Chapter 5 - THE MAN ROMAN REFUSED TO KILL
Jason’s criminal case exposed more than Evelyn’s death.
His gambling contacts led investigators toward several illegal rooms controlled indirectly by Costa-affiliated men.
One manager panicked.
He blamed Roman.
Then tried to have Morgana intimidated into changing her statement about Jason’s debt exchange.
Someone followed her home.
She noticed at the third block.
Called Roman.
Not police.
She hated herself for that.
He answered immediately.
“Where are you?”
“Dorchester Avenue.”
“Keep driving.”
“I’m walking.”
Silence.
“You're what?”
“My car is at the shop.”
“Stay in public. Go into a business.”
She entered a pharmacy.
Ten minutes later, legitimate private security arrived.
Not gunmen.
Professionals.
The follower disappeared.
Police were notified.
Cameras identified him.
Roman learned the name.
Anthony Velez.
One of his own lower-level men.
Morgana saw the old Roman return.
Only briefly.
He became very still.
“Where is he?”
Victor answered.
“We can locate him.”
Morgana understood what the sentence meant.
“No.”
Roman looked at her.
“He followed you.”
“Yes.”
“He threatened you.”
“Yes.”
“He works under my name.”
“Then fire him.”
Roman laughed without humor.
“That isn't enough.”
“It is if police charge him.”
“And if they don’t?”
Morgana stepped closer.
“Then you live with being unsatisfied.”
His jaw tightened.
“You think that is justice?”
“No.”
“I think it is the price of no longer deciding punishment by yourself.”
Roman looked almost angry at her.
Good.
Morgana continued.
“If every time someone scares me you become the thing that scared me, then why would I ever call you again?”
That landed.
Roman turned toward Victor.
“Police.”
Victor nodded.
“Employment terminated.”
“Yes.”
“No contact order through counsel.”
“Yes.”
Roman stopped.
Then:
“Nothing else.”
Morgana breathed again.
Anthony was arrested after camera footage and messages linked him to intimidation.
No body disappeared.
No alley punishment.
Roman remained furious for weeks.
And alive.
Apparently restraint did not kill him.
Morgana told him so.
He did not find it funny.
May you like
Helena did.
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