The Devils Of New York

Chapter Fifty Eight

Later that night I stood in the large office of the home a fire crackled in the hearth and cast light up the marble face where a painted portrait of my parents my siblings, our connected family, my cousins, and myself all stood set up in a way that is seemed like we all stood for hours together. Five Winters's, six Harrington's, five Ambrose's, two Thorne's, and three Niles.

That was the family we had, and now I was going to have to protect the family that I was going to have in a few months with Arilynn, who had long gone upstairs to bed after giving me a kiss goodnight. I wanted to be there with her, but I had also promised that I would do what I had to, to protect this family at all costs, and that would include me making a few calls from my compound to the connections that I had all over the city, some even outside of the law entirely.

Pacing past the large wooden desk for the twentieth time as I looked over the list of things that I had set up or need to be planned for the coming month. The main one being security, and the investigation into the location of those photos being taken because in order for them to have been processed they would have had to go through a specific kind of machine and not one that would be easily obtained.

Most professional photography shops had them, but you wouldn't go to one if you had photos that were clearly taken from across the street, and with a zooming in lens. From the angle I could even tell that it had been from the restaurant the boys and I had gone too across from Hamilton for lunch so now my private investigator would have to go and seek out the surveillance footage room to find out who had been there at the time of Arilynn's arrival, along with what vehicle they had arrived in to not be noticable by my very astute significant other.

Stopping in front of the large windows that looked out on the backyard that was covered in a blanket of white snow I watched as more fell over the surrounding area too, filling the branches until they were too heavy and falling onto the ground. The few nesting birds had been smart and chose the branches that were near the bottom of the tree where they were at less of a risk of having their nest taken out by a falling bluff of snow from above. Street lights were even on, and cast thin streaks of yellowish light that was met by the white gleam from my patio lights, and the ones along the driveway.

Picking up my phone I found people who would most need to know about the photos along with know what to do. First was my assistant who despite being off of work would for some reason reply to me.

"Mr. Winters, what can I do for you this late?" Tatyana asks her voice indicating that she had been near sleep when I had called.

I'll buy coffee for her on Monday as an apology.

"I need you to look into something please, Tatyana, it has to do with the continuing investigation into the person who has been behind all of the bullshit against Winters Group. They slipped up and took pictures from a restaurant directly across the street from Arilynn's place of work, I need you to find out who, and where they could have processed the photos so quickly" I say and I hear a determined hum, and another one in the background.

"Don't mind the background noise, my boyfriend is attached and very affectionate. Anyways professionalism" she says muttering the last two words seemingly to herself before the sounds of her walking through her house which was in Beechhurst, Queens.

"I'm glad you've been giving time to your relationship Tatyana" I say moving my phone away from my mouth as I let out a yawn all while waiting for her to reach wherever it was in her house that she was aiming to get to before continuing our conversation.

"He works late as well so my work schedule doesn't difficult anything. Though he misses me when I leave".

"Arilynn misses me too. Anyways what have you found?".

A momentary pause followed with the sounds of clicking computer keys before they halted and two harsher clicks followed quickly.

"I have sent an email to the investigator to go to the restaurant and get a copy of the footage from that day so that it can be reviewed by the police. This person whoever they are will be caught very soon, I'm sure".

"I certainly fucking hope so, I can't deal with this kind of stress for months on end" I admit running my fingers through my hair.

I had started getting grey hairs from this which I suppose was a reflection of how much I'd actually been under stress recently considering I was usually fine under pressure though I lacked the skill of always being in control. I knew that though so speed had to be my ally, though this whole ordeal had been helping me to learn patients.

"Anything else that you need me to do for you tonight?" Tatyana's fatigue influenced accent says through the phone.

"Get sleep, it's the weekend we can worry about doing anything else with the day tomorrow if the footage even holds anything of value" I say with a sigh.

"I can do that, also it likely will since what you have technically asked me to do is slighty illegal".

"Not stealing it, if that was the case copying photos for projects that all kinds of kids in college and university do would all be in jail".

"That does have truth to it. Now you should take your own advice sleep will help you destress" Tatyana informs me and I laugh because she had a slight motherly aspect despite being my assistant.

Hanging up I set my phone back down on the hardwood desk behind me, and leaning on it as I looked outside. I felt like some supervillian in a spy novel as I would perfectly fit one. Rich, good looking and motivated. Too bad I knew I was about to be the villian of whoever was behind this's life story.

Breathing in deeply twice I then let it out slowly then did it again, and once more after for good measure. Turning around I walked through the house up to my bedroom and into it where I found Arilynn lying in our large bed with the blankets pulled up to her chin and bunched up around her small frame.

Shutting the door I undressed, and found a pair of comfy pants to put on before slipping into bed next to Arilynn, and putting an arm around her and another under the pillow next to me where she held my hand and scooted back against me before she rolled over and cuddled against my chest.

"Hi beautiful" I say and she hums.

"Find a solution?" she asks seemingly half asleep.

"Yes, and everything will be okay, I promise" I say moving her hair off of her face before I matched her breathing and soon enough she had fallen asleep while I finally quieted my mind not long after.
     
    
Alright early update, I'll see if I can get another one put out thinking it'll be the Winters Charity Gala, so be ready for some drama, and fun. Comment, vote, and share. Anyways

Peace✌️