Morally Corrupt: A Dark Romance (Morally Questionable Book 1)

by Veronica Lancet

"This isn't much," Bianca notes, but Vlad quickly puts up his hand to stop her.

  "Not finished, please. The working theory is that these people were involved with Jimenez at one point. Marcel and I started looking at each person's finances. If they invested with Jimenez, there must be some type of evidence, right? We didn't manage to go through all, obviously, but the three people we did manage to investigate gave us something."

  "Something?" I ask, and Vlad pulls up financial statements next.

  "We noticed the three have something in common. Around twenty years ago, they started making regular yearly payments to an offshore account." He points to the amount, and it's staggering. Each person would wire 250,000 thousand dollars each.

  "Shit! Blackmail?" Both Vlad and Marcel nod.

  "And the offshore account?"

  "Still working on that. But if my theory is right... and it probably is." Vlad starts in his usual self-assured manner. "We're going to find similar payments made by the rest of the people on that list."

  "What would Martin be doing with this? Insurance?" I wonder out loud. It doesn't really make sense.

  "No... not insurance." Bianca finally speaks, and her insight brings a whole different angle to the problem. "My father was never poor, strictly speaking, but he went through a rough patch when I was a child. I remember because that was around the time, he started being meaner than usual, and he would complain a lot about money. Can you check Martin's accounts from around that time?"

  "You really think he was the one who blackmailed these people?" The names on the list belong to politicians... people in power. How could Martin?...

  Shit.

  I remember Martin's widespread connections, and how everyone seemed so subservient to him. Retrospectively, maybe he did have something on them?

  "I only have access to public information now, but..." Vlad is focused on the screen, trying to access some data. "B's right. There was a rough patch around twenty-two years ago. He was losing more money than he was making. He was almost contemplating insolvency at that point." He shows us some financial statements that show millions in debt. "Then, he was suddenly on his feet again." He scrolls through more statements, and the date on the one that shows him on plus is...eighteen years ago."

  "The timeline would match." Bianca states. "So, let's say that Martin made some bad investments, was losing money, needed urgent capital. He got that list with people who were clearly involved in illegal things, and he blackmailed them. We can account for that four-year lag in profits because his debts were just too big to be wiped clean immediately."

  "That would be the logical conclusion." Vlad agrees. "Although, I still want to run the rest of the names to confirm this. "

  "I'm curious about the other six crossed names." Marcel stands up to pace around the room. "And is Jimenez involved?"

  "I think there is one way to find out." Bianca's face suddenly lights up, and I sigh. I'm starting to learn her facial cues, and this can't be good. "We go interrogate some of the people on the list. They should be able to give us info on Martin and Jimenez."

  "That's a great idea, little goddess!" Vlad exclaims, rubbing his hands together in excitement. There is a one-second pause before Bianca gives him a blank look.

  "You can't call me a little goddess anymore. He doesn't like it." She raises her hand and points her finger at me—way to throw me under the bus, B.

  Vlad immediately starts chuckling.

  "Are you jealous, Hastings?" He coos at me, and I close my eyes

  to maintain my calm.

  "Aww, don't worry." He pats my back in a mocking gesture. "I've seen her naked, and she doesn't do anything for me." The moment the words are out of his mouth, the hand now sporting a brace shoots out and wraps itself around Vlad's throat, almost lifting him from his chair. His expression is still amused when he says, "No offense, B." but then he turns his gaze from her to me, and in a deadly voice, he utters, "Take your hand off me, Hastings, or I won't play nice." Before I can say anything, Bianca intervenes.

  "Don't you dare, Vlad! He just came back from the doctor. Adrian, let him go!" She taps her foot and waits expectantly. I reluctantly let go, and Vlad is back in his seat.

  "Now, make up!" Her command seems to have the same effect on Vlad as it has on me. I give him a side-eye and reluctantly mumble something.

  "Great. Now that we're done with the family drama, we can focus on Bianca's suggestion." Marcel intervenes, barely able to hide his laughter.

  "Yes, take your husband with you and go do your thing." Vlad is massaging his neck as if I'd applied Herculean force on it.

  "Nope. Can't do that. He just came back from the doctor!" Bianca reiterates, almost outraged that Vlad would suggest such a thing.

  "Well, I can't go. Marcel can't go. So, either you go alone, or take him." He nudges his head in my direction. I want to reply, but Bianca once again speaks.

  "Why can't Marcel?"

  "He's not made for these things..."

  "I guess you're right." She frowns at the notion before adding. "Then, I'll go alone."

  "You're not going alone." I finally say

  "No, no, you're not coming." She scoffs at me as if it's the most absurd thing.

  "Yes, I am. If I'm not going with you, then I'll go alone."

  "Alone?" Her eyes widen at the possibility, and I realize I know exactly how to get her.

  "Yes. You know, it's probably going to put a strain on my arm and my ribs... but I'm sure I can do it alone too."

  "No! You're coming with me. I'll take care of you."

  "Fine," I reply, trying to seem indifferent, but inside I'm smirking.

  I think I'm getting the hang of how this Bianca operates. And it's kind of fun to push her buttons.

  "Good one, Hastings!" Both Marcel and Vlad nod at me while Bianca looks a little confused. She doesn't even know what she's just given me.

  "Now... who are we paying a visit to?"

  "You're welcome to choose from here." He gives us an updated list with their professions before looking at his phone and adding. "My IT guy just confirmed that the rest have outgoing payments to the same offshore account too. Once we got the pattern, it was fairly easy for him to check for the same thing."

  "Let's see. We want someone willing to talk." B says as she scans the new list and settles on a name. "Former Senator Wolfe. I remember him. He used to come to our house all the time when I was younger."

  "Yeah, I know him as well..." I add dryly. He was an old man that had to include Jesus in every single conversation. We'd had a few disputes under the guise of debates over the years. He retired some eight or nine years ago, last I remember.

  "Have your IT guy get all information on Wolfe, and then we'll act." Bianca nods towards Vlad.

  It seems that our visit to Atlantic City will have to be delayed... again.

  CHAPTER XXXVIII

  According to the information Vlad's IT guy provided, Wolfe is seventy-four years old, married for forty of those, and the proud father of three children. He currently resides in Tampa, Florida. I'm working on memorizing his personal details while Adrian is getting changed. We decided to come back to the penthouse before heading for our 4am flight to Tampa.

  I haven't been back here since our fight, and on the drive back here, he'd felt compelled to add.

  "Don't think any of this means I forgive you." I hadn't said anything because I never expected him to... at least not this soon. I just have to work harder to prove to him that we belong together.

  So far, our teamwork has been exemplary if one looks past Martin's death and the vault's explosion.

  "Are you done?" I look up to see him button up a white shirt and folding his sleeves.

  "Yes." He nods and drops a backpack next to me. "I packed some essentials."

  "Good. Me too." I show him the small case luggage I'd prepared. "I'm checking this one in. It has everything we will need for the more unsavory parts of the journey." Unsavory being the code word for blood and gore. I'd
packed some of my guns, ammo, and a couple knives. He frowns when he gets my meaning.

  "How will it pass airport security?"

  "They have my name flagged, so they never check it," I explain how it's like a subscription you pay for if you know the right people. For someone who needs to travel with weapons nine times out of ten, it is necessary.

  He grunts in acknowledgment, but he doesn't seem too thrilled about my reservation. It's probably the lawman in him. Even though he's seen some sides of the underground world, Adrian is still innocent of many of the dealings that happen around us.

  We leave the apartment and drive to the airport. We'd already decided we weren't going to stay there longer than a couple of days. Adrian had been quite vocal about that because he is anxious to go to Atlantic City and find Jimenez. I hadn't argued, mainly because where he goes, I go.

  Once we get to the airport, we park the car, pay in advance for a few days, and head towards the check-in area.

  "Are you sure it's going to work?" Adrian keeps eyeing my luggage.

  "Trust me, it will work," I assure him for the thousandth time.

  "I don't think I do..." He mutters under his breath but drops the issue.

  Going through security is a piece of cake, and we soon take our seats in the flight.

  "See, I told you there was nothing to worry about."

  "I still can't believe you can just bribe airport security." He shakes his head, but I catch a glimpse of a grimace.

  "How's the pain?" I point at his chest, and he shrugs.

  "I took some painkillers. It's fine now."

  "Don't overdo it." I chastise him slightly.

  The plane takes off, and I see Adrian close his eyes.

  OK... so he doesn't want to talk. Not that I blame him too much, considering everything that happened this week. I still can't believe the old man made his fortune through blackmail, although it's not surprising.

  I'd never really concerned myself with his business. And he was never concerned with mine. The only times we really interacted was when he notified me of an event or a dinner I needed to attend with him to present the perfect family image to the world. The more I think about my childhood, the more I regret I wasn't the one to put a bullet between his eyes. It would have been so satisfying...

  "What did Vlad mean?" My thoughts are interrupted when Adrian tilts his head and looks at me through hooded eyes.

  "When?" I try to remember what instance he's talking about but can't.

  "When he said he's seen you naked."

  "Ah! I've seen him naked too. It's not a big deal. We were often in such close quarters with each other that we didn't have any privacy. Especially during missions in remote areas." I really hope he doesn't think there's anything between Vlad and me. I mean, we're basically siblings.

  Adrian is silent for a moment.

  "Was this before we were together?"

  I try to think back, and maybe... I don't really remember.

  "Mostly," I reply.

  After Vlad became Pakhan, we rarely went on missions together, so in a sense, I'm not lying.

  "I see..." Adrian replies and purses his lips. What's going on? Is that a good I see or a bad I see?

  "You must understand that nothing ever happened." I try to placate him further.

  "How would you feel if I told you I had this close female friend, and we've both seen each other naked?"

  A red mist covers my sight. My hand is clutching at the armrest when I say.

  "I'd kill her."

  "See?" He lifts an eyebrow at me.

  "But..." I start, not really seeing how these two situations compare.

  "If this," He points towards me and then towards himself, "is going to work in any way, you'll have to try to put yourself in my shoes every now and then."

  I grumble some type of acquiescence and drop the subject. How am I supposed to put myself in his shoes? I'll probably have to make a list of all the things he dislikes and memorize it. Would it be too much to ask him to make a list? One furtive glance at his stern features discourages me from voicing out loud that particular thought. He already thinks I'm a monster; I shouldn't add crazy to the mix.

  Trying to salvage the time left on the flight, I change the topic and bring up something I'd been wondering for a long time.

  "I've been meaning to ask you." I start, almost testing the waters. He turns ever so slightly towards me, so I continue. "How come Marcel is so involved in this Jimenez hunt?"

  "He's my best friend," Adrian says automatically. "But to answer your question, Marcel found out that I was Adrian Barnett incredibly early in our friendship. I ended up telling him the entire history and why I was chasing after Jimenez. He's been helping me since, especially with his connections in the D.A. office."

  "How does he know Vlad then?" I ask, another mystery I hadn't been able to crack.

  "I don't know exactly. He said they are old friends."

  "And you don't find that odd? I didn't know about their acquaintance until very recently." And I know mostly everyone in Vlad's life, not that there are that many people.

  "Marcel has his secrets, but he's always been loyal to me." He adds with confidence.

  "Hmm..." Adrian's trust in Marcel is ironclad. And yet, I have this nagging feeling that I'm missing something. Why is he so dedicated to finding Jimenez? Just for his best friend? It seems like a perilous task to undertake just to be of help to someone... I realize I can't voice my doubts anymore because I'd be doing so in vain.

  But I'd have to keep an eye on Marcel.

  We land and after getting the luggage, we go to rent a car. After signing the agreement, we start on the road.

  I input the coordinates for Wolfe's home, and then we head to Palm Harbor. A quick glance at the community shows it's mainly retired people, so we have to keep that in mind to blend in.

  "I guess Martin sucked him dry," I say as Wolfe's house comes in sight. It's very modest, especially considering the other neighboring houses.

  "The first attempt is friendly, alright?" Adrian gives me a look while trying to find a parking spot, making sure I'm on the same page. We'd argued a little on the drive here, but we'd resolved to do it his way at first, and if it doesn't work, then we'll do it my way.

  We get out of the car and go knock on the door. Within a few knocks, an old lady opens the door and greets us.

  "Mrs. Wolfe?" Adrian inquires, and she nods. "I'm Theodore Hastings, and this is my wife, Bianca Ashby. We'd like to talk with your husband. Is he at home?"

  "Yes, yes, just a second. Please come in." She shows us to the living room and tells us to make ourselves comfortable.

  We sit down, and I take in my surroundings. Everything looks typical of a suburban home. There are family photos everywhere.

  By all intents and purposes, it seems as if Senator Wolfe is a family man. There's also an unusual amount of religious paraphernalia, lots of crosses, and the Bible in at least a dozen editions.

  The sound of coughing brings my gaze towards the doorway, where an elderly man is holding onto the wall, seemingly walking with difficulty.

  "Senator Wolfe." Adrian stands up to shake the man's hand. Wolfe doesn't seem to be in top shape, but maybe this will be to our advantage.

  "Hastings, right? Good to see you again, boy." He then looks at me and narrows his eyes. "Ashby... I heard about Martin. My condolences." I just give him a nod and watch him position himself on the opposite couch.

  "What brings you here?" He asks, and I look at Adrian, keeping my mouth shut and giving him the stage.

  "We've discovered a list among Martin's belongings." Adrian starts, and the effect is immediate. Wolfe's face pales, and there is a slight trembling to the hand resting on his knee.

  "And?"

  "Your name, along with other high-profile people, was on said list. We were wondering if you could provide us with some information..." Wolfe immediately stands up, faster than he should have been capable of.

  "Out!" He said
. "Get out of my house! Now!" His hand points towards the door, and Adrian purses his lips, not yet moving.

  "I don't think I made myself clear, Senator. We already know you were paying Martin off. What was it, quarter a million a year? How could a mere public officer have that much money to spare?" I know he's bluffing right now, but damn if it's not working.

  If before we only theorized that Martin was the one blackmailing these people, now we know for sure. Wolfe promptly retakes his seat with a defeated look.

  "What do you want?"

  "The truth. Starting with why you were on the list in the first place."

  "I... I can't." Wolfe starts stuttering.

  "Can't or won't?" Adrian raises to his feet and casually walks to the fireplace, above which are many family pictures. He takes one of the frames.

  "You have a lovely family..."

  "Please! It's over, just leave me alone." He pleads, before turning towards me with venom in his eyes. "And you? I should have expected that any offspring of Martin's would be as vile." I'm slightly taken aback at this, Adrian interjects.

  "You'll address my wife with respect, Wolfe, or you will find that you won't like the consequences." Adrian's voice suddenly booms, and my cheeks warm at his defense.

  "Y-Y-You..." Wolfe sputters. Adrian moves in front of him, pointing to the family photo.

  "Now, let's try again. Why was your name on the list." I casually slip a gun from my back and start playing with a silencer. Wolfe's eyes go wide like saucers while Adrian's look resigned. He gives me a silent sign to not act.

  "I... You can't tell anyone this, please. You can't tell my family. I'll be ruined."

  "We don't care about that, Wolfe. Come on."

  "I used to go to this club... it was a club that auctioned people for...sex." His cheeks go red at the admission.

  "And?"

  "I..." His eyes were going back and forth from Adrian to my gun, and he continued swallowing deeply. "I bought boys." His head drops at this.

  "Boys? Define boys."

  "T-T-Teenage boys." My hand immediately tightens on the gun, and it takes all my self-control to not shoot the fucker at once.