Chapter 6 - VICTOR’S DEAL
Victor was not loyal.
He was trapped.
At least that was his story.
Leonard discovered Vincent Slade stealing small amounts from Harbor Street in 2006.
Instead of firing him, he made him useful.
Vincent manipulated books.
Created false invoices.
Transferred ownership records.
When Michael discovered the scheme, Vincent wanted out.
Leonard threatened prison.
Then threatened Vincent’s younger brother, who had drug convictions.
Victor stayed.
After Michael died, Vincent changed his name and moved.
Years later Leonard placed him in Millstone because he believed Michael had hidden evidence there.
“What about Emma?”
Samuel asked.
Victor finally looked at her.
“I hired her.”
Emma stopped.
“What?”
“You applied.”
“Yes.”
“And you hired me because of my last name.”
“Yes.”
Her skin crawled.
Fourteen months.
Every schedule cut.
Every humiliating comment.
Every time Victor watched her.
He had known exactly whose daughter she was.
“Why?”
“I needed to know if your mother gave you anything.”
“You could have asked.”
Victor laughed bitterly.
“And say what? Hi, I helped steal a restaurant chain from the man your father died trying to protect?”
Emma stared.
“You cut my hair.”
Shame crossed his face.
“I lost control.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“You chose control.”
Important difference.
Victor looked away.
Leonard said:
“Enough.”
He wanted the storage unit searched.
He believed Michael had left the payroll file there.
It wasn’t.
Emma smiled slightly.
Leonard noticed.
“You know where it is.”
“No.”
But she knew the clue.
Where Harbor Street keeps what nobody wants anymore.
The Dayton archive.
Leonard realized she understood.
His face changed.
Samuel saw it.
Then sirens sounded outside.
Margaret had called police thirty minutes earlier.
Not because she had evidence to arrest Leonard for murder.
Because Leonard and Victor had arrived making threats connected to an active fraud investigation.
Leonard left before officers could block him.
Victor did not.
He stayed.
Then did something nobody expected.
He held out his hands.
May you like
“I’m done running.”
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