Chapter 5 - Devlin Murphy’s Weakness
The attack changed the rules.
Chantelle was moved to Devlin's private residence overlooking the river.
She hated the idea.
She hated the guards.
She particularly hated that Devlin was right.
At two in the morning, she found him alone in the kitchen.
He was making coffee.
“You own hotels and can't make coffee?”
Devlin looked at the machine.
“It appears unnecessarily complicated.”
Chantelle laughed.
He stared at her.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You laughed.”
“Rich man defeated by three buttons.”
“Four.”
She walked over.
“Move.”
He obeyed.
Thirty seconds later, coffee poured.
Devlin watched.
“Impressive.”
“I charge fifty dollars for technical consultations.”
“I'll have Liam pay you.”
She looked at him.
“You really don't understand jokes, do you?”
“Not inexpensive ones.”
She handed him a mug.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Chantelle asked, “How did you get the scar?”
Devlin touched his neck.
“Someone I trusted.”
“Crane?”
“No.”
“Did you trust Crane?”
“Once.”
“And Shaw?”
“Yes.”
“That must be exhausting.”
“What?”
“Never knowing who's loyal.”
Devlin looked into his coffee.
“Loyalty is expensive.”
“No. Fake loyalty is expensive.”
His eyes lifted.
“What's the difference?”
“Real loyalty doesn't wait for a reward.”
Devlin studied her.
“Why did you go back for that old man in the tunnel?”
“Because he fell.”
“You could have been hurt.”
“So could he.”
“You didn't know him.”
“Exactly.”
Devlin seemed almost irritated by the answer.
“You make no sense.”
“Maybe that's why you keep talking to me.”
Before he could respond, Liam entered.
“We found Shaw.”
“Where?”
“Warehouse near Pier Forty-One.”
“Alive?”
“Yes.”
“Crane?”
“Unknown.”
Devlin put down the mug.
Chantelle immediately said, “I'm coming.”
“No.”
“You need me to identify Crane.”
“I know what Crane looks like.”
“Then you need me to identify the third man from the restaurant.”
Devlin stopped.
Liam said nothing.
Chantelle smiled.
“Thought so.”
The warehouse operation was handled with police officers Devlin trusted through a federal liaison. Chantelle remained inside an SUV several blocks away with Liam.
Devlin had gone inside.
She hated that more than she expected.
“You're worried about him,” Liam said.
“No.”
“Terrible liar.”
“He's arrogant.”
“Yes.”
“Controlling.”
“Yes.”
“Annoying.”
“Frequently.”
Chantelle looked at Liam.
“Why do you work for him?”
Liam thought about it.
“Because years ago, when everyone else abandoned my brother after an accident, Devlin paid for his rehabilitation and never told anyone.”
Chantelle went quiet.
“He'd hate that you told me.”
“Probably.”
“Why did you?”
“Because people usually meet the reputation before they meet the man.”
Movement appeared outside.
Devlin emerged with officers.
Behind them came Shaw.
And another man.
Chantelle leaned forward.
“That's him.”
“The third man?”
“Yes.”
Liam radioed immediately.
But something was wrong.
The third man suddenly broke away.
He ran toward the street.
Officers followed.
Then Chantelle saw another vehicle approaching.
“Liam.”
“I see it.”
The car stopped.
A rear door opened.
Elias Crane stepped out.
He wasn't running.
He was smiling.
Devlin saw him.
Crane called across the street.
“You've made this unnecessarily complicated.”
Devlin approached but kept his distance.
“You stopped a train full of civilians.”
“I stopped a train carrying you.”
“You threatened Chantelle.”
Crane smiled.
“There it is.”
Devlin's expression changed.
“What?”
“Your weakness.”
Chantelle felt cold.
Crane looked toward the SUV.
Directly toward her.
“You spent years making sure nobody mattered enough to use against you.”
Devlin stepped between Crane and the vehicle.
Crane laughed.
“Then a waitress sat in the wrong seat.”
Devlin's voice dropped.
“She isn't part of this.”
“She became part of it the moment you protected her.”
Chantelle opened the SUV door.
Liam grabbed her arm.
“Don't.”
But she called out.
“Crane!”
Everyone looked at her.
She stepped onto the sidewalk.
Devlin's face hardened.
“Chantelle, get back in the car.”
She ignored him.
Crane smiled.
“There she is.”
Chantelle held up her phone.
“You've been so busy watching Devlin that you forgot something.”
Crane frowned.
“What?”
“Waitresses hear everything.”
She pressed play.
A recording filled the street.
Crane's own voice.
Murphy doesn't know the manifests were copied. Shaw delivers tomorrow.
Crane's smile disappeared.
Chantelle continued.
“My phone automatically records voice notes when I double-tap the side button.”
Devlin stared at her.
“You recorded them?”
“Accidentally. I was trying to turn on my flashlight.”
Even Liam looked stunned.
Chantelle shrugged.
“Cracked phone.”
Federal officers moved toward Crane.
He backed away.
Devlin said quietly, “It's over, Elias.”
Crane looked at Chantelle with pure hatred.
“No.”
Then he ran.
He made it six steps.
The officers caught him.
Chantelle released a breath.
Devlin walked toward her.
Slowly.
“What part of stay in the car was unclear?”
“The stay part.”
“You could have been hurt.”
“But I wasn't.”
“You had no idea what Crane might do.”
“Neither did you.”
“That's different.”
“Why?”
Devlin stopped directly in front of her.
For once, the feared Devlin Murphy had no answer.
Chantelle looked into his eyes.
“Oh.”
His jaw tightened.
She smiled faintly.
“Now I understand.”
“Understand what?”
“Crane was right about one thing.”
Devlin's expression darkened.
“Don't say it.”
“You like me.”
Liam suddenly found the opposite side of the street extremely interesting.
Devlin stared at Chantelle.
“That is becoming increasingly inconvenient.”
She smiled.
May you like
“Good.”
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