me, and crosses her arms. “I’m not leaving.”
I sigh. “If you have a brother who knows me and what I do and can do, then you are a very stupid man to have come here and threaten my people. If you don’t leave in the next five seconds, water will flood your lungs.”
The man walks past me and hisses, “You’ll regret this.”