“Look, Mr. Veil,” said Edward. “Let’s keep this business. There’s a lot of money at stake, and you my friend…” A gunshot exploded past Edward’s head.
“Your money can’t buy you out of this,” said Thorne. “Offer it again, and I’ll blow your ass away.”
Edward’s hands went back up into the air. Vernon stayed calm.
“Now see here,” said Edward, looking at Robert. “Can’t you rein this bitch in?”
Thorne tossed the gun to Robert, walked over to Edward, and hit him hard in the stomach. He bent over and crashed to the ground.
“No,” she said. “He can’t rein this bitch in.” Thorne glared at Edward and Vernon, then resumed her position. Robert gave back the gun.
“We’re taking the evidence with us,” said Robert.
“I’m afraid I can’t let that happen,” said Vernon. He slowly reached down and helped Edward to his feet.
Robert shook his head in disgust. “Get the truck, Thorne. We’re getting out of here.”
“With pleasure.”
Thorne turned to leave, but stopped abruptly. “Robert,” she said, in a low careful voice.
He turned and saw three armed men wearing ski masks enter the barn.
“Drop the gun,” one of them ordered.
Thorne hesitated. One of the men fired into the ceiling. “I won’t ask again, Miss.”
Thorne tossed the gun on the ground and kicked it over. Robert faced Edward and Vernon.
“Like I said, Mr. Veil,” said Vernon. “I can’t allow you to take this.
I have orders.”
“Yes,” coughed Edward, holding his stomach “ My orders. Kill them, Vernon. Kill them.”
“I’m afraid that’s not quite in the plan either,” Vernon continued, waving one of the masked men over. “Cover Mr. Rothschild. If he even so much as farts, kill him.”
Edward looked at Vernon in shock. “What the hell is this?” Vernon smiled and pulled a cell phone from his inside jacket pocket.
Robert struggled to make sense of what was going on. Thorne looked just as puzzled.
“It’s me, sir,” Vernon said into the phone. “No, sir, we haven’t. Yes, right away, sir.” He motioned to one of his men and pointed to the casket. “Open it.”
One of the men put a crowbar to the casket. Robert felt a mix of aggravation and dread, helplessness and relief.
The agent pried at the lock. It didn’t budge. He worked at it for over ten minutes, leaning down on the crowbar so hard his feet lifted off the ground. The lock snapped. Robert and Thorne stepped closer, ignoring the guns at their heads.
“Let them come forward,” ordered Vernon.
Edward straightened up, his face ashen. Vernon grabbed the casket’s lid and lifted it back on its hinges.
“Empty,” Edward whispered. “Absolutely, empty. ”
“Check and see if there’s a hollow bottom,” ordered Vernon. The agent pawed and knocked on the bottom of the box, then shook his head in the negative.
A chill hit Robert’s spine. Fiona!
Vernon walked to a corner of the barn whispering into the phone.
The agent continued to examine the casket, tearing away its lining.
Edward, frozen in one spot, mumbled, shaking his head.
The men behind Robert and Thorne drifted closer, straining to get a better look. Robert watched them. Closer. He looked over at Thorne. She smiled. Now!
They dropped to the ground and swept the legs of the man closest to them. The agents fell backwards, feet in the air, firing into the ceiling.
Thorne disarmed her man first, and wounded the agent in front.
Edward fell to the ground and cowered next to the casket. Vernon ducked low in the corner, whispering into the phone.
“Throw down your gun or we’ll kill your pals,” Thorne shouted, aiming at the two embarrassed men lying at their feet. “I mean it!
Throw it down, now!”
Vernon stood up, hands in the air, and nodded. The agent tossed his gun at Thorne’s feet.
Robert picked up two machineguns, unloaded one and threw it into a stall. “Get up and walk over to the others,” he told the agents lying on the ground.
He and Thorne slid back to the door. Robert, pulsing with rage, stared at Edward, and aimed.
“Robert,” called Thorne.
His head snapped.
“Don’t do it. You were right. We’re not like them.” Robert raised the barrel and fired into the ceiling, sending everyone to the ground. They ran outside and made a break for the truck. Hurtled the fence, and rolled to the ground for cover.
They waited, but nobody came out of the barn.
They jumped in the truck and sped off.
“What the hell?” said Thorne.
Robert looked back again. Still nothing. “It’s not like those guys.
They’d chase down their mother.”
Thorne looked over at Robert. “The house or the court building?”
“The court building. She’s probably already there.”
37
U nbelievable, Edward thought. What happened to the evidence? How did things go so wrong? “Why did you let them go?” he bellowed, struggling to recapture his composure.
“I have my instructions,” said Vernon.
“Instructions! What instructions? I give the instructions around here!”
Vernon looked smug and arrogant. “Not exactly.”
“Look Vernon. Don’t let this little setback go to your head. I’m still running this show. Now, let’s get back to my office.”
“There’s nothing left to take care of, Edward. It’s over.” Edward felt his strength return. He walked over to Vernon and stood face to face.
“Are you coming or not? We have work to do. Don’t forget, you owe me everything you have, even your stinking life. Now, for the last time, are you coming?”
“I’m afraid not, Edward.”
Enraged, Edward whirled around and stormed toward the door. “First you blow it and let Veil get away, now this. I’ll…”
“Stop Mr. Rothschild and bring him back,” Vernon ordered.
Two agents blocked Edward’s path.
“I’m sorry, sir,” one of them said. “You’ll have to stay inside.”
“Get out of my way,” Edward snapped, trying to force his way by.
“Dammit, let me by!”
One of the agents strong-armed him back to Vernon and threw him to the ground in front of the casket. Edward jumped to his feet.
“Vernon,” he exclaimed. “What the hell is going on here? Let me out or you’ll curse the day you were born!” Vernon looked at his cell phone. “I already dread that day.” He handed Edward the phone. “It’s for you.”
“Who in the hell is this? He placed the phone to his ear. “Hello.” He heard only silence.
