“Imagine my surprise when I found out that someone on the city council—the councilwe fucking own—petitioned to have our newest building rezoned. And denied our liquor license.” I flip through the pages and turn, pointing the scalpel at a scrawling handwritten signature at the bottom of the page. “That’s your signature, isn’t it?”
He doesn’t answer through his sobbing, but he doesn’t need to. I already know it is.
“Here’s what I want to know.” I set the papers down, spreading them out next to Viper’s tools. “Who paid you off? Who’s behind all of this, trying to fuck us from the shadows?”
His shoulders shake with the force of his crying. “He’ll kill me,” Daryl whines.
“No,” I say. I gesture toward Viper with my scalpel. “He’llkill you. But you get to decide if it happens fast or slow.”
“It’s not just me. My family…” He trails off.
Interesting that this man would profess to care so deeply for his family. He would have ended up here for betraying usregardless, but he’s getting the brunt of our ire because, during my digging, I discovered a rape allegation from a few years ago he made disappear. Men like this gain a modicum of power and use it to do whatever they want. Being a father doesn’t absolve you of being a horrible, sexist monster of a man. But his children aren’t at fault for his actions.
“We’ll make sure your family is taken care of. I promise. But you need to tell us what you know. This is a one-time offer, Daryl, and it will expire in fifteen seconds.”
“Fuck. I’m dead either way,” he mutters, half to himself. “You promise? You’ll get them out of the city if I tell you everything? You’ll keep them safe?”
“I keep my promises. Speaking of which.” I glance at my watch. “You have ten seconds.”
We have him. From the way he slumps against his bounds, I know we have him.
“The guy’s name is Dante,” he says, resolve crackling. “Dante Basso.”
My vision goes blank for a moment, the wet lab and everything in it disappearing. I give myself one long breath, eyes closed, to regain my hold on reality.
“Dante is dead. And you’re wasting my time,” I say. I wave my hand to my brother, gesturing him closer. “Break something important. Maybe that will jog his memory.”
“No!” Daryl’s voice turns frantic. “Wait, stop, he’s not, he’s?—”
Viper is creeping closer.
“Maybe he’s lying about his name!” Daryl screeches. “I don’t fucking know! But I…I know what he’s after!”
I hold up my hand to stop Viper’s advance. He sways back and forth on the balls of his feet, waiting. Grinning like a kid on Christmas.
“Go on,” I tell Daryl.
“There’s a woman,” he sobs. “Some, some fucking woman, I don’t know. He’s been asking people about her, her address, her friends, where she works. Having people dig through city records, anything he can find.”
The room goes very, very still. I can hear my own pulse, pounding in my ears.
Viper isn’t smiling anymore. He’s still, far too still, staring at our guest like there’s nothing else in the world right now except him.
“What woman?” I ask in a low voice, but I already know. Even before he says it, I fucking know.
“Sydney something,” Daryl chokes out. “I can’t remember the rest, but—but give me a minute and?—”
There’s no scream when I bury the scalpel through Daryl’s eye all the way to the end. Just a shocked wet gurgle. And then silence, as his head pivots forward, blood pouring down his face, over his jaw and down the open wounds in his chest.
“Do whatever you want with the body,” I tell Viper, removing my bloody glove with a snap. “But make it quick.”
Viper doesn’t laugh. He doesn’t jump forward like a kid at a carnival.
Before we were having fun, but now?
Now it’s fucking serious.
When he moves forward, it’s with a cold, deadly fury he saves for special occasions.
