Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 82878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Michael Fields was a part of a rival drug gang. He wasn’t high enough up the chain to be a target of my men, but he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and during a war over territory, Michael Fields took a bullet and he died.
“Yeah, he did. He was also a good friend of Igor’s,” Jerome says.
“Huh?” I say. “No wonder he hates my guts…”
“Yeah. Revenge. His plan was to destroy your business, your whole life, from the inside out and then kill you.”
“And somehow, all he’s done is destroyed himself and soon enough, he’ll be the one who's dead.”
“Pretty much,” Jerome agrees.
He pulls onto a quiet suburb and drives down a short cul-de-sac.
“This is it,” he says, nodding at a small but neat house in front of us. “You see now why we weren’t looking here?”
I nod. It’s the last place in the city we would have looked. I don’t think we ever would have bothered coming here at all if one of Jerome’s men hadn’t gotten the word on the place.
“Michael bought this house years ago, before he got involved with the drugs or the gangs. He left it to Igor in his will,” Jerome says.
I shake my head in surprise and get out of the car. Jerome gets out too.
“Wait here,” I say. “I want to talk to him alone.”
“But, boss…” Jerome says.
“But nothing,” I say. “I take it your men are still in position?”
Jerome nods his head.
“Then he can’t escape. Give me ten minutes, and if I’m not out, come in and take the fucker down.”
Jerome nods his head again and leans on the hood of the car.
“Whatever you say, boss,” he agrees.
I see him glance at his watch, noting the time so he knows exactly how long to give me. I’m confident Igor isn’t going to be sitting in his living room holding a gun. He has no idea we’ve found him. I want to go in there and have this out with him man to man, and then I’ll end the fucker with my bare hands for everything he’s put me and Amelia through.
I make my way up to the house, being careful not to draw attention to myself. I’m dressed in my work clothes, a nice suit and tie, and I know anyone glancing out of their windows won’t look at me and think I’m suspicious. In a neighborhood like this, an expensive suit blends in.
I reach the door and try the handle. I’m surprised to find the door unlocked. For all of Igor’s trickery, he’s gotten cocky. Complacent. He’s so sure we won’t find him here that he’s let his guard down. A locked door wouldn’t have saved him anyway. Then I wonder why a man as smart as him would ever be so lax.
I push the door open and step inside as quietly as I can. I close the door behind me, and I make my way across the entrance hall to what I assume is the living room. I take a deep breath and push the door wide open quickly. I expect to see Igor jumping to his feet, panic etched across his face. Instead, I see him sitting in an armchair watching the door. He smiles at me as the door opens and I feel a tingle of nerves run down my spine.
“You took your time, Viktor,” he says pleasantly.
I have once more underestimated Igor. He wasn’t getting complacent. He left the door unlocked on purpose. His smile widens.
“I can almost see your brain ticking, Viktor. Yes, I left the door unlocked on purpose. I figured it would be nice if we could have a little chat before we get this over with, and we don’t want any of my neighbors calling the police because some buffoon in a suit has kicked my door in, do we?” Igor says.
“No. We most definitely don’t want the police showing up here anytime soon. How did you know I was coming?”
I hate giving Igor the upper hand like this, but I’m curious and now I know he was expecting me, there’s every chance he does indeed have a gun in his hand, and I want to stall him long enough that Jerome comes in and blasts him away before he has a chance to use it.
“Because I instigated it so you would find out about this place and come here. I figured it was time to end this and it seems fitting that the end should come in my friend’s house, don’t you think?”
He phrases it like a question, but he doesn’t give me a chance to answer him. Not that I really know what I would have said in response anyway. Igor is clever, but there’s an air of someone slightly unhinged about him and dealing with people like that is like walking a tightrope. One wrong step and you’re done.