“I’m happy in my line of work, but thanks. I’ll accompany Dani and promise to stay out of the way.” Michael tightened his grip on her arm.
“I insist. I think your partner would prefer you follow directions.” Martha held out her phone toward them.
The screen showed black-and-white footage of Finn on his knees, surrounded by three men all pointing guns at him.
Nineteen
How had Michael not seen this coming?
His father wanted to know why he always wondered what was wrong? This was why. Michael had let down his guard. Probably, he had been too distracted by Dani to completely focus and stay vigilant. And now Judd Downey was dragging Dani away at gunpoint—their comms crushed into the hallway carpet first—and Finn had been captured. Three more bulky men in jackets and ties, with semiautomatics, joined Martha.
His team’s only hope was that Kumar was still free and hiding a Hail Mary in her back pocket.
“Let’s talk, Mr. Martinelli.” Martha unlocked Victor’s office and gestured for him to go in. He fought hard to not look at the plant and where dirt probably still speckled the carpet. But that wasn’t the most concerning part.
“I never told you my last name.”
Martha laughed and took her seat behind Victor’s desk, a bit like a cruel queen taking her place on a dark throne in one of his sisters’ fairy-tale movies. “Like I didn’t know who you were the minute you stepped into this building for that fake interview.” She steepled her fingers, bringing them up to her chin. “Or like I wouldn’t know what goes down in my city. But I admit, you and Ms. Kim intrigued me. I thought I’d see how it played out. And you completely surprised me when you showed up tonight. I was not expecting that. You two are tenacious.”
Her city? What did that mean?
“I want to see Victor.”
She swatted away his pesky request. “All in good time. First, business. Sit.”
“I’m not doing business with you.” Michael glared at her.
“Mmm, I think you will after you hear what I have to say,” she singsonged. “Because if you don’t, people will die.”
Michael’s hands fisted.
One of the guards shoved the barrel of his rifle in Michael’s face. “You heard her. Sit.”
It took every bit of resolve he had to comply, but eventually he sank into the chair.
“Now. My proposition.” Martha set her folded hands on the desk. “Our organization has gone through quite a bit of…shall we say, restructuring as of late. And I find myself in need of a few good men on the force. Or women, really. I’m an equal-opportunity employer. And this is where you come in.”
“You mean you want me to be an informant for you?” Hopefully she heard the disgust in his tone.
“Informant would be one part of the job description. It really depends. Lose evidence. Plant evidence. Alter records. Recruit. And bonus: the opportunities to advance are endless.”
“What makes you think I’d ever consider this?”
“I promise, we’ll only call on you if absolutely necessary. If everyone else does their job well, we won’t even need you much.”
“No.”
“You’ll be paid handsomely. Great benefits package.”
“Got a hearing problem, lady? I said no.”
“So.” She tapped her chin. “Not a carrot person.” Pause. “Let me remind you of the stick. As we speak, I have your partner and your girlfriend.”
“Don’t underestimate them. They might surprise you.”
“You think so?” She almost looked amused.
“Let’s just say they’re not the kind to back down from a fight. So let me save you the trouble of trying to convince me. Because there’s no way I’m working for the likes of you and Victor Bellmont.”
