Chapter 6 - THE MAN BESIDE VINCENT
Mason Reed had been beside Vincent for seventeen years.
He handled schedules.
Meetings.
Security.
People who wanted access to Vincent usually spoke to Mason first.
That included me.
I suddenly remembered the seventh guard.
The man I counted near the kitchen doorway.
Mason.
Vincent called him.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
A third time.
Straight to voicemail.
David leaned against the bar.
“This is getting interesting.”
Vincent turned slowly.
“Careful.”
David smiled.
“Maybe your house isn’t as clean as you think.”
Vincent’s expression remained calm.
But everybody around him became quieter.
Elena opened another transfer.
Mason Reed had authorized consulting payments to a company called North Shore Advisory.
The company had no employees.
No office.
No public website.
It received $310,000 from businesses connected to David over four years.
Mom looked at Vincent.
“You didn’t know?”
“No.”
She studied his face.
“Do you expect me to believe that?”
Vincent didn’t become angry.
“No.”
That surprised her.
“You shouldn’t believe people because they sound certain.”
He glanced toward me.
“Your daughter didn’t.”
I liked that answer.
Mom didn’t.
“My husband might have died because of this.”
Vincent nodded.
“That possibility changes everything.”
David scoffed.
“You’re really going to let a waitress accuse people of murder now?”
Mom turned on him.
“My name is Claire.”
David smirked.
“I know your name.”
“No.”
She stepped closer.
“You knew my name when you owed me five thousand dollars.”
“You knew my name when my husband died.”
“You knew my name when you stood beside his coffin.”
Her voice shook.
“But you still thought I was nobody.”
David’s smile vanished.
Vincent watched her for a long moment.
Then he told Elena to make copies of everything.
Crowe walked toward David.
“You need independent counsel.”
David stared at him.
“You’re my counsel.”
“Not anymore.”
David’s face tightened.
Crowe placed the old contract back into his briefcase.
“I was hired to protect a restaurant.”
He looked toward Daniel’s envelope.
“Not bury whatever this is.”
David took another step toward him.
“Sam.”
Crowe shook his head.
“I’m done.”
Then the front doors opened.
Two uniformed police officers walked in.
Everybody turned.
One officer asked.
“David Sterling?”
David’s expression changed from fear to relief.
“Yes.”
He pointed at Vincent.
“I want these people removed from my property.”
The officer looked confused.
“We’re not here about that.”
He opened a small notebook.
“We received a report of a vehicle blocking a fire lane.”
David blinked.
“What?”
The officer pointed outside.
“The red Porsche.”
For one second, even Mom almost laughed.
Then the second officer walked closer to Vincent.
“Mr. Kane.”
Vincent nodded.
The officer lowered his voice.
“You should know something.”
He held out a small plastic bag.
Inside was a phone.
The screen was cracked.
“We found this in the alley.”
Vincent recognized it.
Mason Reed’s phone.
There was blood on one corner.
May you like
And the last outgoing message had been sent twelve minutes earlier.
To David Sterling.
