Page 20 of The Devil's Dilemma

He and his friends had stolen from me, and they would receive their just punishment, however I saw fit.

I’d not decided yet how I’d play this. Someone needed to be taught a lesson, but was it this guy, or was someone else running the show?

After several more flights of stairs, we arrived at a door protected by a keypad.

I entered the twelve-digit number known only to me and Conrad. No one could enter here without one of us.

The door swung open, revealing a dark grey, spacious room. I felt more at home here than upstairs in the casino.

“Austin, thank God.” One man tied to the chair looked up, relief in his eyes.

So that was his name. Not that I cared. Knowing his name wouldn’t make me show him any leniency.

He struggled against my grip, trying to remove his elbow from my grasp, but that would never work. I was stronger than him in more ways than one.

“Don’t fight me. You’ll only make it worse for you and for them.” But I released him and forced him to the floor.

Conrad followed me and closed the door with a resounding click.

“Need a hand, boss?”

“Tie him to a chair with the others.”

I sat behind the only desk in the room and fired up my computer as Conrad tied Austin to the chair and tightened the ropes holding the other two men.

“So, who’s going to talk first?” I asked.

Silence filled the room. It didn’t matter. I had all day and night if it came to it. I didn’t need sleep, but no doubt these three would at some point.

Conrad sat on the sofa and got out his phone. We could both play the waiting game. We were no strangers to this.

Seconds passed, then minutes, and still no one spoke.

I browsed the internet, trying to find out who these men were, but other than a few minor offences, their records didn’t show anything on this scale.

Interesting that the one known as Austin had nothing, not even a parking ticket.

But it was clear to me they had an agenda.

I sent a few stills from the CCTV to another couple of casino owners, and sure enough, they’d pulled the same stunt there.

The estimated haul was just under three-quarters of a million.

“Empty their pockets.”

I walked towards the trio, the smell of their combined sweat assaulting my senses.

Conrad dug deep into the first man’s pockets and pulled out a stack of chips and plaques. Emptying the others revealed cash, but not that much. Maybe we’d got it wrong? Misread the whole situation, but my gut told me I hadn’t.

He did the same with the other guy, who carried much the same. Adding it up, it only came to about £200,000. Pocket change for me and not illegal, yet I knew deep down their intention was to win more.

“Now him.” I pointed to Austin.

But before Conrad could place a hand on him, I stopped him.

“Actually, I’ll do this one.” The thought of Conrad touching him aggravated me in a way I couldn’t explain.

I bent in front of Austin and looked deep into his eyes. Something was different about him. I couldn’t pinpoint what.