Emerging from the restroom, I glanced around and spotted Mark with a little girl, but Patricia was nowhere to be seen. A wave of relief washed over me, and I let out a sigh as I walked out, drying my face and hands with a towel. However, that lingering feeling of being the worst kind of person still haunted me, and I despised it. What was this feeling anyway? Was my conscience suddenly awakening, or was it because of Mark and Adele? Mark was a killer, just like me. Maybe he wasn't involved in incestuous affairs with his family, but he was as much a sinner as I was. So perhaps it was because of his captivating sister with her enchanting brown eyes. She was the one responsible for stirring up emotions I had no business feeling. Grinding my jaw, I tried to suppress the unsettling sensation, shaking my head in frustration as if that could somehow fix me.
"Dinner?" I asked Mark, who was fixing himself a drink.
"That would be nice, thanks," he replied, glancing at me. "Katie, meet my friend, Archer…" Katie stared at me, her tear-stained face revealing a maturity beyond her years. She was slim, with wide green eyes that matched Bernard Kuklinski's—the perverted scum.
"Hi," I said as I crouched in front of the girl, who sat on one of the couches with her legs folded underneath her. I extended my hand for a handshake, and she darted her eyes between my outstretched hand, my face, and then Mark.
"You are safe, Katie, I promise," Mark reassured her as he joined us by the couch.
Katie cautiously placed her hand in mine, and I shook it while offering a kind smile.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Katie. How about we call the kitchen and have them fix you some food, and then we can talk about where you go from here?"
"Okay,” she replied in a voice barely above a whisper and nodded. “Would you please let me see my mother?" she asked.
"Your mother?" I echoed, glancing from Katie to Mark. Mark let out a sigh and motioned for me to join him.
"Let me call the kitchen first, and then we can discuss your mother. Sound good?" I flashed a smile at the girl, and she nodded. I walked over to Mark and called the kitchen, instructing them to bring some food for Mark and requesting Sarah to join us. After ending the call, I turned back to Mark.
"She said Kuklinski took her mother away and only allowed her to speak to her on the phone when she complied with his demands," Mark whispered in a low voice close to my ear. I clenched my jaw in anger.
"Do you know where the woman is?" I asked.
"Apparently, she's in the same facility her uncle is in," Mark replied.
"Her uncle? You mean Teddy?"
"That's my guess," Mark said, taking a sip of his drink.
"Poor girl," I muttered under my breath.
"What do you intend to do with her?" Mark inquired.
"I thought we could get Teddy to confess about Jared killing that federal agent, using it as leverage to get Teddy out. That would attract the attention of the Feds towards Jared, and then Teddy can take over Bernard Kuklinski's territory."
"That's quite an ambitious plan. What makes you think Jared wouldn't fight back? The guy is a maniac," Mark questioned.
"We need to establish some semblance of calm. We won't achieve that if our associates think we're on a killing spree. I'm searching for an alternative that doesn't require us to spill the fucker's blood and trigger his men. Brooks County isn't that big, and we can't afford to have a civilian war tearing apart the community," I explained in a hushed tone. Mark chuckled, appreciating my dark humor.
"Don't underestimate Jared, Archer. If you ask me, I think the best thing for everyone, including her," he said, gesturing towards Katie, "is for Jared to join his father in Hades."
"Let's try it my way first before considering that option."
"Okay," Mark agreed, downing his drink and heading to the wine cabinet to pour himself another.
A gentle knock interrupted our conversation, and I called out, "Come in." Sarah, an average-height middle-aged woman, entered the room.
"You asked for me, sir," Sarah said.
"Come," I gestured, returning to stand in front of Katie. "I want you to meet someone. Katie, this is Sarah. She'll take you to freshen up, change your clothes, and then you can have anything you want to eat in the kitchen. She'll bring you back here to me and Mark afterward, understood?" I explained. Katie nodded, and Sarah offered her a warm smile as she reached for the girl's hand. The two of them left the room.
"How is Adele?" Mark asked once the door had closed behind them.
"She's at my apartment, probably contemplating ways to dismember me, I'm sure," I replied dryly. Mark laughed. "She's used to having things done her way. Someone spoiled her rotten," I added.
Mark roared with laughter. There was something about his laughter that made me study him quietly. The deep bond between the siblings was evident, and I couldn't help but envy it.
"We'll be out of your hair soon," he teased. I nodded, my heart constricting as I looked away, understanding that it was for the best if Adele left and never crossed paths with me again. But deep down, I didn't want that. I wanted her to stay. It was pure madness, this affliction that had taken hold of me.
A few minutes later, the maids entered with food for Mark, filling the air with delicious aromas. They set the dishes on a coffee table, and Mark approached it, expressing gratitude to the maids. I poured myself a glass of brandy, staring into the golden liquid as if all the answers to my tormented soul lay within.
"Has Miss Rutherford eaten, Maria?" I asked one of the maids before she left.
"Yes, sir," she replied. I gave her a dismissive nod.
"Miss Rutherford?" Mark repeated with a chuckle.
I shrugged. "She's my nurse," I explained, avoiding Mark's gaze, afraid that whatever he had picked up in my voice might be revealed in my eyes, even though I wasn't sure what it was.
"I appreciate you keeping up with the charade," he said, a smirk playing at the corners of my lips in self-mockery - charade indeed.
"She should be safe now... that is if we've got the right guy," I replied.
"What do you mean?" he asked, curiosity evident in his voice.
"It may be nothing, but my father said something that's been bothering me," I explained.
"What did he say?"
"He mentioned that Bernard Kuklinski respected the rules of the organization and was Jared's leash. If that's true, then who ordered the hit on me in his name?" I pondered. "Would Jared dare to do that without his father's approval?"
"I've noticed Kuklinski hardly leaves his estate, except for when he visits the convent. He might be the one in charge, but Jared is the one making things happen. It wouldn't be difficult for Jared to pass on a false message to prove a point to his father. I also saw him having a private meeting with that Russian guy's errand boy," Mark revealed.
"What Russian guy?" I asked, fully engaged in the conversation.
"The pervert with the facial scar, the eyepatch guy, um... Adolf," he responded.
"Adolf is here in Brooks?" I exclaimed.
"I suppose, but I only saw his right-hand man, Venom," Mark confirmed.
"When did this happen?" I demanded.
"Approximately 14 hours ago," he replied, picking up his phone and showing me a video of Jared and Adolf together.
"This can't be good," I muttered, my mind racing with possibilities. Just then, my phone's shrill ring interrupted my thoughts. I quickly answered it, my heart skipping a beat.
"Archie! You have to help me. They're trying to kill me! Is it true Benny is dead, and your father killed him?" Teddy's voice came through the phone, filled with panic.
"Are you injured?" I asked calmly, disregarding his question.
"Yeah, I've been stabbed. I can't die like this, man. Help me," Teddy pleaded.
"Find a way to get to the roof, and I'll arrange for an airlift. Do you understand, Teddy?"
"Yes, yes, I heard you," Teddy replied, his voice trembling.
"Don't you dare die. I'll get you out," I assured him. "There's a woman in there with you, your brother's mistress..."
"Sandra? You know about Sandra?" Teddy interrupted, surprised.
"I've heard of her. Can you get to her?" I inquired.
"She's dead, man. They got to her first," Teddy informed me.
"Hmm... get to the roof, Teddy," I instructed firmly before ending the call.
"What's happening?" Mark asked, concerned, as I dialed another number.
"Jared is cleaning house," I responded, my voice turning cold and chilling. "Hey, gather Chad, Aaron, Sam, and Steve, and meet me out front now! Get the helicopter ready. We're going to pick up Ted Kuklinski from the state prison. We'll need all the firepower we can get," I commanded one of the enforcers on the line before hanging up.
"Do you want me to go with them?" Mark asked, his gaze narrowed with determination.
"No, I need you here," I said, striding towards the weapon cabinet.
"Why?" he questioned, his eyebrows furrowing.
"Jared is planning an attack..." I started to explain.
"He wouldn't dare," Mark replied disbelief in his voice.
"He would, that's what you saw. With Adolf as an ally, he'll do much worse," I revealed.
Mark's eyebrows furrowed even deeper. "I told you we should have killed that fucker."
"You might just get your wish. If he attacks, he's a dead man," I declared, tossing a shotgun to Mark, which he caught midair. "And Mark?" I called out, seeking his full attention.
"Yes?" he responded, focused.
"Katie's mother is dead," I disclosed, watching as his eyes narrowed into slits.