Why did Sebastian Stark secure those documents? Clearly, Landon knows about it now, but I don’t get the idea he knew about it beforehand. What did Sebastian do in his father’s name?
“I can get you the basics—driver’s license and passport—easily enough. If Canada is your destination, for instance, you shouldn’t need anything else. Those can be done in two hours, but they’ll look new. You’d want to be sure you give them a little wear and tear before you cross any borders. If you want something more comprehensive, as in a completely new identity for long-term use and also give us time to dirty the docs up, it will take a little more time.”
“Two hours is acceptable.”
“Rush jobs are expensive.”
“I don’t care about the cost.” Stark stares out the office window, his face darkening.
He doesn’t care about cost, which doesn’t surprise me, but he’s not even asking for the price. His mind is clearly elsewhere, and I’m sure it doesn’t have anything to do with the death of Joseph Franks. He has enough pull in Seattle to get the job done without leaving, so why is he in such a hurry?
Suddenly, I realize the answer to all my problems is sitting in my chair, and the resolution will be one that Cherry can live with.
“Mr. Stark, could I ask you a question?”
“You can ask.”
“Were you around when Franks negotiated a treaty between Roland Ramsay and Carlo Orso?”
“I know there was one back in the day,” Stark says. “I never bothered to look into the details.
“Well, to make a very long story brief, I was raised as an Orso, but Roland Ramsay was my birth father.” I don’t mention Cherry at all.
“I don’t see how this is relevant,” Stark says. “I’m not interested in your petty rivalries right now. Are you saying I should be dealing with another member of the family, then? An actual Orso?”
“Not at this time, no, but with the root of the conflict coming to light all these years later, I want it finished.”
“So, end it.” Stark shrugs. “Those who signed the treaty are long gone as well as anyone who actually cares. None of the major outfits will interfere in a war in your remote little town. As long as the document business continues, we have no vested interest in who runs this operation.”
“I want it ended without bloodshed.”
“Why?” He looks at me closely with piercing, calculating eyes.
“Because I’ve had enough of it. Consider it my final, charitable act before removing myself from the Orso family. I might not be a blood relative, but I’ve lived with this family my entire life, and I want to make sure they are safe and protected before I leave.”
“What exactly are you suggesting?”
“I want the Ramsays out of town and away from this family permanently, and I think we can come up with an arrangement—one that benefits us both.”
“Go on.” He leans forward and folds his hands on the desk.
“You need some time away as things get settled in Seattle, correct? May I assume that once that happens, you plan on running the organization in Seattle?”
“You can assume that.”
“You’re going to need allies.”
“You mean you?” Stark snorts out a short laugh.
“I mean people loyal to you. The Orso family remains neutral, as we always have, but the Ramsays? They need a new home. It’s really only the two of them left—Janna and Jay. They’re floundering without direction, and I want them out. They need to understand that they can’t maintain their businesses near our territory, and that will only happen if they have a better offer.”
“You want me to take your rivals off your hands by relocating them to Seattle.”
“Yes. You can control the drug trade through Ohio remotely or set up your own people in a more central location—Columbus or Cincinnati. We stay out of each other’s way, and the Ramsays never set foot in Cascade Falls again.”
“Why would they agree to this arrangement?”
“Because Janna likes power, and she’ll see it as a step up from her current position. She can leave to pursue this ‘promotion,’ if you will, and save face at the same time. Everyone gets what they want.”
“Why would I want them?” Stark narrows his eyes, but I’m positive he’s considering the idea. “I can hire drug runners from anywhere.”
“You need loyalty beyond all else, and they’ll be more loyal to you.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because they need a father figure, and you need to replace the son you’ve clearly lost.” I see Stark’s jaw tighten at the mention of his son. He raises an eyebrow at me. I tense and then speak a little faster. “He wouldn’t be getting documents in your name if you weren’t on the outs. Jay is a bruiser—definitely more brawn than brains—and could be trained for the tournaments to replace your ‘retired’ champion.”
Stark looks out the window again. I’m right—I know I am—and he’s seriously considering my suggestion.
“Of course, we’ll throw in all the necessary documents as part of the plan.”
“Yes, you will, but this arrangement still benefits you more than it does me. I have people loyal to me already located on the West Coast.”
“And in these times, the more people you have, the better.” I swallow hard as he looks at me skeptically, and then I realize I have another ace up my sleeve. “I’ll even offer you better technical assistance to help with your temporary relocation and return to the Seattle operation.”
“Technical assistance?”
“Who is more valuable than a good hacker?” His eyes soften slightly, and I know I’ve hit the mark. “I happen to have one who could be very beneficial.”
“And you’d throw this hacker in with the deal?”
“I would.”
“And how do I know this
