My fingers tighten around the warm ceramic cup in my hands. Ten grand! Ten f**king grand! Who lets themselves get that far into a hole in one f**king game? Don’t get me wrong, ten years in the department and I’ve seen it all. Doesn’t mean I can’t be surprised when it happens to someone I thought knew better, or had at least learned their lesson from last time.
I wouldn’t want to be Ryan when Sean gets his hands on him. I had to intervene last time when Sean said he’d washed his hands of his brother. This might just be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. If not that, then I might have just stepped over the line myself. I can only hope that Sean realizes the position I was in and can forgive me.
Chapter 20: “The Man”
Sean
I slide my black Maserati into a parking spot opposite the bar where Ryan said he was. From the outside, it looks like a standard upmarket Chicago cocktail bar. I shake my head and check the address again, looking for some dodgy warehouse or something more fitting for underground gambling. Surely this can’t be right. Illegal gambling should be held in rundown, hole-in-the-wall bars that look like the health department should be knocking on their door any day now, nothing like this scene in front of me.
Knowing that Ryan’s phone will be on silent, I have no option, but to find him myself. Getting out of the car, I set the alarm and stroll across the street, noticing with interest that the bar is closed, and a few staff are the only ones left inside as they pack away for the night. I check the neighboring premises and see that there is an alleyway around the side of the building. Knowing that Ryan is inside somewhere and in trouble, I waste no time in crossing the street and walking down the alley, checking constantly for anyone following me or coming out in front of me. I’m not worried about having to defend myself, it’s more the surprise factor. I’d rather be on guard than be caught unprepared, and since I came unarmed, I may be at a disadvantage.
I see an old wooden door at the end of the alleyway with a rather large black man guarding the door.
“You Sean?”
“Yep.”
“Got ID? Can never be too careful.”
“Right. I pull my wallet out of my back pocket, showing him my license. He hands it back to me and steps forward, pulling the door open. “You better be here to bail your bro out. He’s in trouble. So far in the hole he’s losing sight of the light, if you know what I mean.”
I swallow hard. Fuck! I lift my chin to the guy before stepping inside, the hazy, smoke-filled room stifling as I walk toward a large round table. Checking the table and not seeing Ryan, my eyes go to the guy leaning back in his chair at the head of the table.
“Where’s Ryan Miller?”
“You his banker?”
“What the f**k do you think?”
“You got his money? He said his brother was coming and would sort it all out for him. We put him somewhere safe until it was all taken care of.” The smarmy man smiles, his mouth full of big, overly white teeth. It’s almost creepy, and I’m a hard man to rattle.
“You think I could pull that kind of money out of my ass at 2.30 in the morning? You know as well as I do that most law abiding citizens don’t have that kind of dough lying around. So I give you my word that the money is paid into your account as soon as the bank opens.”
I just hope Ryan isn’t in so much trouble that I can’t save him. I may be pissed, but he’s my only family. Ryan and Sam are the only ones who matter to me. Why do you think I didn’t bring her along? It wasn’t because I didn’t think she could handle herself, but I refused to put her in a position where she would have to defend herself or put her job on the line. She loves her career too much for that.
The Cheshire cat starts laughing, slamming his palm on the table, seemingly finding the situation hilarious. “See, mister lawyer man, here’s the thing. I know you think you’ve got a leg to stand on, and I don’t doubt that you’re packing some big kahones down below, but I don’t give a f**k.” The smile on his face fades and he glares at me, his eyes almost venomous. “I’m trying to run a business here. I don’t operate credit without collateral or without knowing that I can get the money back from somewhere. Your brother has a big mouth when he’s desperate. He says you own that hot place in the club district and that you’ve got a hot piece of cop ass for a girlfriend. That was all the collateral I needed because I knew you wouldn’t put her in hot water, unless she’s just a piece of ass—”
“You shut your f**king mouth. Leave her out of this,” I spit out, clenching my fists at my side as I try to rein in my anger, knowing I just f**ked up and gave him what he was gunning for.
He smirks at me, knowing he has my back to the wall. “So we have an understanding. Fifteen grand tomorrow morning 10 a.m. or else I start causing trouble for you and your little girlfriend. I bet she’s hot too. What do you think, boys? You think a hot shot like this guy would have a tight piece?”
The three guys flanking him start murmuring to each other, agreeing with him if their nods are any indication.
“Ryan said ten grand.”
“It’s now fifteen.” For f**k’s sake! “Deal. Now bring Ryan out here and we’ll go.”
“Maybe I should keep him as insurance—”
His threats are cut off by a thud against the door and the splintering of wood behind me as suddenly the words “Chicago PD!” ring out and I’m pushed against the wall, face first, my hands held forcefully behind my back.
“Don’t say a word,” a stern male voice mutters in my ear. Not being stupid, I shut my mouth. I feel the cold metal of handcuffs wrap around first one wrist, then the other, as my hands are shackled behind my back.
I hear a scuffle behind me as more officers pour in. “There’s another room back here,” an officer calls out to the others. “Shit, there’s more of them.”
“My brother, he’s back there!” I shout, my voice muffled.
“We know what we’re doing, Mr. Miller, so I suggest you stay silent. I’m taking you back to the station where you’ll stay until we can ascertain your part in all of this.”
“You know I’m a lawyer right?”
“Don’t care. Right now you are a suspect in an illegal gambling racket that we’ve been investigating for a long time. Lawyer or not, I recommend you keep your mouth shut.”
I clamp my mouth shut as I’m pulled back by my arms and pushed out of the door and up the alley, like an everyday common criminal. Just as one of the cops undoes my handcuffs and stuffs me into the back of a waiting patrol car, I turn my head and see a worse for wear Ryan being led by another officer to the car behind me. His eyes meet mine and I can see the guilt residing there. His shoulders are drawn up and there’s none of his normal cocky swagger that Ryan’s known for. Just as he is about to disappear from sight, he looks back up at me and mouths ‘I’m sorry’ before the officer puts a hand on top of his head and ushers him into the back seat of the car.