Chapter 4 - THE BOY WHO KNEW TOO MUCH
Dustin backed away from the windows.
“That doesn’t make sense.”
Rick laughed bitterly.
“You think Victor loves you?”
“He’s family.”
“That’s why he used you.”
Dustin looked twenty years younger all of a sudden.
Not an undefeated fighter.
Not the dangerous boyfriend.
Just a frightened kid who had mistaken fear for power.
I felt no sympathy for what he had done to Evelyn.
But fear could be useful.
“What did she find?” I asked.
Dustin said nothing.
Another impact shook the front door.
Rick grabbed him.
“Tell him!”
Dustin shoved Rick away.
“Get off me!”
I stepped closer.
“Your uncle is about to burn this building with you inside. You have about thirty seconds to decide which side you’re on.”
His eyes moved toward the security monitors.
Then toward the cracked door.
Finally, he whispered, “The gym launders money.”
Rick closed his eyes.
Dustin kept talking.
“Victor owns clubs, construction companies, betting operations. Cash comes here as membership revenue and sponsorship money.”
“How much?”
“I don’t know.”
“You know.”
His jaw tightened.
“Maybe twenty million.”
Rick interrupted.
“Closer to forty.”
Dustin stared at him.
“You knew?”
“I keep the books Victor gives me.”
Outside, someone smashed the door again.
The glass webbed.
I looked toward the emergency hallway.
“We move now.”
Rick grabbed the recorder.
The fighters who could walk followed.
Dustin remained still.
I turned.
“You coming?”
He looked at me.
“You hate me.”
“Yes.”
“If I go outside with you, you’ll hand me to police.”
“Yes.”
He almost smiled.
“You really don’t negotiate.”
“Not over my daughter’s ribs.”
That erased the smile.
We moved toward the rear corridor.
Then Dustin caught my arm.
“There’s something else.”
I stopped.
“Evelyn didn’t just copy the accounts.”
“What did she copy?”
His voice became barely audible.
“Videos.”
Rick froze.
“What videos?”
Dustin looked sick.
“My uncle records people.”
“For blackmail?”
He nodded.
“Judges. Cops. Business owners.”
“And Kessler?”
Another nod.
That explained the detective.
Dustin leaned closer.
“Evelyn found the server password.”
A tremendous crash exploded behind us.
The front door shattered.
Men entered the gym.
We ran.
But as we reached the emergency exit, Dustin whispered something that stopped me harder than any punch could have.
“Your daughter still has the password.”
I looked at him.
May you like
He swallowed.
“And Victor knows she memorized it.”
