House of Paine - A Full Length Bad Boy Novel (35 page)

“We’re headed to the restaurant now. Dad wants you there.” He ended the call and Jackson continued to look at him. At last he said,

“My disappointment in you runs deep. You were the one I was supposed to be able to count on…the only child I had left that I could trust.” He paused, but like Damien it was likely that Jackson knew Alex wasn’t going to apologize or beg for his life. His brother sat straight up and returned his father’s stare.

“It’s a sad day when the hired help can be trusted more than family. There was a time when I believed nothing more than that the two of you would lay down your lives for me if you had to…but not any longer. What am I supposed to do with that?” Neither of them said anything, still. He went on to say, “I felt physical pain when I was told that Kevin was still alive…and this,” he said, flapping the file and looking at Damien, “Is the ultimate betrayal. Your mistake was the same one your father made…caught up in the clutches of a beautiful woman. Unfortunately in this business, women who don’t know their place get men killed. I’d like to give you both another chance…I still care very deeply about you both…but Damien, I can see the hate in your eyes for me. You think you’re in love with that girl and the man you suddenly want to call Father is dead. I would have to spend so much of my time looking over my shoulder that I’d never get any business done. And Alex, you’ve proven where your loyalty lies.”

Jackson didn’t seem surprised as the car began to glide off the side of the road. The driver was pulling them into an alley behind the restaurant. Jackson began to slide his hand down inside of his jacket. He laughed when Damien pointed the gun in his hand at him.

“You’re going to kill me, right here?”

“Yes. I wish I would have done it years ago.”

Jackson looked at Alex and said, “And you? You think you’ve got it made if he kills me. You’ll move in and take over…be the big man? Brad won’t let that happen.”

Alex didn’t flinch as he said, “Brad’s dead.”

On that note, Damien pulled the trigger. As soon as Jackson’s chest exploded the driver’s door opened. Alex took the gun out of his brother’s hand and opened the back door. He shot the driver before he'd gotten six feet away. Then he turned to his brother and said,

“Jesus, fuck! I thought you were going to wait until he killed me to use that fucking gun.”

“I wasn’t going to let him shoot you, obviously.”

“Could have fooled me.”

“You’re still alive, aren’t you? What the fuck are you complaining about?”

“Come on, we can’t leave him there.” The driver was sprawled out in the middle of the alley only steps away from being able to turn the corner and make it to safety. Damien helped Alex pick him up and carry him to the limo. They dumped his body into the trunk and Alex slammed it down, then they both got into the front seat and Alex started up the car. He sat there for a long time before finally saying, “I can’t believe that he’s really dead.”

“I’m sorry man. I didn’t have a choice…

“What the fuck are you sorry for? He was going to kill both of us.”

“I know…but he’s your father…”

“You’re still speaking to me and you think I killed your father.”

“You did it to save Paige…Wait, what do you mean, I think?”

“Kevin’s fine. He’s in Rhode Island.”

Damien’s emotions were going crazy. He didn’t know what to feel first. “I saw pictures….Who?”

“Brad,” Alex said.

“Fuck!” Damien grabbed his brother and hugged him again. Alex pat his back and then pushed him away.

“I didn’t do it for you. I did it for me. I was going to have to fight that dumb son of a bitch when we all know I’m a hell of a lot smarter and I’ll make a damned good leader.” Damien laughed. He knew that it was an inappropriate time…but it was either that or cry and he hadn’t cried since his mother died. Alex glanced into the backseat. “Paige is on her way to Rhode Island too.”

“How did you do that?”

“Money and a promise to move the guy up in the organization works wonders,” he said. “Now let’s get out of here. We have a big, fucking mess to clean up. Oh and by the way, I know what fucking day today is.” Damien had almost forgotten about his text. He smiled. Today was the anniversary of their mother’s death…the day they both promised her two things: One that they wouldn’t turn out like Jackson…and two, that they would always have each other’s backs no matter what. Damien wanted to hug him again, but it was likely Alex would kill him if he did.

Two days later Alex, Damien, Paige and Kevin accompanied Jake to the Federal Plaza in New York City. Alex gathered everything he could find that would bring what was left of the Paine and Kramer organizations to their knees. Damien was armed with the evidence he already had and everything else he’d learned over the past ten years. Kevin’s knowledge went back almost fifty years.

He told Damien he was tired and he wanted it to be over. The only thing he asked was that his sister be left out of it. She could continue to manage the restaurant…her crimes were small compared to the rest of them anyways. None of them had any objections to that. Paige of course had the evidence Greg left for her as well as what Tommy had told her. They were all quietly contemplating their fate as they walked into the office of Special Agent Lee Barber. Jake had briefed them on what would happen and asked them all to let him do all of the talking until they agreed to an interview, and then he’d be there too.

“Jake! Good to see you!” Agent Barber stood up and shook Jake’s hand. He was a huge man, towering over all three of the other men.

“You too Lee, thanks,” Jake told him. “This is Alex and Damien Paine, Kevin Paine and Paige Acosta. Thanks for letting us do it this way.” They all shook hands with the agent as well.

“Have a seat,” the agent told them all. As they sat down, Damien reached for Paige’s hand. She gave it to him and squeezed his. She was trying not to be nervous. Although he was confident, Jake had told them all there were no guarantees that charges wouldn’t be brought against any of them for their past crimes. There was no guarantee that they would be granted any kind of immunity…Paige was afraid Damien would have to go to jail. “To be honest Jake, I’m not sure what it is that we’re doing. I gathered from our conversation that these people have some information they want to share with our Organized Crime Department.”

“Yes, but first we need to know that they’ll be safe from prosecution.”

Lee looked around the room and said, “I’ll need to bring my Special Agent in Charge in on this.”

“Okay, but like I said, before they say anything at all I need to hear the word “Immunity.”

Lee laughed. “You haven’t changed a bit.”

Jake smiled. “You know two things about me Lee, I’m not going to give any less than 100% of myself to my clients and I’m not going to take a client unless I’m absolutely certain they have the potential to rise above whatever situation they’re in. These people have all actually become friends of mine…” he looked at Alex and Alex’s lips quirked. He was the only one that Jake still didn’t trust, but true to his word as always, Jake was going to represent him with the same vengeance he would the others.

“Jackson Paine is missing,” the agent said, “And so is Lucas Kramer. Might they know something about that?”

“They might,” Jake said. “Might your Special agent in charge like to be here so you don’t have to run back and forth like a cheap car salesman?”

Lee laughed again.

*****

Half an hour later they had all been moved down to the hall to a conference room where the conversation could be taped and everyone involved could sit around a table comfortably. Lee Barber had brought in his partner, a man named Agent Sterling and his boss, or Special Agent in Charge, a man named Agent Gold. There was also an administrative assistant in the room to record notes. Agent Gold began by saying,

“I’m authorized to grant temporary immunity to the four of you until we’ve heard what you have to say…” Jake stood up and so did Alex. Kevin was next and Damien pulled Paige up to her feet next to him. “Come on…you don’t expect me to grant four people full immunity before I’ve even heard what they have to say…”

“Apparently you don’t understand what you have here in this room. You have the brother of the head of the biggest drug syndicate in New York State. You have both of his sons. You have his step-daughter who is also the sister of an N.Y.P.D. officer who was murdered by the rival family…the Kramer’s, not to mention her brother’s partner who was also murdered as well. If you’re half as smart as your title implies that you are you’ll be able to get just how important what they have to say will be to you. You can clean up half the crime in this city as well as stop a huge influx of drugs and guns from coming in…or, you can offer them temporary immunity and they can walk out.”

Special Agent Gold looked at his two subordinate agents. It was obvious they wanted him to give them the immunity. They seemed to be dying to hear what they have to say. He looked back at Jake and the others and said, “Have a seat. I’ll be right back.” He stood and left the room. Paige couldn’t help but be impressed with Jake and appreciative that they’d gotten lucky enough to know him. Another attorney might not be as determined to help them.

It was almost an excruciating hour later when he came back. He had another young agent with him who was balancing a stack of paperwork in his arms. He sat back down and motioned at the other agent to do the same. He took the first paper off the stack and handed it to Jake. Whatever it said, Jake wasn’t pleased…he handed it right back.

“Come on Jake, it’s a good deal.”

“We want Transactional immunity,” he said.

“It’s not going to happen for all four of them…maybe the lady…” Jake sighed and rolled his eyes.

“You’re wasting our time.” Jake turned to his clients and said, “He is offering what is known as ‘Derivative Use Immunity.’ That means that they cannot use anything you say during your testimony against you…but, they can still use anything they gather during the course of the investigation however they see fit.”

“That’s bullshit,” Alex said. Paige still wasn’t in a place where she wanted to agree with Alex about anything…but on that point, she had to agree.

“Yes it is,” Jake said. “Last chance here Gold. Transactional immunity or nothing.”

“I need the Attorney General’s okay for that.”

“We’ll wait,” Jake told him.

He rolled his eyes but he got up and left, taking his assistant with him. When he was gone Paige said, “What is Transactional immunity?”

“It means “total” or “blanket” immunity,” Jake told her. No charges related to your testimony can be brought against you now or in the future. So if a crime they uncover later on somehow relates back to something you testified in relation to…you’re automatically immune. He knew that was what I wanted when we walked in here. He’s just playing the car salesman…trying to get a better deal.”

Jake and his FBI friend started talking then about old times and people they knew in common. Alex sat smoldering as usual. Kevin struck up a conversation with the other agent and Damien looked at Paige and said, “Are you okay?”

She smiled. “I’m good, how about you?”

“I’m good too.” He squeezed her hand. “Are you ruing the day you heard the Paine name?”

She laughed. “Never,” she said with a wink. That was somewhat of a lie. If she had to do all over again, she would give up Damien for her brother’s life back…but she couldn’t bring Greg back, and at this point she wasn’t going to be willing to give Damien up for anything. When the agent finally came back into the room Paige held her breath until he said,

“The Attorney General has given me permission to grant the Transactional Immunity to all of you…granted you give us something to work with.”

Jake smiled; everyone else breathed a sigh of relief. “Spread those contracts out here,” Jake told him. “They’ve got a lot to say.”

They signed the contracts and then were split up to interview one at a time. Jake sat with each one as they did. He had already gone over with them what to say and what not to. Paige was told absolutely not to mention Caine as there was nothing to keep them from prosecuting her for murder where he was concerned.

Five grueling hours later they were released to go home for the day. They would be expected back the next day and probably multiple ones after that. Then, when they had enough evidence to convene a Grand Jury against the players who were left, they would have to be present for that as well. The F.B.I. raided the warehouse where the bodies of the Kramer’s and some of the Paine’s laid strewn about while the interviews were in progress. They found the bodies of both Lucas Kramer and Jackson Paine. The next phase of their little drama had begun.

Paige and Damien drove Crystal home a few days after they met with the F.B.I. and it seemed the danger to her life had passed. Kelsey was still out there somewhere, but she’d have to be a complete idiot to return now while the heat was on all of them and Paige told Damien that Crystal was aching to be back in her own home. Paige told Damien that she was actually able to see first-hand the way that Jackson operated, and understand a little more why Crystal defended him for so long.

“Yeah,” Damien agreed. “Jackson has always had a way of hiding the monster within and appearing to be the kind of strong family man that all of us that he gathered around him had craved for so long.”