"Good. Are you ready for me to give you the details? Or do you want to wait until you get here, and we can go through it? I’ll meet you there.”
I grit my teeth. “Give me the abridged version.”
“Luc got picked up last night after a bar fight. He’s sitting in county, and that’s a problem. He’s our continuity point at the docks. When Luc doesn’t show, processes stall.”
“Surely we have a backup.”
“It’s a verification step tied to his sign-off. When Luc gives the green light, things move. When he doesn’t, everyone starts asking why.”
“Goddammit,” I bark and hit the steering wheel.
“On top of that, Luc is the only one they trust to give the clearance. With him out of play, we’ve got two fires to put out. Word’s already spreading about Robert’s death, and now everyone’s go-to guy is missing. You need to be there to make sure no one panics or starts thinking we can’t handle business anymore.”
I let out a slow, controlled breath. Of course. My father would’ve taken care of this in a heartbeat, probably without a single wrinkle, but this one’s on me.
I don't think any of my brothers are ready to take the lead. Not yet.
I was already planning to meet with them, but now I have to deal with Luc being out for God knows how long and figure out how to get the verification phrase without it ending up on a recorded line.
“So no one else can sign off for approval?” I ask,already knowing the answer but hoping Vin has some kind of workaround.
“No one. That’s the point,” Vin replies. “And if we don’t clear it, the terminals slow things down and start protecting themselves.”
“Can we bail him out or something?” I ask, weighing the options quickly. I need a solution, not more problems.
“Risky,” Vin admits. “He’s already on his last strike. Even if our attorneys can get him out, he won’t be back in time for tonight’s dock processes. If we want this quiet, we’re going to have to manage it another way.”
I grip the wheel tighter. There’s no room for mistakes, not now. The weight of all of it presses down on me, but this is what it means to step into his shoes.
“I’ll take care of it,” I say, the decision solidifying as I speak. “I’ll go in, oversee the clearances if I have to, and make sure everyone gets in and out as planned. We have to have more than one person we can rely on, though, regardless. That’s nonnegotiable.”
Vin hesitates. “You’ve already got enough on your hands. Want me to take the lead?”
I clench my jaw but keep my voice even. “I’m not about to let anything slip just because he’s gone, Vin. I said I’ve got this. We hold these shipping logs together by making sure we’re as tight as ever.”
“Right.”
“Call Keller and see if he can meet us at the dock office, too. He knows the dockside players and the rhythms down there.”
“Understood,” he says, and I note a sigh of relief. Or, maybe it’s frustration. “I’ll get the safeword today. Everything will be ready on this end.”
“Good.”
“Let's meet when you roll in and go througheverything. I’ll message Keller now to see if he can join us. What’s your ETA?”
I look at the clock on the dash. “I’ll be there in twenty.”
“I’ll wrap up what I’m doing and see you."
The line clicks off, and I press down on the gas. My focus is razor-sharp as the adrenaline courses through my veins.
This is more than just showing up and ensuring things happen as they should. It’s proof that my father’s death won’t change anything about who controls these shipping lanes and where the buck stops.
The screen lights up with a new message from Vin as I push the Aston further down the long stretch of the low highway. The early morning fog clings to the highway.
Keller will be there.
Keller. Good. He’s got the demeanor and the familiarity with the docks to step in. His gambling tables are bringing in the money, but he mostly keeps his hands clean. With Dad gone, he may have to take on a few more responsibilities.
