Chapter 8 - THE WHISPERS IN THE DARKThree weeks later, the Manhattan skyline glittered through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the DeLuca penthouse. The broken glass of the engagement ballroom had long since been swept away, replaced by reinforced steel shutters and a private security detail that made the compound impenetrable.
Zara sat at the mahogany desk in Vincent’s private study, reviewing the final asset forfeiture reports from the federal prosecutor's office. Vance was locked away in a maximum-security supermax facility, cut off from the outside world entirely. The syndicate had been restructured, its violent syndications stripped away to legitimate shipping and real estate holdings.
The door opened silently, and Vincent stepped inside, carrying two glasses of aged bourbon. He set one down on the desk before sliding onto the edge of the leather sofa, watching her with a mixture of profound respect and quiet intensity.
"The federal prosecutor called," Vincent said, taking a slow sip of his drink. "They want to offer you a permanent advisory role on organized crime task force operations. They realized a social worker from Baltimore has a better tactical mind than half their senior analysts."
Zara looked up from her tablet, a faint, wry smile touching her lips. "And what did you tell them?"
"I told them you were already employed," Vincent replied smoothly, his eyes warm. "Permanently."
Suddenly, Ghost let out a sharp, low growl from his resting place by the fireplace. His ears pinned back, and he rose to his feet in a single fluid motion, staring intently at the private balcony doors.
Zara’s hand dropped instinctively to the holster hidden beneath the edge of her blazer. Vincent stood up instantly, stepping in front of her as his own hand cleared his jacket.
A shadow flickered across the reinforced glass of the balcony.
May you like
The lights in the penthouse instantly cut out, plunging the room into total darkness.
Before either of them could draw their weapons, a small, silver envelope slid under the balcony door, illuminated by a single red laser dot pointing directly at the center of the room.
