Sinner

Get a Dog

The metal doors open, allowing a peak of the other side, before dad and a group of armed escorts flooded through.

He looked fine. His linen just as crisp, his pride not one bit tarnished.
Overcoat flying behind him, he paced up to Lev, snatched the gun from his grip and slapped him across the face.
Lev fell backwards, onto the table top.

"Dad." I breathed.
He pulled Lev back up and slapped him again. "You think you can blackmail me?"
"You're standing here so clearly it worked." Lev smirked.
Dad punched him again, keeping his hold firm this time, forcing Lev to keep facing him.

Lev went as limp as I was in the alleyway, just allowing dad to haul him around.
"I guess I'm not the..."
"Hold still." Dad snapped. Which didn't make sense, because he was the one shaking him senseless.

Dad put his hand into his coat pocket... Lev frowned... and pulled out a handkerchief.
"What..."
"Shut up." He pressed the handkerchief against his bleeding lip.

At the door, the lieutenant walked inside and eyed Kattan, mouthing what's going on?
Freeman, he mouthed back.
Freeman?
Kattan nodded.

"It would grieve your father, rest his soul, seeing you like this." Dad said. "Hold it."
"He can't see anymore," Lev mocked, "he's quite dead thanks to you."

Dad punched him again.
"Dad!" I yelled, finally finding my voice.
"You should tend to her now, she's your child, not me." Lev said taking the handkerchief from him, but keeping it against his lips obediently. "Or maybe I am, that'll explain why you killed my father."

The final blow threw Lev back on the table, once again.
"She doesn't need my tending." Dad said, approaching me. "She's quite mature, unlike you."

Lev laid still on the table, sweat collecting on his forehead, eyes squinted, trying to catch his breath.
"She's mature alright." He said, catching my eye.

Dad brushed my hair away from my face and kissed my forehead.
"What was that?" Dad asked.
Why the devil did he care whatever senseless thing Lev grumbling was about.
I hugged him tight, breathing in his familiar comforting scent. "I'm hurt," I let him know. "I'm scared."
"Scared of what, pearl?" He asked pointing to Lev. "This one? He's harmless."

I looked over at Lev from the minimum view a bear hug from dad allowed. He was slowly rolling over to his side and off the desk.

"He was going to shoot himself." My voice broke, the horror of the moment creeping back in. "And he hurt Ben and..."
"I'll deal with it." Dad pulled away and held me at arms' length.
"... my knee hurts..." I wasn't done yet!

"Now, I would be gone for a couple of weeks, and you're going to do exactly as Mrs. Rebo instructs, she's waiting outside."
"No!" I protested. "He planted the substances, I heard him."
"It's okay, pearl." He won't listen!

The Lieutenant tried to help Lev up, but he shook him off.
"You son of a bitch." Eadie said. "You okay?"
Lev dropped the handkerchief and walked out of the room (finally seeming visibly tired).
Somewhere outside, Bryan barked.

The lieutenant walked up to us and apologised on Lev's behalf.
"He planted the substances!" I repeated.
"Who?"
"Detective Rider," I said. "He was working with Sam Sanzo, one of the bartenders at Bursted Banishers."

"Do you have proof of that?" Eadie asked.
"I heard them talking."
"I can't take your word for it," he said.
"You should investigate about this," I said, "and how he blackmailed my father into coming here!"