Chapter 4 - CONFESSIONS IN THE CELLAR
|
The iron cellar beneath the mansion smelled of damp limestone and cold iron.
Marcus Kane was strapped to a steel chair under a solitary buzzing halogen bulb.
Blood dripped steadily from his split lip onto his ruined designer shirt.
Arthur stood in the shadows by the reinforced door, holding a thick folder containing Clary's falsified payroll documents.
"He's been skimming five thousand dollars a month directly from her wages, Declan," Arthur said, his voice laced with disgust.
"He altered the employment records to show she was paying off property damage she never caused."
I stepped into the pool of light, loosening my silver cufflinks and placing them on a metal table.
"Who runs the gambling den where Tommy Davies was set up?" I asked, looking down at the bleeding man.
Marcus spat a mouthful of red onto the concrete floor.
"Go to hell, Declan."
"You think you can rule this whole coast without anyone taking their own piece?"
"The kid was an easy mark."
"He lost twenty grand on rigged roulette wheels at the Eastside docks."
"I just collected what was owed."
I grabbed Marcus by the collar and hauled the chair forward until our noses were an inch apart.
"You broke a nineteen-year-old boy's arm because his sister couldn't clean fast enough to satisfy your greed."
"You threatened to deliver his corpse to my doorstep."
Marcus swallowed hard, panic finally cracking through his arrogant facade.
"Moretti backed the operation!" he blurted out, shaking violently.
"Don Moretti gave me the green light!"
"He wanted leverage over your domestic staff so he could plant listening devices inside your private quarters!"
"The Davies girl was just supposed to carry the bugs inside her cleaning cart!"
Arthur cursed under his breath.
"The son of a bitch was using our own maids to spy on the Knox syndicate."
I released Marcus's collar, letting the chair slam back down onto the floor.
"Did she do it?" I asked.
Marcus shook his head frantically.
"No!"
"She refused!"
"She said she would rather take every beating herself than put your household in danger!"
Something warm and fierce ignited deep behind my ribs.
Clary Davies had endured months of starvation and terror just to protect my walls from an enemy she didn't even understand.
She thought I was a monster, yet she still chose to shield me.
"Arthur," I said quietly, turning toward the iron door.
"Clean this mess up."
May you like
"Make sure Marcus Kane never sees the sunrise on the East Coast again."
"And find out which hospital Tommy Davies is currently lying in."
