Chapter 38 - The Empty Throne
The heavy oak doors swung shut once more, leaving the grand library quiet, save for the soft ticking of the grandfather clock as the second hand finally resumed its steady march forward. The morning sun was beginning to burn through the thick fog rolling off the Sound, casting long, golden shafts of light across the leather-bound books and the empty mahogany desk.
Dominic sat alone in the center of the room, the 1998 ledger still resting on the small table beside his chair. Vince stood quietly by the doorway, waiting for the final word.
"The perimeter is clear, Boss," Vince said softly. "The federal convoy is off the property. The estate is secure."
May you like
Dominic looked out the high leaded window toward the sprawling gardens, where the amber pools of light from the floodlamps had finally faded into the bright, clear light of a new day. The fortress was still standing, the walls were intact, and the ghosts of the past had finally been laid to rest in a cell designed by their own ambition.
"Leave the ledger, Vince," Dominic said, turning his wheelchair around to face the open doors. "Let's go home."
