Peter's eyes widened in shock when he found Miguel in front of him.
Instantly, he knew he wasn't leaving the damn place alive.
Miguel flashed him a crooked smile.
"Hello Peter" he said positioning a chair in front of a Peter who had already peed his pants.
"you don't seem so chatty now bud.... what's the matter? cat's got your tongue?" Miguel asked.
"Ple...plle..ase...I..I...I hhhavve a famm.. family" Peter muttered.
Miguel grinned.
"you should have thought about that before your mouth decided to take a leak"
Peter hung his head.
"now what did you tell the cop?" asked Miguel, brows raised.
"Nothing... nothing I swear ....He just asked me about you is all"
"me?" Miguel asked, surprise registering over his face for a moment before he went back to his usual poker face.
One would have missed the expression because it disappeared as fast as it came.
"did he say why?"
"no.... just showed me a picture, asked if I knew you.... told em you used to work at Barth but you wasn't around anymore"
"thought you didn't tell him anything?" Miguel asked, an evil grin spreading slowly across his face.
Peter realized what he'd done and his face paled even more.
Peter thought of his wife and kids.... they'd be devastated.....he thought of the shocker his wife would receive when she found out about Eloise.
She'd always seen him as the perfect husband.
The usual fishing with the boys, spending time at home when he could, keeping anniversaries, the care and affection he showed her.
There's a saying that when men are close to the end of their lives, they begin to regret most of their decisions.
Things he wished he'd done differently.
His wife's trust for him would be damaged instantly... and in his death too... he'd never get the chance to ask her for forgiveness.
Peter felt like crying, so he cried.
"anything else I should know?" Miguel asked him, utterly ignoring his tears.
"that's it all...I swear" Peter stammered, crying like a two year old baby who'd just gotten his favorite toy snatched from him.
Miguel nodded his head in acknowledgement.
He went to the table nearby, where there was a briefcase.
The moment Miguel opened the briefcase, Peter's eyes widened in fear.
He began shaking violently. "pp..pp..ukp...ulle..ase" he stammered through his tears and broken lips, his bleeding gums.
Yup, Miguel had made sure to give him some hard core beating the moment he'd regained consciousness.
His teeth had fallen off, there were many vacant gaps in his mouth.
In the briefcase, there were all kinds of torture devices.
Peter recognized the devices as he had dropped out of police academy... he'd grown tired of the police life even before graduation.
He settled for being a guard, it was the next best thing, especially with a Job at Barth's and a fat salary to match.
"what do you ..."
Miguel cut his sentence short
"to cut you little, by little, send the parts to your wife" Miguel said, giving a wicked grin.
Miguel bent his head and didn't spare Peter a glance.
He was bringing out a few items from the like and arranging them on the table.
Now he was going to make peter scream.
He went to work and before long, he had a bloody, shivering Peter, still begging for mercy.
Miguel wondered Why Flint was interested in him.
It made him wonder what Flint knew.
What the fucker had found that made him get suddenly curious.
He glanced at a shivering Peter.
He'd better get this business done with fast, and on to the intriguing cop.
Peter's broken skin bled out as he hung.
His life flashed before his eyes at that very moment.
He was in pain.
So much pain than he had ever felt in his life.
In his Last moment, he thought of his wife and kids, not Eloise.
**********
Miguel spread a black polyester sheet on the floor and lowered the limp Peter unto it.
He checked the man's pulse.
Yup...he sure was gone for real.
Miguel gingerly lowered the body and wrapped it in the polyester. He carried it over his shoulders and dumped it in the black sedan.
The boss told him to make an example of Peter, so others would take the cue about what happened to snitches but it was no longer possible.
That idiot of a cop was after him. Asking questions... Nope, this particular body had to disappear, not be displayed especially since it had direct ties to Barth industries.
Displaying was calling for trouble.
The bosses wouldn't be happy.
He drove to the nearest deep water body he found.
He lifted the black package, Aka Peter and walked to the edge of the water, with another black wrapping in hand.
He rolled the black package into the new wrapping and loaded it with stones, enough stones that could sink even a fish then he tied a chord securely over it.
He dragged it out into the lake, pulling it till the water was chest length, then he let it go with a hard push.
Miguel turned and went back to town.
**********
Flint caught the first flight to Britain.
He was going to Barth's industries headquarters.
The moment his foot touched British soil, The Miguel Family knew of his arrival so Barth was prepared when Flint came knocking.
He had him sent up immediately he stepped foot into the company.
"detective...what a pleasant surprise" he said, holding his hands out for a handshake.
Flint took it, not returning the same earnestness as the man in the fucking handshake.
"what can I do for you" Barth asked, returning to the swivel chair behind his desk and settling in it.
"my apologies for just barging in sir.."
"oh pullease drop the honorifics...call me Barth" he told Flint with a smile that literally covered his entire face, putting on his best charm.
Flint wasn't fooled by it one bit.
That one was easy. Even he used it too.
The stupid charm and that damn camera paparazzi smile.
"do you know this Man?" Flint asked, pulling out a printed color photo of Miguel which he slid across the smooth oak desk.
Barth picked up the photo and gave it a long stare, then he passed it back to Flint.
"No" Barth replied emotionlessly.
"he's one of your staff Mr Barth, how can you not know of his existence" asked Flint.
"I am a busy man detective and Barth industries is a well oiled machine with properly functioning parts.
Employing staff and the likes has nothing to do with me.
I have people for that" Barth replied.
"mind if I smoke?" he asked, Flint nodded.
Barth continued...
"if you feel the need to have a look around, feel free. Go down to reception and ask for Hannah... she's head of human resources, she'll take you through the details of every single worker under our employ, probably you'd find what you're searching for"
Flint looked at the man.
He knew there was something off about him but he just couldn't place a finger on it.
Call it sixth sense, but his guts had never been wrong.
He stood up.
"Thank you for your time sir..."
"happy to help" Barth replied, releasing a puff of smoke.
Flint walked to the reception in search of HR.
**********
The moment Flint was out of his office and out of earshot, Barth picked up a secure phone.
"How the fuck did he know who you are" he asked, immediately the call was picked up.
"I dunno boss....I swear...I just got the info from the dead man sir"
Barth was silent for sometime, then he dropped the call.
Barth placed another call to another line.
"The fucker was just in my office" he said dryly.
"what the.." came the reply from the other end.
"he's identified Miguel, now he's asking questions.....we have to push the damn plan cut earlier" Barth replied.
"Agreed.... I'll inform the others and get a vote" replied the man at the other end.
Within minutes, it was agreed unanimously to push the plan 'Cut' ahead against it's initial schedule. Barth made another call.
"Move plan Cut against it's schedule. That fucking bastard needs to be thought a lesson"
"yes boss" the voice on the other end replied.
Barth dropped the call feeling more pissed than he'd ever felt.
That cop had some nerve!
Who did he think he was to come question him! Barth!
A beat cop?
The man's wings totally had to be clipped! he thought as he cleared half of his desk to the floor in anger.
His secretary heard the loud crashing sound and ran to the source of the commotion.
She found her boss with a murderous glint in his eye.
He had looked up the moment she entered his office.
She felt the temperature suddenly drop several degrees.
"tidy this mess" Barth said through gritted teeth.
She turned and ran to do his bidding.