Page 65 of Hartley

Every time I rid the world of a threat; I thought I could finally breathe easy. Apparently, fucking not. There was always another asshole waiting in the wings to try to take what was mine.

Albert stood waiting beside my Maserati with the door open. “Good morning, sir.”

“Albert.”

“The usual route?”

“And then some.”

“Very well.” He shut the door, closing me inside. The leather cradled me as I adjusted my body in the seat and pulled my seat belt on. Ava wanted me to, so I did it.

Raiden sat in the passenger seat while Albert slid behind the wheel. “If only you would have listened to me as well as you do to Ava,” Albert observed.

I said nothing, simply jutted my chin so he’d get fucking moving. I wasn’t in the mood to talk. There were bullets in my guns waiting to find homes in major organs.

Albert navigated the city streets with ease, stopping every now and then when I’d tell him to so I could speak with people on the ground, ones who lived and worked here. They didn’t have any information to share but while I spoke with them, I asked how their families were, how their businesses were doing. It was good for me to take an interest in the people who lived in my half of the city.

With none of them having information that could lead me to the Everharts, I started finding informants, ones Barrett’s coworkers used. If they thought I didn’t realize who they spoke to, they were sorely mistaken. I also paid those informants for information.

Once we’d exhausted East Dremest, Albert took the bridge over the creek to the other side of the city, my nephew’s side. The one the Dremests ruled too. I had very few cops in my pocket here, so Albert made certain to do the speed limit and abide by the laws.

I placed a call to Dexen and asked him to speak with his brother. They were in very different businesses, both that would have gossip going around if another criminal like me was slinking nearby. Although, no one was like me. I was stronger, richer, and had a worse reputation. The Everhartswere fucking trash in my city, and I wanted everyone to know it.

After we left Dremest, we combed the suburbs, driving for hours, talking to those who would be open to speaking to me.

All for fucking nothing.

I had no leads, and my family was still at risk.

If only Barrett would find me another guard to torture. At least the Everharts were down a man after I killed one. With their lack of funds, they wouldn’t find many who’d be willing to work for them unless they promised them shit they wouldn’t follow through on.

The longer we drove, the angrier I became. Mile by mile, my blood pressure rose until Albert rolled down my window, snapping me out of my rage-filled haze so the warm air could float over my skin and chase some of the internal heat away.

“Did you see that, sir?” Albert asked.

I immediately perked up and gazed in the direction he pointed. “What am I looking for?”

“It was a cardinal perched on the tree branch. I could have sworn he was watching us. Maybe we should ask him where the Everharts are. At this point, he might be more knowledgeable than the people you’ve spoken with.”

The words on the tip of my tongue wouldn’t leave my lips. It was instinct to tell Albert to shut up or threaten him with a bird carcass in his bed, but he was right. The damned bird probably did know more than me.

“I’m really fucking tired of not being able to find people in my own goddamn city,” I growled. “I want Edison and Noel in a fucking warehouse with their arms and legs bound. I want their bodies waiting for my knife. I want their guards dead.”

If we were in my office, I would have taken a page out of my nephew’s book and thrown something across the room inanger. Why couldn’t I find these people? How did assholes keep hiding in plain sight? It was bullshit.

“I’ve missed the growling, sir,” Albert said cheerily. “Ever since you got together with Mr. Ayers and Mr. Weathers, your growls have been fewer. You’re happier. Almost smiling while in the car with me.”

Raiden’s shoulders were so damn tense in the front seat, it was like he was made from stone. He was waiting for me to lash out at Albert. He should have known by now there were a few people in my employment who I tried to rein it in with. Tried being the key word.

“Just take me home,” I bit out. Driving around was useless. I’d rather spend my time making money than chasing ghosts.

My phone vibrated in my pocket. I answered it with a sharp, “Yes?”

On the other end, all I heard was heavy, painful breathing like whoever called was hurt. I quickly glanced at the screen, which I neglected to do when I answered and saw Vincent’s name.

“Vinny, what is it?” I asked.

“I’m… shot. Bleeding. On Fourth. Lane’s gone. Taken. Fuck.”

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