CHAPTER 14 — The Last Sunset
Vincent Kane died three days later in his sleep.
There was no violence. No assassination. No grand, tragic shootout. The most dangerous man in Chicago simply closed his eyes as the sun rose over Lake Michigan and finally found the peace that had eluded him his entire life.
The funeral was a surreal event.
It was held at a private cemetery on the outskirts of the city. The guest list was a bizarre mix of federal judges, union leaders, politicians, and men with broken noses and scarred faces who wept openly into their silk handkerchiefs.
My mother and I stood in the front row. Marcus stood directly behind us, a silent, immovable mountain of grief.
When it was time to speak, I walked up to the podium. I looked out over the sea of black umbrellas shielding the mourners from the gentle spring rain.
I didn't speak about the Iron Boss. I didn't speak about the syndicate, or the fear, or the power.
I spoke about a cold Tuesday afternoon when a desperate, hungry four-year-old girl walked up to a monster because she believed he could be a hero.
"He didn't just give us a paycheck," I told the quiet crowd, gripping the edges of the wooden podium. "He gave us dignity. He gave us safety. In a world that tells you to take what you want, Vincent Kane taught me that true power is deciding what you are willing to protect."
After the ceremony, as the crowd dispersed, Marcus walked up to me. He handed me a simple, unadorned black briefcase.
"What's this?" I asked, wiping the rain and tears from my face.
"The transition files," Marcus said, his voice gruff. "The old crew is retiring, Rory. The ones who wanted to stay in the blood business took their severances and left for New York or Vegas. The ones who are left... they work for you now. Strictly legitimate. Real estate, logistics, investments."
I looked at Marcus, the man who had broken David Sterling’s arm, the man who had guarded my front door for two decades.
"And what about you, Marcus?" I asked softly. "Are you retiring?"
A faint, ghost of a smile touched the big man's scarred face.
May you like
"Somebody has to make sure the lawyers don't get out of line, Boss," he said, bowing his head slightly in a gesture of absolute loyalty.
I smiled back, feeling a profound sense of closure wash over me. The violent chapter of the Kane family was closed forever. A new one was beginning.
