Page 117 of Wicked Brutal

My answer comes sharp enough that he lifts a hand. “I needed to ask.”

“I didn’t interrogate a six-year-old.”

“We talked. I let him talk.” Dad nods. “Ryan did exactly what Cassandra would’ve done.”

“Tobias told me Roman says Ally makes him soft because he always runs to her when he’s upset. That he needs to stop bothering her because Victor won’t want him around all the time.” Arthur writes. “And then he said if Ally isn’t good, Victor might not let him see her.”

Arthur stops writing. “What?”

“Roman told him if Ally doesn’t behave after she marries Victor, Tobias might not be allowed to visit.” Silence. Real silence. The kind that makes the ticking clock on Arthur’s shelf suddenly loud.

Callum’s face goes hard. “They’re using the child to control her.”

“Yeah.”

“And using her to control him,” Dad says.

“Yeah.”

Thomas looks at Arthur. “There it is again.” Arthur’s eyes move to him. “The family.” Nobody needs him to explain. Roman doesn’t just control Ally. He controls Jane through fear. Ally through Tobias. Tobias through Ally. And he’s already trying to teach Tobias how to become another version of himself.

I look at Dad. Walter Harrington taught me how to talk to a crying six-year-old. Roman O’Toole is teaching his son that crying makes him weak. Something about that makes me hate Roman even more than I did yesterday.

Arthur sets his pen down. “This helps.”

I stare at him. “That kid crying because he’s scared Victor is going to take his sister away helps?”

“Legally, Ryan.”

“Then say legally.”

“Legally, it helps establish coercive control and emotional harm. It does not solve the custody problem.”

Dad looks at Arthur. “And if Roman gets arrested?”

“That changes the landscape.”

“Tremblay?”

“Potentially.” I glare at him. Arthur sighs. “It depends what he’s arrested for.”

“Better.”

Danny has been staring at the papers for the last few minutes. Then he says, “Stop looking for one thing.”

Arthur looks at him. “What?”

“You’re doing it too.” Danny gestures toward everything on the desk. “We keep looking for the thing that fixes the problem.” Kaiden looks over. Danny continues. “Cat had evidence against Pennington. Daisy gave the feds Lucian. Hartley eventually gave everybody enough Hartley to bury herself.” Theodore’s face changes. Danny sees it. Doesn’t apologize. Doesn’t twist it either. “But this isn’t one thing.” He looks at me. “Ally has Roman. Victor. Tobias. Jane. The marriage. The pregnancy. The money. Whatever this network is.” Then back to Arthur. “So stack it.”

Arthur is quiet. Danny starts counting. “Jane secretly calling Cassandra.”

“Relevant.”

“Tobias being told he loses Ally if she isn’t good. Roman teaching him Victor owns the decisions after the marriage. Victor choosing Ally at thirteen. Fucking everything!”

“Relevant.”

Danny spreads his hands. “Then stop waiting for one smoking gun.”