Page 20 of Promise of Hellfire

“Lose the attitude, Hunter. I get it. You could have checked my office. Despite everything going on, we still have a business to run. The holidays are officially over, so we have to juggle handling both things right now.”

His tone reprimanded me as his words cooled my temper. I ran one of my hands through my hair. “Yeah, you’re right. I hadn’t considered that. I’ll be down in a few.”

The afternoon was spent with the four of us debating the best way to use the information we held. The general consensus was the police chief couldn’t be allowed to get away with the crimes he was committing. He deserved to pay and if Dominic’s plan panned out, we wouldn’t even have to get our hands dirty.

Every Monday, the chief stopped by the local diner for coffee, pie, and to flirt with the young waitresses, so I knew where to find him. Dominic accompanied me while Rayne stayed safely tucked away with Ethan guarding her at our place. She’d tried fighting me over the situation, but somehow we’d finally convinced her this was one conversation she could sit out. The truth was, I didn’t want her seeing tonight’s events unfold.

We strolled into the small diner, and the scent of bacon and hash browns filled the air. Dominic carried a small manilla envelope and scanned the restaurant before spotting the chief sitting by himself at a corner booth. I sunk into the seat across from him as Dominic slid in beside him, caging him in.

The older waitress manning the cash register locked eyes with me and I shook my head, telling her that we wouldn’t be ordering anything today.

Strathmore police chief Samuel Palmer was one of Ethan’s father’s best friends. I shouldn’t have been surprised that he was involved in this mess. For an older man, he wasn’t unattractive. His short hair was beginning to gray, and he’d gained some weight around his midsection, probably from the pie he ate while trying to convince the waitresses to go home with him. I schooled my features, trying to keep the disgust I was feeling off my face.

Samuel raised his eyebrows at us. “Gentlemen, how can I help you?”

Dominic propped his head on one hand and gave him a bitter smile that made chills run across my body. “That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it? I have something you need to see.” He placed the envelope on the tabletop, tapped it with his index finger three times, and then slid it across to the chief.

Chief Palmer carefully took the envelope and opened it, pulling out a dozen photographs. His eyes widened and skin paled as he held the photos closer to his chest, angling them away from the rest of the diner.

In his hands was evidence of the crimes he’d been committing in Strathmore and outside of the country. Sex tourism was a lucrative industry, especially when it involved underage victims. It was doubtful he’d want information of this nature to spread across the city. And then there was the small matter of his wife and family, who would no doubt be horrified when they discovered the chief’s proclivities.

He swallowed before speaking, placing the pictures back into the envelope before sliding them inside his jacket. “Where did you get these?” he hissed, looking between the two of us.

I tried to suppress the grin threatening to spread across my face but failed. “I have my ways, but you’re really not asking the right question.” Leaning across the table, I noticed beads of sweat gathering on his brow. “Also, I’d lower my voice if I were you. Wouldn’t want anyone to find out.”

He scowled at me and clutched the edge of the table, his knuckles turning as white as his face. “Fine, what do you little shits want?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Dominic’s smile grew wider. Watching him was unnerving. Whereas Ethan thrived in chaos, this was Dominic’s forte. He had the ability to turn all of his emotions off at the flip of a switch. “We need three favors from you. Two tonight, and one at a future date we specify.”

The chief seemed hesitant, but his shoulders relaxed and he sank back into his seat, mulling over what to say next. “And if I agree to this, you’ll hand over whatever incriminating information you have on me?”

That wasn’t exactly how this would play out, but he didn’t need to know that. I gave him a sharp nod and stuck my hand out towards him.

Palmer stared at my hand for several seconds before finally shaking it, sealing the deal. “What do you need from me right now?”

I adjusted my jacket and glanced at Dominic, who was tracing figure eights on the table in front of him, intentionally dragging the conversation out. He was like a predator toying with his prey.

“I want all the ‘evidence’ you have on Paul Donohue to disappear. We both know it was planted by your friend,” Dominic stated calmly. “Drop the charges against him in the next two days.” The chief’s mouth opened and closed several times, reminding me of a fish. Dominic placed one finger over the man’s lips. “Hold on now, we’re not quite done. Whatever happens in the next week, I want you to look the other way. Nothing will be traced back to us or Rayne. Building burns down? Several dead bodies happen to wash up from the river? None of it was us. Do we have an understanding?”

Dominic removed his hand from the chief’s mouth and sat up straighter, eyeing the man’s expression. “What are you three planning?”

I shook my head at him. “None of your concern.”

“I’m not sure this is worth the trouble.”

Dominic leaned in close to his ear and pressed something from his jacket into the police chief’s side. From the angle I was sitting, I wasn’t sure if it was a gun or a knife. The man stilled, his breath coming out in quick pants.

“And I’m not sure you have a lot of options. Unless you want Mrs. Palmer and the rest of the community to find out.” The chief winced when Dominic’s hand jabbed into his side harder. “And you’ll tell no one about this conversation.”

“Fine,” he muttered. I threw twenty dollars into the middle of the table and stood up. Dominic carefully smoothed the man’s jacket before standing and we walked out of the small diner.

No one had overheard the conversation, but even if they had, they knew better than to say anything.

“You’re a fucking psychopath,” I said as I opened my car door.

He raised his eyebrows. “Yeah, but I’m pretty sure Chief Palmer doesn’t realize that yet.”

If he didn’t, he would figure it out soon. After all, he owed us a third favor. There was no way we would allow him to get away with what he’d done or his part in what was going on at the Ruby Rose.

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