Althena Book 2

39. Assets

I sit on my couch and stare out the window. I can't believe my father would do this. But it's all right here in front of me. Edwardo's papers. This man was created, and my father did it. I know drugs kill people. He was bringing them into his own city. Maybe they are safer somehow. My dad would never hurt his own people. I trust my dad. He knew what he was doing. He was a good king and everyone loved him. I flip through pictures of the casino. Everything is real. They're owned by Edwardo. I wonder if Edwardo owns anything else?

Sofia pokes her head in the door. "Time for dinner, sweetie."

Jake and Akley are at the table when I get there. "Did Edwardo own anything else?"

He nods. "I don't know the extent of his possessions. The lawyers do."

"So, your lawyers work for him?"

"Not really. They help him set everything up. Keep his papers. They keep the numbers going for me. It's a joint effort. A few days every few months he would talk with them. There are only 2 casinos. Mainly, 1 that we run the money through. It's not a lot of effort. And it's not like he could take the papers home."

"That's probably true."

He answers his phone and leaves the room. I eat dinner with Jake. He's the friendliest kid.

After dinner, I find Akley in his office again. "You work a lot."

"I was contacted by the Dark Throne. Their queen has been taken by someone in Crossroads. I'm searching for you currently."

"I thought you sent the recording? They don't know it's you?"

"I used a voice modifier on me. I also cut out some things I said about your father."

"Are you going to find me?"

"Yes. I'll find you by morning. I'll need your decision before they get here."

"Tell me more about this Evelina. You refuse to work with her?"

"She's a monster. She went after my wife and unborn child because I refused to transport her drugs. Quist is the name of her drug. She only cares about money. Even if you refuse to work with me, don't ever forget her name. She is a monster."

"This really is that simple for you? I can walk away?"

"We don't f**k with people's children in this line of work. You're still his child."

"You took me."

"I would have waited until you were 18. But if we're going to continue, I need your seal now. You're already the queen. Plus, I couldn't invite you. 1. You wouldn't have gotten the invitation. 2. What the hell could I have possibly written on it? Please visit so we can discuss your father's aliases business that he's using to clean drug money?"

I crack up laughing. "You do have a point."

He smiles. "All I can do is lay it out for you. Give you the chance to pick up where he left off. You can talk to the lawyers about his assets and what he was currently working on. The choice is yours."

"I'm going to talk to them."

"2 doors that way, on the right."

"Thank you." I make my way down the hall and knock on the door.

"IT'S OPEN."

I walk in, and 2 men are in suits. 1 of them smiles at me. "Edwardo Nordin lives."

I fall into a chair. "What the hell is going on?"

They laugh and get some books out.

"This is what happens. The "herbs"..." He does quotes around it. "Are transported into Darkburn with your seal on the boxes. It used to be your father's seal, but we lost that. Once they are in, they are sold. The money is then returned to crossroads. You receive 20% of the profit. This is usually about $500,000 every month. It can fluctuate, but it's usually close to that. That money is then ran through the casino. Meaning, crossroad employees will spend it at the casino. All of it. They will lose every penny of it. That's when we come in. We verify the money was placed in the casino. We then move the money the casino made into Edwardo's account. After he pays the taxes, of course. It's clean, legal money."

"How much are the taxes?"

"10%. Last month, Crossroads ran $525,000 through. Taxes totaled $52,500. $472,500 was deposited into Edwardo's account from that. The other $37,000 deposit was from the actual casino customers."

"It's like this every month?"

"Yes. Well, not this month. We've stopped shipments."

"What's the $300,000 deposit?"

"The casino in Eldervale. It's been a few years since we've run money through that one. The locals just really like it. 300k is high though. I think it averages about $180,000 a month."

"And these are mine?"

"Yes."

"So, how do I spend the money?"

They crack up laughing. "Edwardo has to spend the money. As long as you do that online, there are no issues. You can never be seen using that account on camera. Edwardo owns a boat and a lake house. He makes donations to causes he believes in. If you ever want to purchase something online, you can have it delivered to the casino. We will pick it up for you."

"How do I get the lake house and boat in my name?"

"You would have to buy them from him. Or he could donate them to an organization you run."

I rub my head. "So, I have to give my money to a fake man that's also me, just to get my boat?"

They laugh. "It's annoying. We know. But you can give yourself a really good deal. The boat is worth 25 million. It's docked in Darkburn."

The other lawyer sits up. "He did like your father. He could transfer the title to you and send his condolences with it. So sorry about your father. Enjoy the boat."

"Do that. I don't even know what a 25 million dollar boat looks like."

"Of course. We'll transfer the title and send it to your home with the location of the boat."

The other lawyer puts his hand up. "Please know, we have never been on that boat. We have no idea what your dad did there. You are getting it in an as is condition."

"That's a scary thought."

"Just be aware."

"Where's the house?"

"Between Crystal Falls and Darkburn. It's on a lake. We have the address. Again, we've never been there."

"How much money is in Edwardo's account?"

He turns the screen around and my mouth hits the floor. It's billions. "How do I get that to me?"

"The easiest way is to start a company or a nonprofit organization. It would give Edwardo a reason to spend money there. Or make donations."

"Did my father do that?"

"No. He wanted to save it. The donations he made were to reputable organizations he believed in. An animal sanctuary in lower Darkburn has an entire building named after him. The Nordin lizards or something. The man loved lizards."

I crack up laughing. "I would have never guessed that. But I want the money. Can you help me think of an organization I can make and keep the donations from?"

"We'll work on it. It can be something simple, like kids' coats for winter. You take all the donations you want, buy some coats, and deliver some to schools. You're the queen. You don't even have to keep receipts. Keep whatever Edwardo's donation was."

The other nods. "Accept donations to feed the hungry. Deliver some food to a food bank. It can be anything. Other than that, if you have a business, who is to say he didn't buy 4 million donuts from your shop last month."

"Cash is easy, but it's not safe to carry millions. So, only smaller amounts of that can be taken at 1 time. We'll work on some ideas for you."

Akley comes in. "I got a hit on the white-haired queen. We have to go check it out now. I might have found her."

The lawyers crack up laughing and shut everything off. Then they put the papers in safes and go with him.

I roam around the house for a while. There are a lot more guards here now. Jake pulls me into his dad's office. "I have color stuff in here."

The guards at the door watch us. They don't care. He gets out some crayons and paper. He draws him and his dad fishing. I draw me and my mom in the garden. An hour later, I hear gun shots and the guards run.

Sofia runs in with Carl. "Boy, we need to move. Something is happening."

A gun gets fired in the house. She clicks a button on a cabinet and shoves the 2 of us into a hidden room. Well, it's not a room. There's enough room for us both to sit on the floor. Nothing else. The cabinet clicks and it's dark. We can hear but not see.

"We have to be very quiet here." He puts his finger over his lips. "No noise."

I whisper, "Ok." I find a peephole and try to see out.

A woman comes into the office. "WHERE IS SHE?"

"Who?"

-BANG- I can only assume Sofia got shot. Carl starts screaming. He must have fallen.

"SHUT THAT f*****g BABY UP. WHERE IS SHE?"

"We can't find her, ma'am. He may have taken her with him."

-BANG- I watch her fire the gun and the baby stops crying.

Jake drops his head. He doesn't make a noise. I put my hand on his shoulder. The poor kid is sobbing silently.

"You're sure she's not here?"

"Yes. She's already been moved."

"DAMN IT. LET'S GO." I watch her lead people out of the office. After a minute, I hear cars leaving.

I run out and there's blood everywhere. She shot the baby. I grab him and heal. I have to try. He's just a baby. "Run away from me, Jake. I will drain your life force too."

"Maybe it will help." He sits on his knees beside me. His face is covered in tears. "Keep trying. Please."

I push everything I have. I hear the baby cry as my face hits the hardwood floor.