Each word carried the weight of a sentence.
“In my world, crossing certain lines has consequences.”
“Boss, please,” Vice said. “I’ll fix it. I’ll pay back three times what I took. I’ll disappear.”
“Vice, the moment you hurt those families, you stopped being my responsibility.”
Rocco gently set the teddy bear down.
“You became my consequence.”
Over the next three hours, Vice loaded trucks with the stolen belongings under the watchful eyes of Rocco’s men.
Everything was cataloged and prepared to be returned.
The first stop was Mrs. Patterson’s house—the neighbor Emma had mentioned.
Vice knocked as two men carried in a television and framed family photos.
“Mrs. Patterson,” he said, his voice shaking. “I’m here to return what was taken from you and to tell you it will never happen again.”
The woman stared at him.
“You’re the one who said my late husband owed money. You took my wedding dishes.”
—Yes, ma’am—Vice said quietly—. I was wrong. Your husband owed nothing. I forged the documents.
She accepted her belongings without another word.
The second stop was the young family with the newborn baby.
Vice personally carried the crib inside while the mother cried with relief. Her child had been sleeping on blankets on the floor for weeks.
