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Where are you now, Skilton?
Hugo crossed to the opening leading into the kitchen. Someone was picking up the mail and delivering it inside the flat.
“Who is looking after this place?” he asked.
The two guards following him looked at each other.
“A neighbor,” a voice from the bedroom replied.
Hugo leaned to his left, bringing the young man into sight. He was perhaps all of twenty-five. If that. His facial hair still had that fuzzy quality of a young man not yet in his prime. The rest of him was built like a prize fighter.
“Have we spoken to the neighbor?” Hugo asked.
The young man inclined his head. “Yes, sir. But only to say that we were family and worried about our uncle.”
Hugo nodded. “Good. And? What’s your name, boy?”
“Brian, sir.”
Hugo nodded. Brian. He’d remember that name.
In the last two months Hugo had learned more about Skilton’s personal life than ever before. On the surface, he’d been dedicated to the job. Just as Hugo had perceived him to be. But dig deeper and there were signs that Skilton’s allegiances might not have been as steadfast as Hugo would have liked. It was one thing to have a safety net in the event of a catastrophe. They all had that. But Skilton’s private holdings were far more substantial than Hugo would have imagined.
He passed through the large flat, not touching anything. Yet.
Tomorrow a crew would come in and begin their investigation. If he didn’t uncover answers soon, he wasn’t sure what the rest of the council would do. The way he figured it, half were on the verge of leaving. If half pulled out, things would begin to collapse. Each council member played an integral part in supplying resources and connections that allowed them to do business on a global scale. If he lost half of them, it might very well spell the end.
He needed to get control of the situation. The masses needed to be appeased. If he could prove that Skilton merely absconded in a fit of greed it would go a long way in explaining the situation. But if Skilton was captured? Or worse, had given himself up? That might be the nail in the coffin. Hugo didn’t know if he could come back from that.
Which was why tonight he would wait.
His most loyal people would be here tomorrow.
Once he could control the story, he could dictate where things went and who knew what.
It was a long shot, but he’d controlled trickier situations than this.
His phone began to chime amidst the silence. He pulled it out and saw Daar’s handle on the screen. He was about as close to a friend as Hugo could have in this world. But sometimes friends could be enemies. Could he trust Daar still?
He tapped the answer button and turned toward the windows.
“Are you sick of family yet?”
Daar chuckled. “You could say that.”
“What have you found?” Hugo couldn’t afford to beat around the bush. Time was not on their side.
“I’m afraid I don’t have anything to report. My contacts scoured the area around where Skilton stayed when he was here. They’ve checked out the companies he used. I think the muscle he hired was a front. The company is completely gone. Like they were never there. It’s not looking good.”
“Hm. I see.”
Hugo wandered around the room a second time.
Skilton must have been captured.
It was what made the most sense. It was what Hugo’s gut screamed. But the doubt was still there, and it was that doubt that might very well get him killed.
“And what of your brother?” Hugo asked.
