Chapter 5 - Whispers in the Freight Terminal
Leonard did not draw his weapon. He simply walked over to the young mechanic, his presence alone commanding absolute submission. He grabbed the man by the collar of his jacket, pulling him into the dim light of the workshop.
"Who are you?" Leonard asked.
"T-Toby," the young man stammered, his eyes darting to Martin’s gun. "Toby Miller. I work at the Denver freight terminal. I’m Vance’s younger brother."
Martin’s grip on his weapon tightened. "Vance’s brother? Why are you here, kid?"
"Vance told me to clean up the shop!" Toby sobbed, tears cutting lines through the grease on his cheeks. "He called me last night. He was panicking. He said he did something stupid. He said he had to take the woman because she wouldn't sign the release forms for the Pendelton delivery."
"What release forms?" Leonard demanded, his voice dropping into a dangerous, calculated whisper.
"The custom manifests!" Toby explained. "Gabriel Stone... he’s been using the high-value transport bays to smuggle unregistered bearer bonds out of the country. They were hidden inside the hollowed-out chambers of antique musical instruments being shipped to European auction houses. Arthur Pendelton’s estate was the perfect cover."
The pieces of the puzzle fell into place with a sickening, heavy thud.
"Arthur Pendelton didn't know," Leonard said, his eyes narrowing. "Gabriel was using the dead man’s estate to smuggle his own fortune out of the Kalin network. He was preparing to run."
"Viona Calvani was restoring the Stradivarius," Toby continued, his voice trembling. "She found the bonds hidden inside the soundbox. She realized the instrument had been structurally compromised to hold them. She refused to sign the delivery release, and she threatened to call the authorities. Vance was sent to intimidate her... but she fought back. He took her to make her sign the transfer of ownership."
"Where is she, Toby?" Leonard asked, his grip on the boy’s collar tightening. "Where is Vance holding her?"
"I don't know!" Toby cried. "I swear to God, I don't know! Vance only told me he was taking her to the 'cold storage' near the foothills. He told me to come here, burn her records, and make it look like a robbery."
"Cold storage," Martin muttered, looking at Leonard. "The old Kalin meatpacking facility near Nederland. It’s been abandoned for five years. It’s off the grid."
Leonard released Toby’s collar. He turned to Martin, his expression turning into a mask of pure, unadulterated war.
"Martin, secure the boy. Then call Gabriel Stone. Tell him we found Viona's shop empty, but we recovered the Stradivarius."
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"But we don't have it, Boss," Martin pointed out.
"Gabriel doesn't know that," Leonard said, his eyes gleaming with a cold, predatory light. "Let's see how fast a rat runs when you tell him his cheese is gone."
