Page 84 of Stabby Little

"He brought Khalid into the countryside and strung him up a tree. He put a pillowcase over his head and beat him with brass knuckles. Then he killed him."

"He's a thief. That's what he deserves."

"Khalid never would've stolen from the family." Michael's eyes turn to slits. "That's why I don't believe you. I gave him a second chance after the world turned on him. He wouldn't cross me."

"Believe what you want. Khalid stole Anton's jewelry and tried to make me an accomplice."

"And you refused to let him get away with it."

"Exactly."

"Here's the problem. I need Khalid to work for me. He does the shit you and Jagger don't have the balls to do. You're pussies compared to Khalid. Khalid would fucking go to Abu Dhabi," Michael snaps. "He wouldn't question me about my mission to kidnap the Saudi king's son."

"I don't doubt that."

"He wouldn't hide behind bullshit excuses."

"My moral concerns are why I can't go. I refuse to hurt an innocent person. I'm glad Khalid doesn't have an ethical guiding light."

Michael slams his fist on his desk. "You made a mistake by tattling on Khalid. He only took a couple of diamond necklaces."

"Three million dollars worth."

"Khalid's worth a hell of a lot more to my operations than three million dollars." The words come out as a snarl. "He does my dirty work. He fixes my messes. My brothers—fuck those two bastards—don't know the half of it. Khalid has kept me out of trouble more times than I can count."

I narrow my eyes. "Trust is the highest currency. If you can't trust Khalid with your valuables, you can't trust him in business."

"I trusted him precisely because no one else could trust him."

"I don't understand."

Michael's eyes flare with rage. "I had him by the balls. You understand? Anton and Zaire wouldn't lay a finger on him because they knew he couldn't leave me. Anton pounced because Khalid's thievery was the only excuse he had to take him out."

"I was only protecting the family. That's what you instructed me to do."

"Not like this." Michael picks up his glass of scotch. After he drains it, he throws it against the wall.

Crash.

It smashes into a million shards and trinkles to the floor. He wipes his hand on his suit coat and turns to me.

"You fucked up."

"That wasn't my intention."

"Your intentions don't matter. First, you murdered Bolverkr. Second, you ratted on Khalid. I'm not sure who you work for."

"I work for you."

"You do a piss poor job of it." A vein bulges in Michael's forehead. "I'm sick of dealing with your and Jagger's shit. Do your fucking job and do it right. Don't involve yourself in business that's not yours or rat out my men."

"Khalid can't be trusted."

"I make those determinations. Screw up again and you're dead."

Michael walks to my side and places his hand on my shoulder. "Tell me about Xavier's killer. What else did you find on him?"

"Nothing else. The boy you told me to investigate is a student with zero criminal record. You already know he didn't do it."

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