Silence Reveals Hidden Answers’ by Michael Anderson novel Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Harvey Prescott.

Kings Casino.

M

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No, I did not leave the gallery because of Baxter’s performative “are you okay?” to Jennifer. Get real. I get possessive, not delusional. My step brother is a playboy and that’s how he pulls women into his bed. For once, he actually did the right thing by de–escalating Nisha’s tantrum. If I had stepped in, I would have told her to suck it up.

I was going to stick around, finish the shoot, find Jennifer again, but my David had to call at the worst time. It’s about the thieves from last night who were stupid enough to rob a VIP Plus member at the Casino.

It happened on the reunion night which happened to be Kings Night. It is one evening a month where we roll out the red carpet for politicians, high rollers and private–jet exclusive clients. Four morons stole a watch, a gold bar, and a suitcase.

I thought I was finally free to go to Italy with no loose ends but no, this bullshit had to show up.

David opens the office door on the top floor. Three men are shaking and sweating through their shirts. This is the kind of shaking that comes from the marrow, from knowing exactly who you’ve crossed and what he’s capable of.

In New York, they call me different things. The Enforcer. Dark Prince. But I’m mafia, to those who know nothing about the underworld. Someone once called me a monster. Another, in a moment of awe, declared me a god among mortals. The titles don’t matter, only the effect does.

I spent one year in Italy on my father’s orders to learn how to run the casino business. I didn’t go to college like his golden son…so this was my own education. I took lessons from men who wore guns as casual as a belt.

Joined with the fighting skills I developed in the army; men learned to fear me the hard way. I think I taught a series of unforgettable lessons when I discovered the mangers had been stealing from the Kings casino.

I didn’t send a warning. I simply became the warning. They thought they were dealing with another suit from headquarters. Sadly, it wasn’t so.

“Where’s the fourth?” I ask.

“We can’t find him yet.” David says.

I slip on my platinum punching rings, one by one. All three thieves drop to their knees once they see that. I’ve punched enough for them to know teeth’s will be knocked out.

Michael, head of security has a baton resting in a straight line across his shoulder. Ah. So he’s already begun the conversation in my absence. Good.

I crouch slightly so they have no choice but to look up at me.

“Where,” I repeat, “is the fourth person?”

One of them with a twitching eye answers. “We don’t know, boss. Please-”

“You had enough brains to steal from a Plus Member but not enough to keep track of your own partner?”

“Boss, please. I’m fucking begging you. 1-1 returned the watch!” The third one is crying so hard his voice cracks.

What did they think? That they could pull off a cheap little heist and walk away clean?

They work here. They know better. Thieves come into the casino every day but thieves in my own business? That’s spitting

15:04 Tue, Feb 3

Chapter 5

55 vouchers

“The fourth person put his name down as ‘J‘ in our files. He got hired just last night and decided to make his first shift a heist with these three geniuses.”

One of my eyebrows lifts as I stare at David. “You hired someone for the casino floor with the name ‘J‘? No last name? No ID? Are you fucking kidding me?”

“We were desperate for new hires, Harvey. The guy had the right build, looked like he could handle himself—”

“Listen to that bullshit.” I cut him off. “He applied for the job to rob the customer. You should’ve seen that.”

I snap my fingers at Linda, who’s been standing quietly with her laptop pressed to her chest, pushes her glasses up. She’s the best information–puller I’ve got…but even she looks tense.

“Not much about him, sir. It’s like he doesn’t exist but we have his face from the cameras.”

“That’s nothing.” I tilt my head.

“Sorry, sir.”

“Give me that bat.” I hold my hand out to Michael. When he gives it to me, it swings loosely at my side.

“Boss. Boss, no!”

“Boss, please!”

The thieves press their bodies together in a knot, stacking themselves as if that would protect them if I decided to swing.

“Boss, we don’t know him like that!” one sobs so hard snot is dripping. “He just told us the customer had money. He said wait until he was drunk, then take his things. We don’t know anything else, boss, I swear!”

“You let a newbie convince you to steal.” I say, rolling the bat across my palm, “and you did it knowing my rules?”

“Boss. Boss, please. Please. Fucking please-”

“Sir, I found something!” Linda types fast and I face her. “I found his father. They own a convenience store off Mile 7 road. Full name is Daryl Morgan.”

I look back at the three idiots on their knees. “You don’t know anything about him?”

They shake their heads so fast they look like bobbleheads.

“What’s been returned?”

“Everything except the black suitcase. Customer said the suitcase is the most important thing.” David answers.

“J‘ wanted the suitcase! one thieves blurts. “He didn’t care about the watch or the cash. He kept saying the suitcase, that’s all he wanted,”

Interesting.

“Go to the convenience store. Ask the father for his son. If you don’t get answers, destroy the place. Break everything that can break. That bastard needs to know I’m looking for him.” I grab Linda’s tablet to study the paused frame of the CCTV and the face of the bastard who walked into my business simply to rob on his first night.

“Are you pausing your Italy trip?” David asks.

“Fuck no. Take these three to the police. And tell the customer he’ll get his suitcase back. If there was money in it, tell him I’ll personally cover the loss.”

15:05 Tue, Feb 3 M.

Chapter 5

Michael hauls the three of them up.

31

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I pull a cigarette from the pack on my desk and fish the lighter from my back pocket. When I light is, the first drag is a clarifying burn.

My phone buzzes in my other pocket but I exhale a plume of smoke before glancing at a text from my father.

Why did you leave so abruptly? It upset your mother. Why don’t you consider how your actions affect this family?

And at the bottom, he types his real question: And what was that display with the stylist? Do you have a girlfriend, or was that just to compete with Baxter because he’s getting married?

I almost laugh. It’s not funny but I almost do. As if I would drag Jennifer into this family just to piss them off. If those paparazzi hadn’t taken those pictures, I would’ve kept her as far as possible.

I’m about to text the old man back when Jennifer’s message pops up. I know it’s her immediately because her profile picture is that anime character with wild blue hair that she swears is her twin.

I think it’s a message until I click it open and see a picture.

A picture of Jennifer in a bikini. With a text asking, “Tinka” which one better is for the beaches in Italy, red or white.

My throat tightens. The red bikini cuts into her flesh, trying to contain the weight of her tits, pushing them up into a swollen, delicious cleavage that makes my mouth water. I look at the cruel pinch of her waist, to the generosity of her hips that looks built to be gripped, to have my hands slam against them, to hold her steady while I drive-

Her curly hair is everywhere in the photo, in her natural face and flush.

Another file comes in. A short video this time of her in the white bikini one. She’s twisting her hair up, turning in a circle which shows her-

My vision combusts.

I look away, jaw locked so tight it aches. I’m not the type who sits around staring at half–naked pictures of women–never have been–but right now I’m fighting for my damn life. I swear I caught freckles where a man should never be noticing freckles.

“Boss? Are you… okay? You’re kind of red-”

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