Chapter 3 - Shadows on the Wall
The ride home in Vincent Kane’s sleek, bulletproof black SUV was quiet and surreal. Leo sat in the front passenger seat, his eyes constantly scanning the mirrors and streets of Chicago, while a professional driver navigated the afternoon traffic smoothly.
Sarah sat in the plush leather back seat, holding Rory close. The stack of cash sat securely inside her handbag. For the first time in nearly three months, the suffocating weight on her chest had eased enough for her to draw a full breath. She could pay her overdue rent. She could buy fresh milk, meat, fruit, and cereal. She could pay off the overdue utility notices sitting on her kitchen counter.
"Mommy?" Rory whispered, looking up from her lap. "Are we rich now?"
Sarah let out a soft, tearful laugh, kissing the top of Rory's head. "No, baby. We aren't rich. But we're safe. We're going to get groceries today."
Rory’s eyes lit up. "Can we get the cereal with the marshmallows?"
"Yes," Sarah smiled, wiping a tear from her eye. "We can get two boxes."
In the front seat, Leo glanced at them through the rear-view mirror. His tough, scarred face softened slightly as he listened to the little girl’s excitement.
Twenty minutes later, the SUV pulled up outside Sarah’s apartment building—a modest, slightly run-down brick building in the Humboldt Park neighborhood.
Leo stepped out first, checking the sidewalk before opening the door for Sarah and Rory. He walked them up the three flights of stairs to their apartment door, waiting while Sarah unlocked the deadbolt.
"Mrs. Carter," Leo said, pulling a heavy black business card from his jacket pocket and handing it to her. "This is Mr. Kane’s private line. If David Sterling—or anyone else—bothers you, you call this number immediately."
Sarah took the card, feeling the heavy, embossed gold lettering: V. KANE - ENTERPRISES.
"Thank you, Leo," Sarah said sincerely. "Please tell Mr. Kane that I am endlessly grateful."
Leo nodded once. He looked down at Rory. "Stay brave, kid."
"I will, Leo!" Rory said, waving as the giant man walked back down the stairwell.
Inside the small apartment, Sarah locked the door, leaned her back against the wood, and slowly slid down to the floor, holding her head in her hands as tears finally flowed freely. Rory sat down beside her, wrapping her small arms around Sarah’s neck.
"Don't cry, Mommy. The bad man is gone."
"I'm crying happy tears, sweet girl," Sarah sobbed gently, pulling Rory into her lap. "You were so brave today... but you must promise me you will never, ever walk up to dangerous men like that again. Do you hear me? My heart almost stopped."
"He wasn't dangerous to me, Mommy," Rory said with total, innocent conviction. "He listened."
While Sarah and Rory spent the afternoon at the local supermarket filling two shopping carts with fresh food, five miles away in a high-rise office building overlooking Lake Michigan, Vincent Kane sat behind a massive black desk.
On his desk lay Sarah Carter’s background file, compiled by his intelligence team in less than two hours.
Vincent flicked through the pages.
Sarah Carter, age 28. Widow. Late husband: Thomas Carter, former union carpenter, deceased two years ago in a construction accident. No criminal record. Clean employment history. Current debt: $14,000 in medical bills left from her husband's treatment.
Leo walked into the office, setting a fresh glass of sparkling water on the desk. "They're safe in their apartment, boss. Escorted them to the bank first; she deposited nine thousand and kept two thousand in cash for immediate expenses."
Vincent closed the folder. "And Sterling?"
Leo’s expression turned cold. "He’s panic-selling his shares in the bistro. Word got out about what happened at lunch. Nobody in the neighborhood wants to do business with a guy who owes Vincent Kane a debt of dishonor. He’s looking for a way out of the city."
"Let him run," Vincent said neutrally. "As long as he doesn't step foot in this district again."
Vincent looked out the floor-to-ceiling glass window at the gray skyline of Chicago.
"The girl," Vincent said softly. "Rory."
"Kid’s sharp as a tack, boss," Leo noted with a grin. "Counted seven guards when there were only six visible from the dining room."
"There weren't six," Vincent corrected calmly. "Marcus was standing in the shadow of the velvet curtain near the kitchen entrance. She saw him."
Leo froze, his eyes widening. "She noticed Marcus? He was entirely in the dark!"
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Vincent leaned back in his leather chair, steepling his fingers. "A four-and-a-half-year-old child who notices hidden guards and keeps track of her mother's unpaid hours with crayon stars. She’s observant. Too observant for a life of poverty."
Vincent picked up his pen. "Find out where Sarah Carter applied for work next. Make sure she gets a real job. Somewhere safe."
