Chapter 9 - The Settlement of the Docks
By December, the industrial valley of Hadley had fallen into a deep, silent freeze that turned the harbor into a landscape of white plains and black iron hulls. The Lucchese organization had vanished from the eastern seaboard as cleanly as ink washed from a page, their assets seized by the federal courts under a comprehensive racketeer-influenced indictment that Dileia’s medical logs had provided the core evidence for.
The Hartwell Care Center sat at the peak of the hill, its wide glass windows casting a warm, amber glow over the snow-covered streets below.
Dileia stood in the grand lobby, wearing a dark green wool dress that Lily had chosen for the winter dedication ceremony. Her hair was down, falling over her shoulders in soft, silver-threaded waves, the cheap canvas sneakers long gone, replaced by a pair of handmade leather boots that didn't make a sound on the marble.
Lily stood beside her, her small dark curls bouncing as she held a giant silver pair of ribbon-cutting shears, her face red from the excitement of the crowd.
"Is the King coming, Aunt Dileia?" Lily whispered, looking toward the large double glass doors where three black SUVs had just pulled into the cleared driveway.
"He’s always here, Lily," Dileia said, her hand reaching down to smooth the girl’s collar.
Julian Vance walked through the doors, wearing a long black coat with a fur collar that made him look like an ancient northern sovereign who had come to inspect his borders. He didn't look at the mayor, or the city council members who were waiting with their champagne glasses; he walked down the center of the lobby until he stood directly in front of Dileia, his hand reaching into his pocket to pull out a small, heavy manila folder.
"The Pier 14 titles, Director," Julian said, his voice a low, gravelly hum that cleared the room’s chatter instantly. "The grain silos have been completely converted into a permanent residential sanctuary for the pediatric ward families. The deed is written in your name."
May you like
Dileia took the folder, her fingers tracing the heavy gold seal of the city registry. "You paid the price, Julian."
"The price was cheap, Dileia," Julian whispered, leaning down until his lips were inches from her ear, his hand catching her waist and dragging her against his side with that same absolute, possessive authority that had claimed her in the boardroom. "Because currently... the only investment I care about is the one that keeps my heart beating when the winter snow hits the dock."
