Chapter 6 - The Interrogation
I didn't go after Victor first; I went for the weakest link in their chain. My father. He was a coward who hid behind my mother's cruelty, and I knew his routine perfectly. Every Tuesday evening, he went to his private cigar club downtown, using it to pretend he was still wealthy and relevant. I waited in the alley behind the club as the rain started again, masking my presence in the shadows. At exactly 9:00 PM, the heavy oak door opened, and my father stepped out, lighting a Cuban cigar. He looked stressed, glancing over his shoulder. He should have looked in front of him.
I stepped out of the darkness. Before he could even register my face, I moved, grabbing him by the lapels of his expensive wool coat and slamming him against the brick wall. The cigar flew from his mouth, sparking against the wet pavement. "Harper!" he choked out, his eyes wide with shock. I didn't yell or scream. I simply pressed my forearm against his throat—just enough to restrict his airway without crushing his windpipe. "You sold her," I whispered into his ear. He clawed at my arm, his face turning red. "Harper... please..."
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"How much, Dad?" I asked calmly. "How much was your granddaughter worth?" I released the pressure slightly so he could speak. He gasped for air, coughing violently. "Two million," he sobbed. "Two million dollars to clear the debt. He just wanted to be a part of her life." I slammed him against the wall again. "He hurt her! He's sick! And you knew it!" My father cried, tears mixing with the rain on his face. "Your mother made the deal! I couldn't stop her. Victor is dangerous, Harper. He has people."
"Where is Victor right now?" I demanded. When he claimed he didn't know, I drew my tactical knife. The steel flashed under the dim alley light, and my father's eyes rolled back in terror as I pressed the flat of the blade against his cheek. "Where. Is. He." I repeated. "The warehouse!" he screamed. "His import company by the docks! He's meeting with his security team tonight." I stepped back, letting him collapse onto the wet asphalt, a pathetic, broken man. "If you warn them," I said, looking down at him, "I won't just ruin you financially. I will erase you." I walked away into the rain, leaving him in absolute silence.
