Chapter 6 - The Last War of the Hail Empire
Casper remained in the hospital for five days.
During that time, Marin returned to the mansion only to collect her belongings.
She found Hollis waiting in the servants’ corridor.
“You’re leaving?”
“Yes.”
“Mr. Hail will not like it.”
“He doesn’t have to.”
Hollis folded her hands.
“You changed this house.”
“I spilled wine and caused a gunfight.”
“That is not what I meant.”
Marin looked around the corridor she had walked through every day for almost a year.
“I came here because I needed money for Posie’s surgery.”
“Has the hospital scheduled it?”
“No. We’re still short thirty-two thousand dollars.”
Hollis’s expression tightened.
“Casper would pay it.”
“I know.”
“And you will refuse.”
“I don’t want Posie’s heart to become another debt between us.”
Hollis handed her an envelope.
“This was deposited into the employee medical fund eight months ago.”
Marin opened it.
Inside was confirmation that Posie’s surgery had been fully funded.
She stared at Hollis.
“Eight months ago?”
“Casper reviews the staff insurance cases personally.”
“He knew about Posie?”
“He knew an employee had a dependent requiring surgery. The donation was anonymous.”
Marin’s eyes burned.
“Why didn’t anyone tell me?”
“Because he did not want your gratitude.”
Before Marin could respond, gunfire erupted outside.
Hollis pulled her into the laundry room.
The mansion’s windows shattered as vehicles crashed through the front gates.
Soren Vale’s remaining men had come to destroy the evidence and kill everyone connected to it.
Roman’s voice sounded through the security system.
“Lock down all rooms. Stay away from exterior windows.”
Marin called Posie.
No answer.
“She’s in the garden house,” Marin said.
Hollis grabbed her arm.
“You cannot go outside.”
“She went there to read.”
Another explosion shook the mansion.
Marin pulled away and ran.
Smoke filled the grand hall. Armed guards exchanged fire near the front entrance.
Marin slipped through the kitchen and reached the service courtyard.
A man stepped from behind a stone pillar.
She recognized him as one of Soren’s guards from the theater.
“You should have died on that roof.”
He raised his weapon.
A shot rang out.
The man collapsed.
Casper stood behind him, pale beneath his black coat, one arm held close to his injured shoulder.
Marin stared at him.
“You’re supposed to be in the hospital.”
“I left.”
“You were shot five days ago.”
“I remember.”
“What are you doing here?”
“Ending this.”
Roman appeared with two men.
“The south entrance is secure. Vale’s crew is moving toward the garden house.”
Marin immediately ran.
Casper caught her wrist.
“Stay behind me.”
“Posie is inside.”
They crossed the garden beneath a storm of shattered glass and distant gunfire.
The greenhouse door was locked.
Marin pounded on it.
“Posie!”
A frightened voice answered.
“Marin?”
“Get away from the door.”
Casper fired at the lock.
Before they could enter, a black SUV stopped near the garden wall.
Delphine stepped out.
Marin froze.
“You were in custody.”
Delphine smiled.
“Soren had more officers on his payroll than anyone realized.”
Two men dragged Posie from the side entrance of the greenhouse.
She struggled to breathe.
“Let her go,” Marin said.
Delphine held a gun against Posie’s ribs.
“Give me the ledger.”
“The authorities already have it.”
“They have copies. I need the original to prove which entries were forged.”
Casper moved slightly in front of Marin.
“You lost.”
Delphine’s eyes burned.
“I lost because she interfered.”
“You lost because you mistook cruelty for strength.”
Delphine pressed the gun harder against Posie.
“Put down your weapons.”
Casper and Roman obeyed.
Marin watched Posie’s face. Her lips were beginning to turn blue.
“She needs her medicine.”
“She’ll receive it when I have the ledger.”
“It’s in the library safe,” Casper said.
Delphine looked at him.
“Code?”
“Seven-one-nine-four.”
Roman glanced at Casper.
Marin understood at once.
The code was false.
Delphine ordered one of her men to retrieve it.
As he left, Posie suddenly collapsed.
Delphine instinctively loosened her grip.
Marin lunged.
She struck Delphine’s wrist, knocking the gun aside.
Casper tackled the armed man beside her despite his injured shoulder.
Roman grabbed the second guard.
Delphine seized Marin by the hair and slammed her against the greenhouse wall.
“You ruined everything!” she screamed.
Marin drove her elbow into Delphine’s ribs.
Delphine stumbled but came back with a shard of broken glass.
Before she could strike, Posie extended one foot from the ground and tripped her.
Delphine crashed onto the stone path.
Marin kicked the glass away.
Roman restrained her.
Casper knelt beside Posie.
“Where is her medicine?”
Marin took the inhaler from Posie’s pocket and helped her breathe.
Within moments, some color returned to the girl’s face.
Police sirens sounded beyond the gates.
Delphine laughed from the ground.
“You think this changes what he is?”
Marin looked at Casper.
He stood slowly, pain visible in his face.
Delphine continued.
“He will never leave his empire. Men like him don’t change.”
Casper reached into his coat and removed a flash drive.
“This contains every account, every transaction and every crime committed under the Hail name since I took control.”
Roman stared at him.
“Boss?”
“I made an agreement with Agent Harris.”
Delphine’s laughter stopped.
Casper looked at Roman.
“The organization ends today.”
Some of his men lowered their eyes.
Others looked shocked.
Roman asked, “And what happens to us?”
“Those who committed violent crimes will answer for them. Those who worked in legitimate businesses will keep their jobs. Every illegal asset will be surrendered.”
“You’ll go to prison,” Marin said.
“Possibly.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because you asked me whether the man who took the bullet was real.”
May you like
He handed the drive to an approaching federal agent.
“This is my answer.”
