Chapter 45

“You heard the news?”

“Yes,” said Leon.

“Ken Brownling is a cooperating witness against Arthur Vandenburg. The story is Vandenburg used him for legal assignments and, at the same time, employed a professional B&E man to rob his house.”

Leon sat back in thought while Mark waited on the other side of the desk. He knew Kenny did legal work for the organization and had met him in passing.

The bombshell was the revelation about organized B&E jobs. What a clever scheme, he thought. Bringing in the cash from all angles.

“You realize this is how Damon’s house got hit. And us too.”

“Yes.”

“But we got nicked after Stevens went down. That means they’re still running the operation with a new B&E guy.”

“Right.”

“What do we do?”

“Nothing right now. I need time to process this information.”

After a few days, Leon arranged a meeting with Simon.

“There’s a big trust issue now between us, man.”

“I know.”

“You clever sons of bitches. Taking your piece of investment income while robbing us on the side? I should go to the cops right now and expose your little scheme.”

“But you won’t. You’ve made a lot of money in our employ, and the good times are still rolling at Sparkles. Besides, with your record, the police will show you little sympathy. They might laugh you right out the door.”

“Or they might take me in as an informant to bring your ass down.”

“Feel free to take down Arthur. But you’ll be hard pressed to do much else. It’s your word against mine for our verbal meetings. Do you really want to give up Sparkles and everything we have built there?”

“No.”

“That’s what I thought.”

“I want a payment. Reparations for what your guy stole from me. And a promise of no more B&E jobs on me or my people.”

“That can be arranged.”