30. Marko

CHAPTER 30

MARKO

SEVERAL WEEKS LATER – DIGGING DEEPER

" I 'm home," Luca announced, entering my office and plonking himself down heavily into a chair.

"Love the bald head, it suits you. Makes you look your age," I smirked.

"Fuck off!" Luca said with a chuckle, throwing a marker pen at my head.

"So, the fucker's been arrested then?" he asked.

"Yeah, the joint Scotland Yard, National Crime Agency, and Interpol operation finally took place late last night. The MP and many of his staff were arrested," I confirmed.

The day after the viewing of his recorded files, I'd let Melissa press send on the anonymous email we sent to our Interpol contact. Then we had to sit tight and await the outcome.

We'd been lucky that the security guards had only seen us outside the MP's house. Between that and the fact that we had left no trace of having actually been inside, Luca told us that the MP was of the belief that our break-in had been thwarted before it could take place.

So, he had gone about his usual business without a care in the world until Interpol got their act together and organised a raid on his home. Because of the nature of the crimes involved and the fact that his operations spanned several countries, a multi-agency collaboration had been necessary and that took time to co-ordinate.

I'd been monitoring the police contacts to ensure I knew exactly when the operation was going down. Luca had also remained undercover so he could monitor the MP while we waited and ensure that the guy didn't get tipped off about a possible investigation and destroy the evidence.

As soon as I'd learned when the raid was taking place, I'd called Luca and got him out of there. He would be staying at the Estate for the foreseeable future to keep a low profile for a while. We had no doubt that once the MP was arrested, he'd figure out that enough evidence to create suspicion in law enforcement had been stolen after all and along with Luca's sudden disappearance, he would know he'd been involved and try to locate his whereabouts.

Even though Luca had changed his appearance to disguise himself and used a fake name while undercover, we wanted to ensure his hair grew back and he looked more like himself than the MP's newest bodyguard, before he went out in public again. Just to be on the safe side.

"Sonia and your staff are keeping everything running for you until you can get back to things," I told him.

Hopefully, it would be safe enough for Luca to resume his usual duties soon. I knew he was longing to get back to his role heading up our entertainment venues, but it would have to wait. We'd put him in jeopardy when he'd gone undercover for us, and we needed to ensure that it was safe for him before he resumed his normal life.

We'd also put Anton and Marcie in jeopardy when we involved them in our plans, but we crafted a scenario where Anton seemed fooled by a deceptive employee, and Marcie appeared as an innocent victim of car theft. We framed another staff member of hers to look guilty of aiding the would-be thieves and paid him to vanish afterward. Hopefully, that would prevent the MP from blaming Anton or Marcie and shield them from any backlash. All going well none of them would need to worry about the MP in the future.

"Did you take a nap?" I asked.

"Yeah, and several showers. I can't help feeling dirty, having just been in that slimy bastard's company for a few weeks," he replied with a shudder.

"Well, brace yourself, since you're stuck here for a while, you'll be helping me and Daniel Glowacki identify all the men who took part in the hunts," I told him.

"Fuck! No. I'd rather be skinned alive than watch that monster's handiwork?" he said with a look that told me he would indeed view that as a better option.

Unfortunately, I needed the help.

"Sorry, during the filming of the hunts, identities were protected by masks and the only people recognisable were the MP and his staff, so I have my work cut out for me. I really need the help or I would spare you. Daniel drew the short straw too," I told him and meant it.

If I could prevent others from witnessing that fucker's idea of entertainment, I would, but unfortunately I couldn't do this alone. Not even with Daniel's help.

Daniel Glowacki's role in the Polish Mafia was like mine, in that he was the Glowacki family's expert in computers, and would be a great asset in trying to identify all the victims.

Besides, Daniel's family was also targeted by Mathieson, and the MP was the driving force behind his actions. We knew why we were targeted by these men; our father was a party to the downfall of their father; however, we were not sure why they targeted Glowacki. It could just have been an attempt to weaken us by breaking up our alliance as we originally thought, but it seemed more personal than that, especially since the MP had continued the attacks on the Polish as well as us, although as yet we had not found another reason. But whatever it was, like us, the Glowacki's had a vested interest in bringing the guy down.

So, Glowacki had volunteered Daniel to help. Lucky Daniel!

Although the MP had kept a file on each participant, they were in code. Daniel and I had been working on it, but it was proving a hard task. Josh had been busy with other stuff but would be free to join the fun soon, and now Luca was on board. Between us all, I was confident we'd soon crack it.

Of course, it would take our law enforcement contacts a lot longer. Law enforcement or not, they just didn't have the resources we had, so once again, we would anonymously help them out.

As soon as we deciphered the code, the four of us would track down the participants. Then decide which of the bastards we'd hand over to the law, for their sorry asses to be sent to jail, and which of them we'd deal with ourselves. In one way or another, for every victim, justice would be done.

It would be some time for this whole business to be dealt with, but with the MP's arrest, at least we were now one step closer.

I checked the news. As expected, the MP's arrest was on every channel. The authorities hailed it as a great success, charging the MP and several of his men with numerous counts of murder.

Unfortunately, despite the seriousness of the charges, many of the men, including the MP, had been granted bail. As a prominent member of the British government and a wealthy man with global business interests, he wasn't considered a flight risk, apparently.

That was likely true, at least for now. He had to resign as Foreign Secretary, but he still controlled a substantial fortune and several businesses, so I doubted fleeing was in his plans. At least not quite yet.

I figured he would try to beat or at least reduce the charges first. He was an arrogant bastard and in his arrogance he would probably believe he could get out of this unscathed. The evidence was stacked against him, but money talks and I expected he would do everything to avoid prison.

Miki was convinced that until he was convicted, he remained a threat to all of us. I agreed, so I was monitoring all his communications, ready to alert the authorities if he tried anything. The media frenzy since his arrest would probably keep him virtually under house arrest, with reporters camped outside his home. That would help curtail some of his actions and hopefully stop any further attacks against us, but nevertheless, we were being extra vigilant.

The MP would likely suspect us of being behind his capture. So, for now, we needed to watch our backs.

The sooner the trial happened, and he was convicted, the better. We intended to do all we could to ensure that happened, and that he didn't decide to run after all.

Even after conviction, he could still pose a threat to us.

However, while committing his crimes, he used many petty criminals, prostitutes, drug addicts, and runaways for his "hunting" parties. These people had families, and many of his victims' loved ones wanted to see him suffer for his crimes.

As such, he would have numerous enemies when he got to prison. We intended on capitalising upon that. We would not be killing the MP in jail ourselves, but we would ensure that our contacts inside made it easier for his other enemies to do so. That way, he would receive the justice he required, but with no direct connection to the Bratva or the Polish Mafia.

We just had to bide our time.

"But you can wait to get started on things until Daniel gets here later," I told Luca.

"Go grab some time to yourself. I'm taking Melissa over to meet with Anton and the architect designing her rebuild. I'll catch up with you at dinner," I said, logging out of my system.

"Yeah, catch you later," he replied as I left the room.

Melissa was renting out her building once it was re-done to Anton. We'd finally had "the talk" a couple of days after we'd sent the info to Interpol, and she'd agree to be mine and stay here with me. I was over the moon.

Our relationship had been even stronger since we'd cleared up any concerns we'd had about our feelings for each other.

After viewing the MP's files, Melissa had been distraught. She'd needed a distraction from the awful stuff we'd seen, and I gladly provided her with one. All night long! In fact, every night since and whenever else I had the opportunity. Distracting Melissa had become a bit of an obsession for me. One that both of us were thoroughly enjoying, and I suspected we always would.

Those thoughts naturally drove me wild with need, and I decided to pass the wait, reliving some of those wonderful distractions.