Page 15 of King

“He always seemed so nice,” Natalia says, her eyes sad.“He was always nice to me, at least.”

“He had us all fooled.”

“What are you going to do?You’ve got to take this to Fogarty.He must know how Ryan is involved and the risk that he poses to the operation.”

I sigh, uncertain what I should do.I want to punch Ryan in the face.I want to do more, but I can’t show my hand too soon.I have to know more.If Ryan is selling info to Ivanov, what else is he willing to do?He betrayed the family by letting Ivanov use our business to move illegal weapons.

Then, a dark thought captures my mind…

What about my father’s death?What about Ethan?A man who is heavily in debt will often do things they wouldn’t normally do.

Like, tell the enemy about a bank robbery?But the mall cop… I assumed that he was just an overzealous security type who got mixed up in something beyond his capabilities.Did he enter the bank not really knowing what was at stake?

But Ryan was there.Only Ethan was shot before I could neutralize the cop.

My mind whirls with the possibilities.Was he there to take Ethan out?I knew that Ryan and Ethan were not seeing eye to eye on many things to do with running the family business, but I never would have imagined that Ryan would have Ethan taken out…

Now, I don’t know who to trust.

“I want to think about it for a while,” I say, a sick feeling in my gut.I put down my toast and take a big drink from my coffee mug.

“What’s there to think about?If Ryan is compromised, Fogerty has to know.”

“It would mean betraying my family,” I say, although I realize how stupid that sounds as it comes out of my mouth.If what Fillmore showed me is real, Ryan betrayed our family.Turning him in would be justice.

But at what cost?

Natalia gets off her stool and comes to stand beside me.“Harrison.Ryan betrayed your family.After everything you’ve done, after everything your father did for him and his family.He went behind your back and let the Russians use your company to move illegal arms.He should be in jail.”

If what he did is what Ifearhe did, he should be dead.

“I have to speak with Tommy.I need to discuss this with him.”

“He won’t want to go to the FBI with this.He won’t want to implicate your family.”

“Neither do I,” I say and look deep into her eyes.“It would ruin our family name for good if it got out that Ryan was collaborating with Ivanov behind my father’s back.I want something to remain of O’Connor Enterprises after it’s out completely.”

She puts her arms around my neck.“Harrison, you can’t just leave the Mafia and think the business will be intact.Maybe you have to rethink your plans of taking O’Connor Enterprises out of the Mafia’s grasp and have to think about starting new.”

“No more O’Connor Enterprises?”I shake my head and try not to stiffen in her arms.I pull back.“We have expertise of over a century in the construction industry.We have skilled craftspeople and are responsible for hundreds of buildings in Manhattan and the boroughs.How can I just let that fade into oblivion, or worse, go down in flames?”

“I know, but everything I’ve read tells me that you can’t just clean it up and everything will be great.People are going to learn about this, eventually.Maybe you have to start shutting it down now.You’re in charge.You can do this.”

I shake my head firmly.“I just can’t let that happen.I want to take O’Connor Enterprises out of the underworld and bring it back above ground in every respect.I want our sons and daughters to inherit a respectable business that is part of New York City’s proud history.If word gets out that Ryan betrayed my father and my family, and was working with the Russians directly?They won’t want to work with us.It has to be handled internally.”

She pulls away, frowning.“Harrison… Let me talk to Gramps about this and see what he says.He knows how things work in New York City.He knows the police and the FBI.The Mafia.Let me see what he suggests.”

I sigh, frustrated that she can’t see my perspective.“My family’s business was clean for ninety percent of its existence.It has only been in the last two decades that things have gone sour.Before that, clean as a whistle.I want to go back to that time.”

She steps away from me, and I can see disappointment clear on her face.“You can’t go back, Harrison.You can only go forward.Let me talk to Gramps…”

“Okay, but please.Keep this between the three of us.If I go to Fogerty with this, I want it to be my decision.”

She nods and goes to the refrigerator and opens the door, but stands staring inside like she doesn’t really know what she’s looking for.I know she doesn’t approve of waiting to talk to Fogerty about this, but I have to try to do what I planned when I came back to my family.

I want to pass the business down to my own children if they want it.

I dropher off at the facility and drive to the warehouse to start my day.On the way, I think about everything that’s happened since we returned to Manhattan after our week of bliss on Fire Island.I discovered that Uncle Ryan has been using O’Connor Enterprises to pay off his gambling debts by colluding with the Russians.We learn that Natalia is pregnant.I should be excited for the new life we’re bringing into the world, and a part of me is, but the other part – the part worried about the business and Uncle Ryan’s betrayal, is dimming that happiness.