The Love Of Money - Episode 285
27-08-25 (10:23)
There was the out-of-control maniac that I’d met in the
industrial section of Sin City.
“Roger!” Karl said. “You kidnapped the boy!”
“So,” Roger said, sounding much calmer, “This is your
doing.”
“You killed Ray,” I said. “You’re lucky this is the worst
thing happening to you.”
“Who?” Roger said.
Oh fucking hell no. I opened my mouth to tell him
precisely who Ray was, but William spoke first.
“You kidnapped the wealthiest man in the world, Roger!
And our client!”
“No, I didn’t,” Roger spat without looking at William.
“You know exactly where' I was.”
“Roger, we have overwhelming and damning evidence
that says otherwise,” Karl said, holding up the proof that
Henry had collected. He stepped forward to place it on
the now empty desk and stepped back. Roger stared at
it but didn’t move to touch it.
Finally, he looked back up at me without denying
anything, “I’ll end you for this. I’ll tell everyone
everything I know.”
He said it in such a calm, conversational way that I
found it unnerving after the crazed display that had
spread his stuff across the floor. Still, despite my
reluctance, I spoke up. “You go right ahead and tell
whoever you want. I’ve got the evidence to press
charges and enough resources to make sure you never
see the light of day again.”
It looked like he was chewing on those words and
preparing to spit them back at me. “What do you want
from me? An apology?”
I shook my head. “I just don’t want to have anything to
do with you. I told your partners, either you’re gone, or
I am.”
“Karl?” Roger said, looking at the older man.
“Roger,” Karl said, sounding apologetic. “He’s the new
Gerrard. Losing his account alone…”
“After all I’ve done for this firm,” Roger said. “You two
never had the spine to do what was necessary. You
always relied on me. It’s what’s made me invaluable to
this company, and now I’m being punished for it?”
“You flew too close to the sun, Roger,” William said.
“He slept with my fucking wife!” Roger said, pointing an
accusatory finger at me. “And you wouldn’t lift a finger
to stop him!”
“Roger, you were leveraging Helen for years. You have
to know that would’ve come back on you at some
point,” Karl said.
He looked back and forth between the two partners
again, his eyes wild. “Really? That’s it? After all these
years?”
“We’ll buy your part of the firm,” Williams said. “You’ll
also receive a nice severance package as a ‘thank you’
for your years of service to the company, but I’m afraid
we have to part ways.”
Roger looked down at the evidence on his desk, and I
could see the wheels turning in his brain. Finally, he
nodded but said nothing more.
“Before you pack all your shit in a little box and walk
out of here,” I said. All three of them looked at me. “I’m
gonna need you to go with my bodyguard. She’s going
to take you somewhere' private where' some friends
can ask you questions specifically about my
kidnapping.”
“I’m not going anywhere' with you or any of your
people,” Roger spat.
“You don’t have a choice,” I said.
“Marcus, you didn’t say anything—”
“I promise you,” I said, cutting off Karl, “I’ll treat you a
lot better than you treated me, and when my people
are satisfied that you’ve told them everything you
know, I’ll let you go where'ver the fuck you want.”
Roger retrieved his phone from his pocket and unlocked
it, still eyeing me as I finished. “But I’m going to get
some answers from you.”
“I’m not going anywhere' with you,” Roger said sullenly.
“Who are you contacting?” William said.
“Helen. I’m telling her that we’re leaving.”
“No,” I said. “That’s the other thing. You’re leaving. Helen
isn’t. Not with you.”
He sent his text and dropped his hand to his side,
frowning up at me. “What?”
“Helen stays with me.”
This time, Roger took a step toward me. Karl took a
reflexive step back. “She’s my wife!”
“Not anymore,” I said, standing my ground. “You’re
going to divorce her. She’s mine now.”
Roger sneered at me. “What use is she to you? You’re
not going to marry her. She’s technically old enough to
be your mother.”
“It’s none of your business what I do with Helen. Just
know that I’m going to make her feel things you never
could. It’s why she wouldn’t stop fucking me when you
told her to. She wants to be with me.” I looked him up
and down and felt my lip curl in disgust. “You’re just not
enough for a woman like Helen.”
Roger closed the distance between us but halted as
something caught his eye behind me.
“That’s far enough, Mr. VanCamp,” I heard Chloe’s cool
voice.
Silence hung in the air as Roger stared past me at
Chloe. One of the other men in the room cleared their
throat uncomfortably.
Roger turned his glare back to me. “I’m going to ruin
you, Upton.”
“Not before I ruin your wife, Roger. I mean… ex-wife.” I
fucking wanted him to try something just to see how
badly Chloe would wreck him. Maybe I’d get lucky, and
she’d even put a bullet in his head. That certainly would
have made my life a little easier.
No… I need him alive and answering questions.
“Sir,” Chloe said when it looked like VanCamp was
about to make another move. “The sooner you come
with me and answer any questions, the sooner you can
go home.”
We stared at each other for a moment longer… and
then he walked past me, shoulder-checking me as he
headed for the door. “I expect a premium for my part in
this company, Yunger!” he shouted as he tore open the
door and stalked through. Chloe glanced back at me,
giving me her patented, unreadable gaze, but still
managed to communicate that she’d be back soon. She
left me with William and Karl.
“Well,” Karl sighed. “That went well.”
Feeling a high I’d never known was possible after
staring down someone as powerful as Roger VanCamp,
I pulled out my phone and opened my conversation
with Psalter-. “Glad you think so.”
I texted Henry, Chloe’s on her way with VanCamp. Don't forget to leave a Comment 
