Chapter 6 - Victor’s Last War
Victor reached the townhouse in eleven minutes.
I was already downstairs.
He walked through the front door with four men.
His eyes found me immediately.
“You okay?”
“Yes.”
“Bag packed?”
“I don’t have a bag.”
“You do now.”
Daniel handed me one.
I stared at him.
“When did you pack my clothes?”
Daniel cleared his throat.
“I delegated.”
Victor said, “We’re leaving.”
“Where?”
“Somewhere Voss doesn’t know.”
Arthur came downstairs.
“I’m coming.”
Victor looked at him.
“No.”
“That’s my sister.”
“That didn’t concern you last week.”
Arthur flinched.
“Victor,” I said.
Victor looked at me.
“He comes.”
Arthur glanced between us.
“Did she just overrule you?”
Victor picked up my bag.
“Apparently.”
For one ridiculous second, none of us spoke.
Then Daniel’s phone rang.
He answered.
His face changed.
“Victor.”
“What?”
“They found Voss.”
“Where?”
“Pier 19.”
My skin prickled.
The warehouse.
“He went back?”
Daniel nodded.
“He has Leon.”
Victor’s expression hardened.
“And?”
“He wants to trade.”
“For what?”
“Protection.”
Arthur laughed bitterly.
“Leon betrayed everybody and now wants protection?”
Daniel looked at him.
“That’s usually when people want it most.”
Victor took the phone.
“Put him through.”
Leon’s panicked voice came over the speaker.
“Boss.”
“You stopped calling me that when you sold me.”
“Voss is going to kill me.”
“That sounds like a management issue.”
“I have evidence.”
Victor said nothing.
Leon rushed on.
“I know where Voss keeps the second ledger.”
Arthur stepped closer.
“Second ledger?”
Leon heard him.
“Arthur?”
“Yeah.”
“You miserable little—”
Victor ended the argument with one word.
“Enough.”
Leon breathed heavily.
“There’s another server. Voss has insurance on everyone. Politicians. Businessmen. Cops.”
“Where?”
“I tell you when I’m safe.”
Victor looked toward Daniel.
Daniel shook his head.
Trap.
I understood.
“So don’t go,” I said.
Victor glanced at me.
Arthur pointed at my phone.
“Call the federal agents.”
Victor nodded.
That surprised all of us.
“What?” he asked.
Arthur blinked.
“I thought you’d say something dramatic and go alone.”
“I’m trying to make better decisions.”
Twenty minutes later, federal vehicles surrounded Pier 19.
Victor didn’t enter.
Neither did we.
A negotiator spoke with Leon by phone.
Then a second man emerged from the warehouse.
Dominic Voss.
Hands raised.
For a moment, it looked over.
Then Voss turned toward our vehicle.
Even from across the lot, I knew he had spotted Victor.
He smiled.
And shouted.
“You think this makes you clean, Hale?”
Victor opened the SUV door.
I grabbed his arm.
He looked at me.
“Don’t.”
“I’m only talking.”
“That’s exactly what people say before doing something stupid.”
His mouth almost moved.
Then he stepped out.
Federal agents blocked the distance between them.
Voss laughed.
“She changed you.”
Victor said nothing.
“She’ll hate you when she understands what you really are.”
Victor walked closer until an agent stopped him.
Voss raised his voice.
“Tell her about Newark.”
Victor froze.
I saw it.
A shadow passing across his face.
Voss smiled wider.
“There he is.”
I got out of the SUV.
Victor turned.
“Sadie, stay back.”
I ignored him.
“What happened in Newark?”
Voss answered first.
“Victor’s company moved contraband through a warehouse where three workers died in a fire.”
My stomach tightened.
Victor’s eyes stayed on me.
“Is that true?”
“Yes.”
The word landed hard.
Voss laughed.
“Still think he’s a hero?”
Victor didn’t defend himself.
I walked closer.
“Did you know people were inside?”
“No.”
“Did you order the fire?”
“No.”
“Did you know about the contraband?”
Victor paused.
“Yes.”
I nodded slowly.
There it was.
Not innocence.
Not a fairy tale.
A dangerous man who had made dangerous choices.
Victor looked at me.
“That’s why I turned over everything.”
Voss scoffed.
“You’re destroying your empire for her.”
Victor finally looked at him.
“No.”
“Then why?”
“Because I should’ve destroyed your version of it years ago.”
Federal agents took Voss away.
Leon followed in handcuffs.
Arthur stood beside me.
“That’s really it?”
Daniel looked toward the federal vehicles.
“For them? Probably not.”
“For us?”
Victor looked at me.
“That depends.”
“On what?”
“On whether Sadie wants anything to do with me after today.”
Arthur raised both hands.
“I’m staying out of this.”
I looked at him.
“For once, excellent judgment.”
Victor almost smiled.
Then two agents approached.
“Mr. Hale?”
Victor nodded.
“We need you downtown.”
“I know.”
He looked at me.
I wanted to say something dramatic.
Something perfect.
Instead, I said the only honest thing.
“Come back when you can.”
Victor held my gaze.
“I will.”
May you like
And this time, I believed him.
---
