Chapter 6
Daniel started shouting.
That was useful.
People say honest things when betrayal makes them forget strategy.
“You told me nobody was dying.”
Preston stared at him.
“I told you what you needed to know.”
Daniel tried to cross the room.
My men stopped him.
“You used me.”
Preston laughed.
“You needed help humiliating your wife?”
He shook his head.
“No, Danny. You managed that all by yourself.”
Daniel's face twisted.
Preston continued.
“You couldn't control a twenty-four-year-old woman without leaving fingerprints all over her.”
Daniel lunged again.
The bodyguards held him.
Preston smiled.
Cruel.
“You thought beating Claire made you powerful.”
Then his eyes moved toward me.
“It just made you useful.”
There are moments when one villain makes another look human.
This wasn't one.
Daniel was still the man who starved his son to punish my daughter.
Preston simply happened to be worse in a different direction.
I walked toward him.
“What was supposed to happen at eight?”
“Nothing.”
The captured man laughed.
Preston looked at him.
“Shut up.”
I almost thanked him.
There it was.
A command born from fear.
“What happens at eight?”
The man answered.
“Lower freight entrance opens.”
I looked toward the museum floor.
“That requires an interior release.”
He nodded.
Preston didn't.
I understood.
Leo.
I turned toward Daniel.
“What did you make my grandson do?”
Daniel looked away.
“Nothing.”
I moved closer.
“What did you make him do?”
“He played.”
The words came out irritated.
As if I were being unreasonable.
“It's a museum. Kids play.”
I stared at him.
He rolled his eyes.
“He crawled through a tunnel and pushed a button.”
My hands went still.
“You used a three-year-old to open my service entrance.”
Daniel laughed.
“He liked it.”
That sentence did something to the room.
Mauro looked away.
One capo muttered a curse.
Daniel continued.
“You people act like I put a gun in his hand.”
“You used him.”
“He's a child. Children do what they're told.”
His face hardened.
“At least they should.”
I understood Claire's bruises better every time Daniel opened his mouth.
“If Leo refused?”
Daniel smiled.
“He didn't.”
“What if he had?”
Another shrug.
“Then Claire would've convinced him.”
“How?”
His smile widened.
“She's very persuasive after she skips dinner.”
I felt my bodyguards tense.
Daniel knew exactly what he was doing.
He wanted rage.
Wanted me to hit him.
Maybe because pain would end the conversation.
I refused him.
Preston laughed quietly.
“Still showing off, Danny?”
Daniel turned.
Preston's contempt deepened.
“You starved your wife and kid over a button.”
Daniel shouted:
“You told me it mattered.”
“It did.”
“So why didn't you tell me about the men?”
“Because you talk when you're angry.”
Preston looked toward me.
“Like now.”
Daniel finally understood.
Everything he had said was helping me.
His mouth closed.
Too late.
A bodyguard entered.
“Boss.”
I turned.
“Freight entrance?”
“Already open.”
Preston's expression changed.
“Already?”
He hadn't expected that.
Important.
“How many?”
“We caught three inside.”
“Only three?”
The guard hesitated.
“No.”
My pulse slowed.
“How many got through?”
“We don't know.”
Preston stood.
For the first time, real panic crossed his face.
“That wasn't supposed to open until eight.”
I looked at him.
“Who changed the time?”
He didn't answer.
Daniel stared at his brother.
Then at the council-room door.
Preston finally whispered:
“Someone inside your council.”
Mauro turned toward him.
Every capo stopped moving.
Preston smiled.
Not because anything was funny.
Because he had found one last piece of power.
“You think I chose tonight?”
May you like
He looked directly at me.
“Your own man did.”
