Chapter 59: Mistrust

Chapter 59: Mistrust
About a Year ago
Damon’s life was taking a different trajectory than he imagined. With the help of his beautiful bride-married like a month back- he was starting to set himself up as an independent Reed and their first investment was in real estate as he waited to switch to fulltime crime. He realized Emily was more than a bartender, she was smart and calculated and kind and charming to their clients. She did most of the negotiating while he just approved decisions.
This move to have a business of his own under Emily’s name raised some conflict of interest and while his brother would let it slide- he didn’t_ the other blood reapers were totally against it. This was a second rift to their sacred brotherly bond.
“You can’t be in competition with us Damon, you are smart enough to know that. And you helped write the rules”
“It’s her business. I’m just…”
“An investor? Cut the BS”
“You have always been against Emily bro. What did she do to you?”
He tried to sleep with her thinking she was interested in power.
“This is not about her. It’s bout business and the investors. What if this bitch is just using you?”
“I trust her that’s why we got married?”
“In secret”
“You didn’t show up at the courthouse but you were invited weren’t you?”
“I couldn’t witness you throw your life away. Yes I don’t like that girl since she showed up at the scene we haven’t been seeing eye to eye. You’ve lost your way”
“Maybe she opened my eyes”
The brothers didn’t know the meaning of that statement at that time. Axel didn’t want to keep arguing so that conversation ended there once again a discussion that ended on a stalemate like many others they had. After he left the headquarters Damon got a random call from his partners to meet at their usual place.
It was an unscheduled meet up that they couldn’t explain over the phone for safety issues. Damon rescheduled the meeting with Emily-then a bartender turned into a real estate agent and rushed to his secret business partners.
“So, what is it that couldn’t wait”
“We have to show you something and you’re not going to believe it”
“Okay” he looked curious as they inserted the chimera on the laptop.
“What you are about to see is going to break….”
“Dude just show me and let me decide”
He typed away on the keyboard and the images that came on screen showed his brother Axel with a top government official and another high ranking intelligence officer. Damon’s eyes wanted to pop out of their sockets. The gangs and the government were sworn enemies and anyone who could be found associating with the government was a snitch and death was the only punishment. Damon buried his head between his feet dealing with a sudden surge of emotions that threatened to burst it open.
“You know what this means?”
“He is a snitch. The Don of my mafia family is working with the police and if it comes out he is dead”
“So we make sure it doesn’t come out right?”
“Yes. Let me think. I need to go to some place to think” he left the back of the van and walked back his car.
Damon looked shocked and defeated, surprised and sad, angry to some extent. He sat in his car for a few minutes then drove off. He didn’t know what to do with that information and the only soul he trusted couldn’t know it either. That afternoon he went to the florist and visited their parents graves. Last time he was there he was trying to decide whether or not it was a good idea to marry Emily although he had not known her for long.
The graveyard was his place to think. He sat there with his parents reminiscing about the old days while smoking a cigar. The sun was reflecting off his bald head. Damon had two choices there. Live with the secret hoping no one was going to find out or asking his brother to run before they do.
“He’ll never do that. Axel likes being Don I think he will rule till his last breath”
One constant was it was going to see light of day and he needed to be in control try to save his stubborn old brother. Instead it was his brother who would be asked to get rid of him.
present Day
Since his burial Axel had not gained enough courage to visit Damon’s grave alone like they did to their parents. That afternoon he stopped by the florist who had been a family friend for years. The old lady welcomed Axel for a cup of tea that he didn’t know he so much needed. She was like the only closest family he was left with and since he didn’t have anyone left she filled that spot with stories about their childhood and his father.
Axel realized just how much he had gone against what his old man stood for. He had lost his way and let his brother die just keep his secret and he was having second thoughts visiting the grave until she told him of someone else who had stopped by to get flowers.
“Are you sure it was her?”
“I’ve seen her so many times to know it’s her although the last time she stopped by her face was yet to be plastered all over and you said she was dead remember”
“Still you should have called me. That bitch had caused me so much pain” Axel dialed on his phone, “I know how catch Eleanor, the perfect place has been in front of us the whole time. We can’t let her go this time”
“Who was that?”
“A friend. Can you give me three banquets please”
Elliot paid for the flowers and they walked back into the car. He had listened to the entire conversation Axel had with his florist and he picked up a few things he shouldn’t have since they just raised his suspicion since the death of Mike and everything else that was happening with Eleanor. As they drove to the cemetery which was a kilometer away he decided to open up just a little
“Boss, can I speak freely?”
“Go ahead English. We don’t have a lot of that going around don’t we?”
His reception was not that cool and the mockery tone put Elliot off. Axel didn’t like being questioned and it was true Eleanor had did a number to his temper. She was that nightmare he just couldn’t wake up from.
“Seriously, go ahead. I didn’t intend to put you off like that am just going through a lot of stress”
“It’s just a question. If Eleanor killed Damon and took the chimera why would she stop by his grave?”
“To piss and spit on it I guess what to you think?”
Once again he was becoming irritated or it was just his nature. By then Elliot had known him so well not push his buttons further. The rest of the way he didn’t say anything else to his boss and it just widened the gap between them. He didn’t trust him at all and it was about to get worse.
“You can watch from a distance. I need an alone moment”
“Okay Boss”
Like agreed Elliot stopped by the car and Axel proceeded to his family grave yard. He placed the flowers on them and on Damon’s he picked up a piece of paper quickly read it had looked around suspiciously. Elliot drew his gun and also looked around. He saw her. She saw him and waved. He couldn’t shoot her or tell him he didn't know why but he just couldn't. Elliot had become a fan of Eleanor, he had decided to give her the benefit of the doubt.
And the note said;
“Finally came to confess your sins Axel. I’ve been waiting. I know what you did”
E.B.
Ax
el burned it. But her intention had been achieved.