Chapter 9

<Gavin Forrester>

I spread my arms wide, gesturing for Talon to begin his story. He glares at me but starts his story anyway.

"A decade before I had this murder business, I was married to Helen Grayson, who was Helen Tenebris." Talon taps his fingers on his desk in apprehension, as if he doesn't want to continue. "We'd been madly in love since freshman year of high school and the minute we graduated, I proposed."

I look up and see a small smile cross Talon's lips. She must've been quite a woman if she could make this devil smile.

"We were young and stupid. I was the only one who had a job and that job kept me away from her for long hours. However, I kept going because I knew she'd be waiting for me when I got home. One day she announced to me that she was pregnant. I was scared out of my mind, but more about the money it would require than actually having to raise a child. So, she had the kid and it ended up being a daughter whom she named Victoria after her grandmother." Talon bites his lip and looks at me, begging for a halt.

"Continue, we haven't even gotten to the juicy parts yet." I wink and watch as his level of annoyance increases.

"The long hours and lack of money meant that I wasn't around for our daughter and every time I saw her, I only resented her presence because she symbolized how I couldn't care for my own family." He examines his fingernails as he finishes his sentence.

"Did you abuse Victoria?" I ask in a dangerous tone.

"Yes." Talon states in an honest tone. "I was angry and drunk half of the time, so I ended up hitting her and yelling at her."

"I'm hearing that this was mostly your fault...so, why is it again that she has to die?" I fold my hands together in my lap and wait for him to give me my answers.

"My wife left me while I was at work one day and took my daughter away to live somewhere in the country for a few years. I knew that if we hadn't had that child, we'd still be together and maybe by now I'd have enough money to support a family." He states angrily and glares out the window.

"And you think killing your daughter will solve your marital problems?" I raise an eyebrow and give him a condescending look.

"No, we're way past solving those...I just want revenge." Talon nods once but I can tell that there's more to the story than he's letting on.

"So, you're killing your own daughter out of spite?" I tilt my head, asking for conformation .

"Actually, you're killing my daughter..." He laces his fingers together and smirks.

Sure, let's go with that...It's not like I'm having second thoughts or anything.

"Why did Carter Jacobson sign your murder file for Victoria Grayson?"

"Tenebris...Her name is Victoria Tenebris." Talon grits his teeth which gives me a little satisfaction.

"Well, isn't she going to die anyways?" I smirk at the fact that I have him trapped.

"Yes, but she should die with dignity." He states in a controlled voice.

"Dignity is the last thing I would associate with your name." I roll my eyes and cross my arms, awaiting the answer to my question.

"Ha ha," Talon laughs sarcastically and then regains his calm demeanor. "That is classified information that can't be divulged to just anyone."

"So, is this whole business but it could still make it to the news somehow." I crack my knuckles and hold eye contact with him until he breaks it to look at the file on his desk.

"Gavin, there are people in this world who will do anything to get what they want. Carter is one of those people." Talon states simply and then stands up, directing me towards the door.

"That's not an answer." I shout as I turn the knob of the office door.

"Didn't I make it clear that you don't hold the cards?" Talon smirks as I exit his stuffy office.

I'm not going to jail until I figure out what the hell Carter Jacobson, heir of a business empire, is doing tangled up in Talon's web...

~~~~~

I think about going to the bar to gather my thoughts as I get into my car. I could really go for something strong but getting drunk isn't going to get me anywhere. I sigh and turn the key in the ignition hoping that the answer to all of my questions will appear out of thin air. Then as if by some miracle I see Carter Jacobson walking to a mustang parked a few yards away from me but he's not alone.

I decide to follow him as I watch him drive down the ramp towards the ground level of the garage. I put my foot down on the gas pedal and reverse out of my parking spot. I slowly catch up with Carter and continue to follow him at a steady pace.

We drive for a few minutes and then he pulls up in front of a coffee shop but it's not any regular one, it's Common Grounds Coffeehouse in none other than the Bronx. I let a deep breath out of my nose as Carter parks and walks up to the front door. I wait until I see him sit down and then I too get out of my car and walk through the front door. A little bell tingles as I make my way to the coffee counter.

"Hello, darling...what can I get you today?" A woman with gray hair and bright blue eye shadow smiles at me, ready to take my order

"Black coffee, no sugar, no cream." I mutter as my eyes narrow in Carter's direction.

"Would you like anything sweet? Our coffee's pretty bitter..." She chuckles but I barely notice since someone just sat down with Carter at the table.

"I'll take something with chocolate." I say absentmindedly as I continue to stare at Carter.

He looks tense, almost scared. It should be giving me satisfaction to see him this way but all I feel is curiosity. Somehow I know this has to do with Victoria.

"You seem distracted," The woman smiles kindly and tells me my total. "What name should I put on the cup?"

"John," I give the woman a quick smile and hand her a 5 dollar bill. "Keep the change."

"We'll call when your coffee is ready." She says and hands me some form of a chocolate pastry as I walk off.

I take a seat at the table next to Carter and pull out my phone in an attempt to not look suspicious. I glance over at Carter and notice a few beads of sweat forming on his forehead. What is this guy saying to him? I need to get some tips because making Carter look like this would be immensely entertaining.

"I told you, you could have a month. Why isn't it done yet?" The man says in a gruff voice.

"I just need a few more days, I'll get you the money and you can get me the merchandise." Carter pleads, more sweat forming on his forehead.

Money? He has all the money in the world, why does he need a month to get this man his money?

"I told you I'm not lenient with deadlines. My client needed the money last week but I told him that you were my best and you just needed a little more time." The man crosses his arms, making Carter tense even more.

"I'm sorry, as soon as the girl dies, the money will come through." Carter blots his forehead with a napkin and looks down at the wood of the table.

Is he wiring Talon's money to whoever this guy is? No wonder my salary's been taking such a cut...

I continue to listen to the conversation, questions filling my head with each passing second.

"You mean your fiancée?" The man chuckles, making my fists clench.

How dare they talk about Victoria's murder like this?

"Yes," Carter's tone comes out tight-lipped and angry.

"Good, I'll check up with you in a week. If the money hasn't come through then it'll be off with your head." The man chuckles again and stands up.

He pops the collar on his black coat and walks out of the small coffee shop. Carter lets out a long, deep breath and then stands up, trailing behind the man. I decide to follow Carter and see where he goes back to. Carter continues to walk until he reaches his car and then I decide that maybe following him is not my brightest idea. I sigh and open up the door to my car, slipping slowly inside.

So, today I've found out that Carter is too damn lazy to ask his rich dad for a loan to get this man off of his back...

I roll my eyes and turn the key in the ignition, making my engine come to life. I wonder what Victoria was doing in this café in the Bronx since this is where the picture from her file was taken. Was she meeting a guy like this too? Or was she simply getting a coffee after class? No that can't be right, she goes to university in Manhattan. There has to be another reason she was here.

I need to tell her what Carter is doing but I can't without incriminating myself and having to explain Talon's whole business to her. Why can't I at least tell her that she's being watched? Because then she'd have questions that I can't answer, idiot.

So, this is what it feels like to be completely and utterly screwed.

~~~~

I pull into the garage of my apartment building after a few hours of aimlessly driving around, trying to gather my thoughts. I lock my car tight and take the elevator up to my third floor apartment, falling into my bed instantly. However, the questions are still chasing themselves around in my head as I try to close my eyes and sleep.

I sit up in my bed and grab my phone from my side table. I quickly dial Talon's number. Maybe if I find out how much I'm supposed to make I can figure out what Carter is trying to get off of the man in the coffee shop.

"Gavin, what could you possibly want at 2 o'clock in the morning?" Talon groans and I hear him shuffle around on the other end of the phone.

"How much am I going to make off of Victoria's murder?" I ask quickly.

"You mean provided you actually complete this mission?" Talon chuckles.

"Yes," I bite my lip and wait for an answer.

"2 or 3 million, depending on how generous the person sponsoring this mission is feeling." Talon states simply.

My jaw drops and I feel my body go cold. I've never had the potential to have my hands on this much money in my whole life and now Carter is going to wire all of that money to his little leader. I'm going to hurt him so bad if that 2 million doesn't end up in my bank account. But wait, then I have to murder Victoria. I roll my eyes angrily and put my phone on speaker.

"Forrester?" Talon asks in a bored tone.

"Tell me why Carter is working for you." I state simply and lay back on my pillows.

"I already told you, I can't tell you because it's classified." He mutters and lets out a sigh.

"I have some information that may be of some use to you and if you tell me why he's working with you, then I'll tell you what I know about his most recent activities." I cross my arms and breathe silently through my nose.

"Fine," His tone is calmer than I would've expected in this situation.

"You go first." I state suspiciously.

"When Carter was 18, I caught him selling Crack Cocaine in the Bronx. I never forgot the look on his face when I threatened to tell his father. Carter has connections and I knew if he worked with me, I could get all of the info I'd ever need for my future victims. So, I did what I so best; I threatened him." Talon sounds apprehensive from the other end of the line.

"So, it's a deal between you two...He gives you the information and you don't tell his father?" I ask, my tone laced with curiosity.

"Yes," Talon's voice trails off and silence ensues. "Now, you have to tell me what you know about my employee."

"I saw him talking to some guy today in a coffee shop." I smirk at the annoyed look Talon probably has on his face right now.

"That's it?" He screams and I let out a silent laugh.

"Almost as great as the answer you gave me earlier today when I asked about Carter." I chuckle and can feel his seething rage through the phone.

"But I told you what you wanted to know." Talon says in an almost whiny voice.

"You don't hold all of the cards, Talon." I say, mimicking his voice from earlier.

"Don't expect me to extend the courtesy of knowledge to you ever again." Talon's tone is angry but controlled, a reaction I could've seen coming from a mile away.

I just punked Talon Tenebris...Maybe I should come up with my death wish now, before it's too late.

"I can still go to the cops." I grin and await Talon's move.

"I can have Victoria murdered anytime I please because I'm the one calling the shots. All it takes is for me to call another operative and a bullet will be through her head before you even have time to reach her." Talon chuckles darkly and I feel my heart beat hard in my chest. "You forgot that little piece of information, didn't you?"

"Lesson learned, sir...I won't test the waters." I bite the inside of my cheek because he and I both know I'm not done with him.

"You sure as hell won't, especially if you want Victoria to be alive and well tomorrow." He chuckles some more and then I hang up.

I text Victoria that I'll pick her up for Coney Island tomorrow around noon and then fall asleep, with what Talon told me still racing around in my head.