17. Zane

Chapter seventeen

Zane

W illiam Harbour doesn't take his eyes off me as he stands with a noose around his neck. Last night we played our part in a murder together, and tonight it is his life hanging by a literal thread. A spontaneous decision to take a life which didn't benefit the family or the business. I trusted him completely, knowing about Andrew and Jasmine. Now, he is teetering on a small stool, representing the only thing between him and hell.

Caeo starts the questioning while Knox and I watch. I'm praying for him to come clean about his sins while keeping quiet about my own.

He stands accused of stealing, caught between a rock and a hard place. If he confesses, he knows he will die. If he doesn't, he will be tortured until he does.

"This is your chance to tell us everything," Caeo tells him with a level tone.

"There is nothing to tell, it's not me. I've not done anything," William pleads.

"Gavriil has ways to make people talk." Knox nods at the Russian, who hears his name and steps forward. The large man picks up one of his tools and explains what it does, in Russian so no one understands.

There is something menacing about his deep Russian timbre, and the way he holds medical instruments that are extremely useful at doing whatever he is saying it does. Then Nico translates, expressing more in his facial expressions than in his words. He looks horrified at whatever Gavriil is explaining. Meanwhile, Knox is smiling like the man is reciting poetry.

"That hurt real bad," Nico grimaces.

I often wonder what terrors Nico hears from the giant man, but Gavriil isn't stupid, although he hides it behind his language barrier. I doubt he says anything to the teen that I wouldn't.

"You are speaking now." Nico informs the trapped man.

"About what? I've not done anything," William sobs to the boy. "Please tell him I didn't take anything."

"No tell me. You speaking to Mr Boss Man," Nico shrugs. "Gavriil only care about the hurting."

"I need you to tell me about the missing money," Knox explains, glancing briefly at me.

The man has a habit of absolving his guilt by collecting neglected donkeys. While Alex enjoys spending time with them, I never understood their appeal. But as I watch Knox and William barter information for life, I think I finally do. Knowing Jasmine is at home and that I have saved her, somehow lessens the guilt of watching a friend on the cusp of death. I can speak out and save him; even Knox will have to listen to me, but any such act will risk my concealment of Jasmine.

"Please, give your word. If I tell you, you'll spare me?" William stammers.

If he confesses now and earns a reprieve, he has time to barter for his life with family information Knox may find interesting. Something like my decision to eliminate Andrew Green.

"I only need one name to make a public example of," Knox confirms.

"Derik Marley. It was his idea. When he saw that the number varied each time and that we were logging it, he thought we could change it." William's tongue suddenly loosens with the chance to escape torture. "Once Roger Saint was in on it, I couldn't say no to both of them. And it was working. I didn't have to do anything and still got an extra couple of grand per month."

"You were being cheated if that's all you got from their arrangement." Knox huffs, unkindly dismissing the burden William has lifted from his chest.

Knox interacts with Gavriil, informing him that no torture will be needed. My eyes stay fixed on William. His fate is mine to decide. Despite not being the mastermind behind the taking and distributing of the drugs, he waited until he was caught to give the names of who was. He profited from others deceit, and now his survival was far from being guaranteed.. How can we trust him after he has been lying to us for so long? Being bribed into turning a blind eye could have been overlooked if he'd just come out and told us. The fact he let it get this far and the devastation in knowing I can't trust him with Jasmine's secret has my mind made up.

Knox looks at me for approval of his intentions and I nod my approval. Lenny smiles and takes Knox's head gesture as permission to kick the stool away. William drops slightly before the noose catches him. His body weight swings on the end of the rope as his feet kick desperately for something to steady himself. His bound hands trap him, but in truth, there is little they could do even if he had the use of them.

He gasps for air, but it's the blood needed by his brain that is making him so desperate. I have to watch. Turning away would be a dishonour he doesn't deserve. He has given his life to the family and I respect that, watching until his body falls motionless.