"You remember when I told you about the stuff happening in South Side?"Nick asks.
"Yeah."The things he mentioned while we were in Spain.Families getting forced out, businesses closing, fires starting out of nowhere.
Danny leans forward, cop instincts engaged.
"It's more than market forces.I've been flagging these incidents for months, but my reports keep getting buried.Captain says I'm seeing patterns that aren't there, but I know something's off."
"What kind of incidents?"
"Suspicious fires in rent-controlled buildings.Code violations that appear overnight for businesses that've been operating fine for years.Sudden increases in drug activity in specific neighborhoods—always right before property values tank."Danny's jaw is tight, frustration radiating off him."And every time I try to investigate, I get told to focus on other cases.Evidence disappears.I've had to start making backups of everything I find."
Nick picks up the thread."The timing's too convenient.These aren't random acts of urban decay—they're coordinated.Someone's systematically clearing out South Side, and they're not being subtle about it."
I feel cold certainty settling in my stomach, even before Nick says what I'm already thinking.
"Nate, we think it's Scott behind this whole operation."
That fucking name.
Even though I saw it coming, it still burns a hole in my chest.
Of course it's Scott.
Of course he found a way to profit from other people's misery while keeping his hands clean enough to maintain his reputation.
"You have proof?"I ask, though I already know from their faces.
"Nothing that would hold up in court," Danny admits."But I've been a cop for twelve years, and I know when something really fucking stinks.Problem is, I'm starting to think there are people in the department getting paid to look the other way.I don't know who to trust anymore."
"Danny's skating on thin ice with his captain," Nick adds."He's already been told to let it go, which tells us the corruption goes higher than we thought."
"There's no hard evidence it's Scott," Danny continues, "but after what he pulled with you last year, it wouldn't surprise me if he's graduated to bigger schemes."
Jay, who's been quiet this whole time, finally speaks up.
"I might have an idea."He glances around, making sure we're keeping this private."There's a guy I used to know who might be able to help track down files, financial records, that kind of thing.Adrian Di Laurentis.He grew up here but lives in London now.Big tech guy, works in cybersecurity.If anyone could dig up digital evidence, it'd be him."
The name sounds familiar, but I can't place it."You think he'd help?"
"Worth asking.He never liked how certain families in this town operated.If Scott's really behind this, Adrian would want to know."
Danny stands up, checking his watch."I need to get back before anyone notices how long I've been gone.But Jay, if you can reach out to him, that would be huge.We need someone with skills the department doesn't have."
After Danny leaves and Nick gets pulled into a phone call, Jay and I are alone in the cramped office.
"How bad is it really?"I ask, because I can see there's more he didn't want to say in front of Danny.
Jay runs a hand through his hair, suddenly looking older than eighteen.
"Really fucking bad, Nate.Like, people losing their homes.Small businesses that've been in families for generations getting shut down over fucking nothing.And when these people can't pay rent, can't afford to relocate, they're turning to shit that makes everything worse.And somehow, it’s readily available for them on every street corner."
He starts pacing, agitation growing as he talks.
"There's this convenience store, Maria's Deli.Maria's had that place for over thirty years, never had a problem.Then last month, suddenly there's a gas leak that needed immediate attention.Costs more to fix than she can afford, so she has to close.A week later, the place is up for sale and gets bought immediately."
I can picture it perfectly—the systematic dismantling of a community, piece by piece, family by family.It's efficient in a way that makes me sick.
"And the drugs?Flooding the area right when people are most desperate.Cheap heroin, fentanyl, meth.People who never touched anything harder than beer are suddenly addicted to shit that destroys everything they have left."
