Chapter 3 - The Corrupt Badge
The freezing rain turned quickly into sharp sleet as they ran through the dark streets.
Dominic pulled Norah into the rusted service entrance of an abandoned textile warehouse.
He slammed the heavy steel door shut and quickly locked the deadbolt.
Norah leaned against a concrete pillar, violently gasping for air as adrenaline flooded her system.
"That was a police officer," she whispered, her voice trembling uncontrollably.
"That was a uniformed cop trying to kill us in the middle of the street."
Dominic clicked a small tactical flashlight on, sweeping the bright beam across the dusty, empty floor.
"That was Detective Miller," Dominic corrected softly, checking the magazine of his weapon.
"He has been firmly on the Whitmore family payroll for over five years."
"Valerie's father essentially owns the police precinct that covers your neighborhood."
Norah felt a cold wave of absolute terror wash over her exhausted body.
"They framed me for a murder I didn't commit, and the police are the ones actively hunting me."
Dominic holstered his weapon and began pacing the room with predatory grace.
"Senator Whitmore desperately needs a war to take over my shipping ports."
"If he officially accuses me of killing his daughter, the Five Families will intervene and force a truce."
"But if a disgruntled waitress killed her, and I happen to die protecting that waitress in a shootout..."
Dominic stopped pacing and looked directly into Norah's terrified eyes.
"Then the Senator gets to wipe out my entire organization while playing the sympathetic grieving father."
Norah slid down the cold concrete pillar until she hit the floor.
She buried her face in her hands, completely overwhelmed by the nightmare she had stumbled into.
"I shouldn't have said anything to her in the restaurant that night."
"I should have just kept my mouth shut and let her yell at Lily."
Dominic walked over and crouched down gracefully in front of her.
"If you had stayed quiet, Valerie still would be dead today."
"The hit on her was already planned long before you intervened."
"You simply gave them a highly convenient narrative to exploit."
He reached out and gently tilted her chin up so she was forced to look at him.
"You are the only person in this entire city who doesn't want something from me."
"And you are the only person alive who can actually prove I didn't pull that trigger."
Norah looked into his gray eyes, suddenly realizing how incredibly isolated this powerful man actually was.
Her cheap cell phone suddenly vibrated loudly in her coat pocket, shattering the quiet moment.
She pulled it out and saw a text message from an unknown number.
It was a grainy photograph of Lily Parker, tied to a wooden chair with a badly bruised face.
May you like
The caption beneath the photo was terrifyingly simple.
Come to the South Side docks alone tonight, or the teenager dies.
