Total pages in book: 131
Estimated words: 122609 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 613(@200wpm)___ 490(@250wpm)___ 409(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122609 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 613(@200wpm)___ 490(@250wpm)___ 409(@300wpm)
“Cut the cake? What does that mean?”
“They were diluting the product, using counterfeit bottles to double their profit. They’d reseal them, and word started getting around about what he’d been doing. He blamed this distributor for blowing the whistle because Joshua told others to not do business with Bannon anymore. That he was selling diluted products to the bars and restaurants. My sister committed a crime and is in prison for it. She has been in trouble with the law, many times over the course of her life. Irish isn’t an angel by a long shot.” He took another gulp of water.
“What crime did she commit that landed her in prison?”
“A store robbery this last time around. She’d gotten away with the robbery, actually, but one of Bannon’s informants told him that my sister was in on this. She was with two other women, and one of them got drunk one night and started running off at the mouth. Word spreads. Bannon couldn’t get me, so he went for the next best thing.”
“Family.”
“Of course. The only person I would die for. My sister. He also knew her because she worked with me. He got one of his people to rat her out, he rarely likes to get his own hands dirty, and they called the police, and so on and so forth.” He shrugged. “She got arrested and slapped with a twelve-year sentence in a maximum-security prison. Now she’s dealing with all kinds of shit trying to get out of there. I’ve been pissed since this all happened. Actually, Honey, I’ve been pissed most of my life.” He laughed mirthlessly. “It’s exhausting being angry all fucking day and night, year after year, but I figured the least I could do is use all this hatred to my advantage. So, I began to look at this from a different angle after you came into the picture…”
“How so?”
“I realized that sometimes, there’s something better than death. Something far more punishing. Suffering. Anguish is worse than death. Circadian hell. I want him to bleed not just from his body, but from his heart and tattered, rundown soul. Bannon is a prideful person, Honey, and humiliation will destroy him slowly. It’s his downfall. I want him to writhe in emotional pain. I want him to fear for his life. I want him to rot in prison, if he isn’t killed first, and then I want him to rot in hell. For eternity. That is why, Honey, I want you to simply do a story on him with your camera lens. An exclusive. Tell a story of his exploits. His stash. His forbidden business practices. You’re a gift to me… I’ve seen your work. It will tear him apart. His reputation, destroyed. I want him to be exposed. I want him to be shot in the dark, so his misdeeds can be brought to the light…”
A chill ran down her spine as she looked into his eyes. He was driven by madness. He was also open, speaking freely. Expressing himself beautifully. Almost poetically.
“What made you want to finally talk to me about this?”
“Like I said, it’s time. I know you think I’m a demon. I know you hate me.” No, I don’t. Not anymore… “I’m sorry I had to force you into this. I’m sorry you want to go home right now, but due to the circumstances I’m keeping you here against your will. Initially, I feared you’d tell the police what was going on, what you’d seen and photographed, so I had to silence you, but now, I fear this opportunity being missed. You’re an amazing photographer, Honey. Even someone like me can appreciate something like that. Art. Beauty.”
“…Thank you.”
“Last night, I looked at more of your work. A lot of it actually. I saw the depth. The humanity. You were right about me today. What you said earlier. I wanted to see you like everyone else. I wanted to paint you with the same brush. Your photos aren’t just photos. They talk. They’re beautiful. They are gritty. They hurt. They shine. I dismissed what I saw. I wanted to continue to lump you in with everyone else that is in your profession. Yeah, you were right about all of that, and I can’t argue with the truth. I never have, I never will. I couldn’t wait to get rid of you…
“Then, today happened. I was missing you already, and you hadn’t even left. I went to the church with you this morning. You had to take photos for their website. I then took you over to the restaurant. I watched you at both venues and was amazed. Not by what you said, but by how you interact with people. How involved you are. I felt a connection with you. I felt like… like we understand each other, and no words are needed. Just pictures.”