“I’m not going to help you,” I answered.
“I’m going to tell you how this is going to go. You’re going to accept a few donations from a few new businesses in the city. You’ll take those names and add them to whatever lists you need to ensure that no one ever takes a second look at them. You’ll use whatever connections you got to make sure that people look the other way when they have large payments come in from Mexico or Jamaica or Grand Cayman or wherever the fuck they come from and you’ll do it in a way that ensures that I remain in business for a long time,” he said, his voice hard. There wasn’t an ounce of emotion in that voice, just unabashed danger and expectation that only a monster like him was capable of.
“I can’t do that,” I replied, still keeping my voice as strong as I dared.
“You will, daughter. You abso-fucking-lutely will do everything I ask unless you want to wind up dead,” he said.
I swallowed heavily.
“Look at the desk in front of you. Tell me what you see,” he instructed and there was something decidedly evil in his tone that made my blood run cold as ice.
I did what he said and looked down. There was a tiny red laser dot on my desk. I watched it move side to side and I finally turned to look out of the corner of my office. Through that window, I could see a man in the neighboring building.
He was holding a massive sniper rifle and as that laser flickered across my chest, I knew that I was just a trigger pull away from death.
“Do you see it, daughter?” my father asked, and I froze there in my chair, awash in chilling fear that refused to abate.
“I see it,” I replied, my voice devoid of all emotion.
“A long time ago, I told you that you were expendable, that anyone could be replaced, even a kingpin’s daughter. I didn’t need you to marry the Battistas. I could take them myself if I wanted to, but that was a long time ago, wasn’t it?”
“Yes. A long time ago,” I echoed.
“I’ve had a long time to think about what I would do when I got out,” he murmured.
“You’re out on parole,” I breathed.
“That I am. They let me out on good behavior. I have to wear this stupid ankle bracelet, but it’s nice to fucking walk the streets of New York again,” he went on.
“I see.”
“You know, the view of Central Park you have is great and all, but there’s nothing like walking through the park itself, ya know. Why don’t you look out your window and wave at your father? It’s been a long time since you’ve seen me, especially since you never took the time to visit me in prison, you goddamn ungrateful bitch,” he spat.
I swallowed heavily and glanced down. I was on the fifteenth floor and the people were just barely visible from up here, but I didn’t want the man with the rifle trained right on me to report anything different. Finally, my gaze landed on the one man who could only be my father.
“You’ll do as you’re told. I’ll call you next week and I expect to hear all about what you’ve accomplished in the time since we last spoke. Do you understand, Keri?” he threatened.
“I understand,” I replied.
I stayed still, watching as the tiny red dot bounced around my chest until it finally disappeared. The man in the window vanished, but I remained frozen in my chair for a long while after that. When I was finally able, I lifted my eyes to the clock only to see that it was well past lunch now. It was nearly three o’clock.
Jenny had never come back. She’d done her job and now it was over. I needed to get out of here. I pushed my chair back, grabbed my purse, and walked out of the office.
“Something has come up. I had an emergency meeting uptown. Move my conference call to tomorrow afternoon,” I declared to the secretary sitting outside.
“Isn’t that Jenny’s job?” she asked.
“She’s fired,” I replied, and a look of shock swiftly passed over the older woman’s face.
“Have a good rest of your afternoon,” she responded quickly.
“You too, Nancy,” I smiled tensely.
* * *
I climbed into my car and sat at the wheel for a long time. Finally, I drove myself home and when I pulled into the garage, I couldn’t bring myself to get out of the car. Even though my building had world class security, I had a feeling that it wouldn’t be enough. If my father could sneak a girl into my office building and pull enough strings to have her hired as my assistant, I wasn’t safe here. He’d probably have another sniper trained on my apartment, or even worse he’d have someone hidden inside waiting for me.
Going home or back to work wasn’t safe.
