Page 56 of Sins

“How are you?”

Ugh.“I’m sure you know people often ask that question to stall for time before telling someone crappy news.” I gave him a knowing look. “Come on, Simon, we’re closer than that.” He leaned back with a nod. “Just spit it out.” He still didn’t speak, and I decided I wasn’t going to waste my time, and I hooked my arm through my purse and rose to leave.

“Your father, he’s done something.”

“Really? That’s it?” I made a face. “Like murder, spread mayhem, destroy innocent lives, including mine?” I dripped with sarcasm.

He pushed his glasses up his nose then rubbed his lips. I almost took pity on him. I noticed the way he was sweating, and he looked like he was about to be sick. He ran his hands over his thighs and leaned forward. “Shit.” I’d never heard Simon curse before, so I knew this was hard on him.

“Okay, Simon, you have my attention. What’s going on?” I plunked back down on the couch.

“Screw it.” He pulled his chair closer to me. “I need to tell you the truth.”

“I’m listening.”

“But I need to start from the beginning.” I nodded and waved for him to get on with it. “Back in the early fifties, there was this group that wanted to take over the drug trade here in Vegas. They called themselves the Potens.”

“Yes, it’s Latin for powerful. They liked to relate themselves to the Metriorhynchidae, which is a crocodile. You can skip that part.”

His brows shot up like he was impressed. “Very well, then.” I had thrown him off with that. He thought for a moment and started again. “As you may know, then, the group went dormant after their head guy got life in jail. But then ten years ago or so, some of them started to re-surface. They were looking for an opening, some way to get a foothold in Vegas, and that’s where your father came into play.”

“Jesus.”

“Your father made a show of flashing around, letting people know about all the highly powerful people he knew. Anyway, he caught the attention of the Potens. At first, they hired him to keep one of their own out of prison. Cameron made all kinds of promises, but in the end, he failed them. He had a fall guy to take the rap, but it fell through, and one of the Potens’ leaders ended up getting life without parole. He was murdered shortly after. Let’s just say it left a bad taste in their mouth. They weren’t happy.”

“Shit.”

“Yeah,” he agreed, “this is where it gets scary. The Potens lived by one law. They gave you one chance, then you were forever in their debt. That’s why they showed up that day at your house and never left. He and your family now belonged to them.”

“I remember. I answered the door, they came in, and never left.”

“The downfall of being cocky,” he shrugged with a grim look, “because Cameron bragged about his big client, Jim Gates, who owned many highly successful hotels all over the world, including Indulge here in Vegas. That got their attention. Cameron’s debt was to get the Potens inside the Gateses’ world.They were patient, and they wanted to hunker down and wait for the perfect moment to destroy them from the inside out.”

“Oh, my God.” I covered my mouth.

“Cameron had just gotten Jim off for embezzlement a year prior, right around the time he got sick with cancer, and your father did everything in his power to find him the best doctors. He knew how valuable the Gateses were to his survival. He couldn’t risk Jim dying.”

“So, you’re telling me my sister and I lived with a bunch of American mafia men for years because my father got cocky?”

He nodded. “To put it simply, yes.”

“That’s just great.” I rubbed my chin. “Well, that explains a lot.” Something nagged at me. “So, who was it? Who was the head of the Potens when they approached my father all those years ago?”

“I’m not sure, exactly, and to be truthful, I’m not sure if Cameron ever really knew who their leader was. But that segues me into this next part.”

“Oh, there’s more?” I laughed darkly. “Super.”

“I may not know who the head of the Potens is either, then or now, but I can tell you who’s extremely powerful and just made a big play. His name is Elias Griple.”

Hold up.“Why does that name sound familiar?”

“He’s one of your father’sclients.” He finger-quoted.

I rolled my eyes. “Of course he is.” I waved for him to continue.

“Griple was going down for first degree murder, so Cameron used his go-to and lined up a fall guy. This time a Martin Castillo.”

“One of the big Cartel bosses.” I showed him I knew who he was, too.

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