Chapter 9 - The Most Powerful Man in Chicago Invited Khloe to Dinner—And Victor Knew It Was a Death ThreatThe invitation arrived on cream-colored paper.
Hand delivered.
No return address.
No threats.
Only twelve words.
Mr. Hale requests the pleasure of Ms. Bennett’s company for dinner.
Victor tore it in half.
Khloe looked at the pieces.
“That seemed unnecessary.”
“You’re not going.”
“I didn’t say I was.”
“You were thinking it.”
“I was reading.”
“You read with a dangerous expression.”
Khloe smiled.
Victor did not.
Three days had passed since they discovered Richard Hale.
Three days of digging.
Three days of finding nothing prosecutors could use.
Hale’s structure was brilliant.
He never signed.
Never transferred.
Never called.
Other people made decisions that benefited him.
He sat above consequence.
Khloe hated elegant fraud.
It offended her professionally.
Victor hated Hale for a simpler reason.
He believed Hale had ordered his father’s death.
And perhaps Carlo’s.
Javier entered.
“He sent another message.”
“What?”
“He knows about Carlo.”
Victor became still.
Javier handed him a photograph.
Carlo Rossi.
Taken eight years earlier.
Talking to a federal agent.
On the back:
HE SHOULD HAVE MINDED HIS OWN BUSINESS.
Victor crushed the photograph.
Khloe took it from him.
“Good.”
Victor stared.
“Good?”
“He’s emotional.”
“Khloe—”
“He made contact twice in one day.”
She looked at the invitation.
“He wants us to react.”
“Why?”
“Because he’s worried.”
Victor paced.
“Hale has senators answering his calls.”
“And?”
“Judges.”
“And?”
“Half the police department.”
“And?”
Victor stopped.
Khloe smiled.
“He’s still scared of an accountant.”
That evening, Khloe accepted the invitation.
Victor nearly lost his mind.
The dinner took place at Hale’s Gold Coast residence.
No weapons.
No visible guards.
Khloe entered alone.
Richard Hale stood beside a fireplace.
Seventy-one.
Silver hair.
Perfect suit.
Grandfatherly smile.
“Ms. Bennett.”
“Mr. Hale.”
“I’ve heard extraordinary things.”
“I’ve read extraordinary things.”
His smile changed slightly.
“Please.”
Dinner was served.
Khloe ate.
That bothered Hale.
He expected fear.
She gave him appetite.
“You’ve become very close to Victor.”
“Yes.”
“He’s dangerous.”
“So are cholesterol and unsecured derivatives.”
Hale laughed.
“You’re funny.”
“I’m nervous.”
“You hide it well.”
“So do you.”
Hale paused.
Khloe took another bite.
“Why would I be nervous?”
“Because I found Antonio Rossi Holdings.”
Silence.
Tiny.
Almost invisible.
But real.
Hale placed down his wineglass.
“You’re making serious accusations.”
“I haven’t accused you of anything.”
“You implied—”
“I mentioned a company.”
Khloe smiled.
“You supplied the guilt.”
Hale studied her.
“I understand why Victor likes you.”
“Loves.”
Another pause.
Khloe enjoyed that one.
“He loves me.”
“That makes you a weakness.”
“No.”
She leaned forward.
“It makes me expensive to threaten.”
Hale smiled.
“Do you know what Victor Rossi was before you met him?”
“Yes.”
“A killer.”
“Yes.”
“A racketeer.”
“Yes.”
“A man responsible for enormous suffering.”
“Yes.”
“And you love him.”
Khloe’s expression did not change.
“I don’t love a résumé.”
Hale looked almost disappointed.
“You think you can reform him?”
“No.”
“What, then?”
“I expect him to answer for the choices he makes while I’m standing beside him.”
Hale leaned back.
“You’re more intelligent than Carlo.”
Khloe’s pulse jumped.
There.
“He trusted the government.”
“And you killed him for it?”
Hale smiled.
Not an admission.
Not legally.
But enough.
Khloe’s transmitter recorded everything.
Victor listened from a van two blocks away.
His hands tightened.
Hale continued.
“Carlo misunderstood power.”
“What did he misunderstand?”
“He believed truth mattered.”
Hale lifted his wine.
“Truth matters only when powerful people agree to care.”
Khloe looked at him.
“Is that what you taught Victor’s father?”
Hale’s smile disappeared.
Outside, Victor stood.
Javier grabbed his arm.
“Wait.”
Inside, Hale leaned toward Khloe.
“Antonio was reckless.”
Khloe’s heartbeat thundered.
“How?”
“He believed a criminal could become legitimate.”
Hale’s voice grew contemptuous.
“He wanted out.”
Victor listened.
Every word.
“He planned to surrender shipping routes, names, accounts. Everything.”
Khloe stared.
“You couldn’t allow it.”
“Chicago was stable.”
“Because you controlled both sides.”
Hale smiled.
“You understand.”
Police and criminals.
Judges and syndicates.
Legal money and illegal money.
Hale had built an ecosystem.
Victor’s father threatened it.
“So you killed him.”
Hale looked at her.
“You’re wearing a wire.”
Khloe froze.
Outside, Victor moved.
Javier no longer stopped him.
Inside, Hale reached across the table.
He did not touch Khloe.
Instead, he lifted a small device.
Signal detector.
Khloe’s stomach dropped.
Hale smiled.
“I expected better.”
Doors opened.
Two men entered.
Khloe stood.
Hale remained seated.
“Tell Victor to come inside.”
“He’s not here.”
“Please.”
Hale looked toward the window.
“He’s been parked two blocks away for forty-eight minutes.”
Khloe’s blood went cold.
Victor’s voice came through her earpiece.
“Walk toward the front door.”
Hale heard nothing.
Khloe did.
She stepped backward.
One guard moved.
Khloe threw her wineglass.
It shattered against his face.
She ran.
The second grabbed her dress.
Fabric tore.
Khloe elbowed him.
He struck her.
She fell.
The front door exploded inward.
Victor entered.
No hesitation.
No negotiation.
Javier behind him.
Hale’s guards raised weapons.
Victor fired.
One fell.
Javier took the second.
Khloe crawled away.
Victor reached her.
“Are you hurt?”
“I’m okay.”
Hale remained seated.
Unbelievably calm.
Victor pointed his gun at him.
Hale smiled.
“Antonio’s boy.”
Victor’s finger tightened.
Khloe grabbed his arm.
“No.”
“He killed my father.”
“I know.”
“Carlo.”
“I know.”
Victor shook with rage.
Hale watched.
Waiting.
He wanted Victor to fire.
Khloe understood why.
“If you kill him, he wins.”
Victor looked at her.
“He becomes another dead respected public servant murdered by Victor Rossi.”
Hale’s smile faded.
Khloe stood.
Blood ran from her lip.
“No.”
She looked at Hale.
“You don’t get to die innocent.”
Police sirens approached.
Victor frowned.
Khloe smiled.
“I sent the recording to six journalists before dinner.”
Hale’s face changed.
“And the U.S. Attorney.”
Victor stared at her.
“And the FBI.”
Javier almost laughed.
Hale stood.
“You have nothing.”
Khloe held up her phone.
“You admitted Antonio was preparing to surrender evidence.”
“That proves nothing.”
“You admitted Carlo trusted the government.”
“Nothing.”
“You identified the existence of a wire before anyone told you an investigation existed.”
Hale’s eyes narrowed.
“Still not enough.”
“You’re right.”
Khloe smiled.
“So I also sent them the financial records.”
Hale’s face finally broke.
“What records?”
“The ones Mateo Reyes thought he destroyed.”
Silence.
Khloe had lied.
There were no complete records.
But Hale did not know that.
His reaction was enough.
“You stupid little—”
Victor stepped between them.
“Finish that sentence.”
Hale stopped.
Outside, federal agents arrived.
Hale looked at Victor.
“You think they’re coming for me?”
He smiled.
“They’re coming for you.”
Victor understood too late.
Federal agents flooded the room.
“Victor Rossi!”
Weapons raised.
“Hands where we can see them!”
Victor looked at Khloe.
Hale smiled.
Because he had prepared one final move.
The evidence delivered to federal investigators did not only expose Hale.
It exposed Victor.
Murder.
Racketeering.
Extortion.
Weapons.
Accounts.
Everything.
May you like
Hale had decided that if he fell—
Victor Rossi would fall beside him.
Related Stories
