Chapter 5 - The Man Behind Victor Hale
The next forty-eight hours changed Brooklyn’s waterfront.
Federal agents raided Calder facilities in three states.
Two port officials were arrested.
A judge resigned.
Dominic Voss disappeared before dawn.
And Victor Hale walked voluntarily into a federal building in Lower Manhattan carrying twenty-three years of business records.
Before he left, he came to see me.
I was recovering in a guest room at Daniel’s townhouse.
Victor stood in the doorway.
“No suit?”
He looked down at his plain black coat.
“I’m trying something new.”
“Being normal?”
“Don’t insult me.”
I smiled despite myself.
Then I noticed the folder in his hand.
“What’s that?”
“Your medical bills.”
I stopped smiling.
“No.”
“They’re paid.”
“Victor.”
“No conditions.”
“You can’t do that.”
“I already did.”
“Undo it.”
“I’m not sure that’s how payment works.”
I swung my legs over the side of the bed.
“You don’t get to buy forgiveness.”
His expression changed.
“I know.”
“Then why?”
“Because my order put you in that warehouse.”
“Leon hurt me.”
“Under my authority.”
“That distinction seems important to you.”
“It is.”
He set the folder down.
“You told me I already hurt you.”
I looked at him.
“I’ve thought about that sentence every hour since.”
I didn’t answer.
Victor continued.
“I built an organization where men believed hurting you might impress me.”
His voice remained calm.
“That is my responsibility.”
I studied him.
“What happens now?”
“I testify.”
“Against Voss?”
“Against anyone the evidence supports.”
“Including yourself?”
“Yes.”
That answer scared me.
“You could go to prison.”
“Yes.”
“For how long?”
“My attorney believes most of my exposure is financial.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“It’s the only one I have.”
I stood carefully.
“Why are you doing this?”
Victor looked through the window.
“Because Voss was right about one thing.”
“What?”
“Men like him think caring makes you weak.”
He turned toward me.
“I spent fifteen years believing that.”
“And now?”
“Now I think not caring makes you stupid.”
I almost smiled.
Victor walked toward the door.
“Take care of yourself, Sadie.”
“That’s it?”
He stopped.
“What else should I say?”
“I don’t know.”
“Neither do I.”
“Victor.”
He turned.
“When you’re finished downtown…”
He waited.
I swallowed.
“Come back.”
His face stayed controlled.
But his eyes changed.
“All right.”
He left.
Arthur appeared five minutes later.
He had a bandage above one eyebrow and enough guilt to fill the room.
“So.”
I looked at him.
“So?”
“You and Victor Hale.”
“No.”
“Definitely something.”
“You sold me to a gangster. You don’t get opinions.”
Arthur winced.
“Fair.”
I folded my arms.
“You need help.”
“I know.”
“Actual help.”
“I know.”
“No gambling.”
“I know.”
“No loans.”
“I know.”
“No schemes.”
He hesitated.
“Define schemes.”
“Arthur.”
“Right. No schemes.”
I stared at him.
He stopped joking.
“I really am sorry.”
I said nothing.
“I kept thinking one more deal would fix everything.”
“You put a drive in my jacket.”
“I was terrified.”
“So was I.”
His eyes dropped.
“That’s the part I can’t forgive myself for.”
“Good.”
He looked up.
“Good?”
“Maybe guilt will finally make you stop.”
Arthur nodded slowly.
“I’m cooperating too.”
“With the federal investigation?”
“With everything.”
He sat down.
“I’ll probably face charges.”
“You should.”
“I know.”
“But I’ll visit.”
Arthur smiled weakly.
“That might be worse.”
I threw a pillow at him.
He caught it.
Then his phone buzzed.
He checked the screen.
His smile vanished.
“What?”
Arthur turned the phone toward me.
A text.
UNKNOWN NUMBER.
Hale can’t protect you forever.
My stomach went cold.
Arthur whispered, “Voss.”
A second message arrived.
This one contained a photograph.
Me.
Standing at the townhouse window ten minutes earlier.
Arthur jumped up.
“He knows where you are.”
The bedroom door opened.
Daniel entered.
One look at our faces told him everything.
“What happened?”
I handed him the phone.
Daniel read the message.
Then he reached for his own.
Victor answered immediately.
Daniel spoke one sentence.
“Voss found Sadie.”
There was silence.
Then Victor’s voice came through.
May you like
“Move her now.”
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