Page 37 of Traitor

All eyes were on me as I drew in a deep breath. “My apologies for my voice, I have a bit of a cold coming on. Security Team A?”

They all raised their hands. “Present.”

I pointed at the four of them. “You guys are coming with me in an hour. We’ll talk in the car. Security Team B?”

The three of them raised their hands. “Here.”

I pointed at them. “I want you guys patrolling the outside of the house. Just the outside, nothing else. And pay special attention to the water’s edge. We don’t need any threats coming from the ocean.”

Lyle cleared his throat. “My apologies, Mr. Emiliano, but--.”

I pulled my gun out and leveled it with his head. “Time for us to talk.”

Lyle froze. “I’m not following.”

I cleared my throat. “I want everyone to bear witness to what happens when someone in my ranks decides they can pick my wife’s side.”

His eyes widened. “Mr. Emiliano, I can assure you--.”

I cocked my gun. “Don’t talk. I know you’ve been working with her for a while now. I simply needed to create a diversion urgent enough for you to place a call to her. And when I caught wind about one of my men sneaking into that basement to get to Char, well I just couldn’t have that.”

He swallowed hard. “I swear, Mr. Emiliano, there’s an explanation.”

I pointed my gun at his knee and popped off a shot. “Make it quick.”

He doubled over in pain. “Holy shit! You shot me!”

I pressed the gun to the back of his head. “Enlighten me with whatever argument you have that will convince me that you aren’t the rat. Convince me you aren’t the snake that passed Char that burner phone. That kept putting her and Lorenzo together, alone, in my own fucking house. Convince me, Lyle! Convince me that you weren’t the one who tried to STRANGLE HER IN THE BASEMENT OF THAT MAN’S HOUSE!”

He sniffled. “Please, Mr. Emiliano. I’m so sorry. She threatened my family. Said she’d--.”

I tisked. “Well, that really isn’t my problem. Your family has been under my protection for years. And it will stay that way, per your death benefits.”

He sniveled and cried at my feet. “Please, Mr. Emiliano, I do--.”

I shot him in the back of the head and heard a few people jump back. I passed my gun off to the man beside me and he took it with a cloth covering his own hand.

“Someone clean up his mess and feed my pets out there in the ocean. I’m sure they’re getting hungry,” I said. “And as for Security Team A? Where are you guys again?”

Their hands went up one by one, and I finally had them at my fearful command once more.

“The four of you are coming with me. When the sun begins to set, we are heading to Lorenzo’s. Which is why I need Security Team B to keep the house locked down and shoot anyone on sight who isn’t myself or Miss Pettigrew.”

A brave voice rose above the small crowd. “What about Mrs. Emiliano?”

The room sent silent as my back straightened. “If she comes anywhere near this property, for any reason, at any point in time? The first to gun her down gets a permanent raise of twenty grand a year.”

I stormed to my office and pulled out paperwork before finalizing my last will and testament. It was a project I’d been working on with my old lawyer before I figured out my wife was manipulating him in order to get information out of me. So, of course, he had to be relieved of his duties. But, I still had the documents and I still had some time to fill them out, so I filled in the blanks and signed off on things.

Before I had the head of my security witness and sign as well.

“We’re ready when you are, Mr. Emiliano,” he said.

I nodded. “Then, let’s get everyone loaded up. Char doesn’t have much more time.”

I ran down the plan quickly with my men in the van. It was simple, really: they were to act as a well-coordinated diversion, pulling Lorenzo’s men away from the house. And once I could sneak in, I had twenty minutes tops to find Char and get her the hell out of there. I had no idea what kind of condition she’d be in. I didn’t know if Lorenzo would take my advice and she’d be healthy enough to run, or if she’d be a dead body I’d have to carry out.

Nevertheless, we agreed to the plans as the head of my security stopped the van about half a mile away from his property.

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