Page 56 of Hartley

Lucky for Barrett I had Lawson tap into the security feed to make sure Barrett didn’t fuck with anything while he was here, like planting a camera or a listening device. While Barrett doing that would assure his death, he was still a cop, someone who didn’t just work for me. I only trusted him so much.

Barrett opened the door and stepped into the room. He crouched in front of the asshole on the floor. “Lucky for you I brought a playmate. You know Jordan Altair, right? He’s going to treat you so nice. I’m even going to remove your gag so we can hear how beautifully you beg. And you’ll need to beg.Jordan just killed your neighbor without thinking twice.” He removed the gag, and the man sucked in big gulps of air.

“I told you; I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t know shit about the Everharts.”

“That kind of loyalty must mean they are either paying you well, which I know they aren’t because their asses are pretty fucking broke, or they’re holding something over your head. Either way, I don’t give a shit. You tell Jordan what he needs to know, or you’ll die.” He was going to die either way. What he said would depend on how much mercy I gave him.

The man’s eyes met mine. “Why would I come into your city and start shit? I know who you are. Everyone does.”

“Then why did I catch you scoping out Hartley Weathers’s studio yesterday morning? He wasn’t there yet, and you knew the right angle to stay out of the view of the cameras. I just happened to be driving by on my way into work when I noticed a beat up shitbox idling at the corner. Lo and behold, there you were acting like you weren’t doing a thing wrong.” So that was how Barrett found him. “Not only that but once I searched your vehicle, I found guns, meth, and a hit list. How many people were on it again?” Barrett leaned his ear closer.

“That wasn’t mine.”

“Sure, it wasn’t. It just so happened to be a list of all of Jordan’s family, guards, any family they had, and so on. So, tell me again how you don’t know the Everharts? There’s no other huge hit out there right now for that many people Jordan knows.”

“Move, Barrett,” I seethed. My guards knew what they were getting into when they agreed to work for me. That didn’t mean I liked hearing their names were on a hit list. But my fucking blood ran cold when I heard my partners and sonwere on it. I didn’t even want to think about Ava’s name being on it, which was why I didn’t ask.

Barrett could have brought this guy to the station just like the drug dealer, but the reality was, they would eventually get out and do the same shit all over again. I was the justice system in East Dremest.

Gripping the man by the throat, I lifted him from the ground. “Cut his legs free.”

Raiden pulled out a knife and took care of it so the man could stand. I didn’t feel like kneeling to fuck him up.

“Do you work for the Everharts?” I already knew he did, but I wanted to hear him say it.

He didn’t speak but nodded his head ever so slightly like I was wired and would rat him out to his boss. Idiot.

“Where are they staying?”

“They move, jumping from spot to spot so you don’t find them.”

“Last location.”

He rattled off an address, which wasn’t a number just a street. Raiden would get some of my men over there to verify if he was telling the truth or not.

“How many of you are with them?”

His lips were sealed again, which made me think he was telling the truth about the location. He was safe saying it, given they were no longer there.

“Okay, here’s how this is going to work. I ask a question, and you answer. Every time you don’t, I shoot you in an area of my choosing. Raiden will hold you up by the throat so if I shoot your kneecap, you’ll get to balance on one leg and by your throat. Now, how many of you are with the Everharts?” Raiden took over holding him by his throat.

Nothing.

“Fine.” I shot his knee.

He let out a high-pitched scream but said nothing else.

“Next question. You don’t get do-overs. Who’s running the show? Edison or Noel?”

A tear slipped down his cheek, but his tongue didn’t move.

“You understand they have no fucking clue if you’re talking to me or not. You could get away and never look back if you answer me. Not answering my questions ensures your death by bleeding out.”

He shook his head and more tears fell.

I shot his foot on the opposite side. His silent tears turned to quiet sobs as Raiden held him by his neck, Raiden’s knuckles going white now that the man couldn’t stand well. He used both hands to hold him up.

“Where are they planning to strike us?”

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