Chapter 9 - Anthony Webb
Anthony Webb had disappeared from Jack's life in 1994.
After recovering from the hazing incident, Anthony completed his enlistment.
He left the Marines.
Jack heard he entered private security.
Nothing more.
Laura located him in Charleston.
He owned a risk-management company.
Government contracts.
Corporate clients.
No criminal record.
When Laura called, Anthony did not deny knowing Dalton.
He agreed to meet voluntarily.
Jack sat behind one-way glass while Laura interviewed him.
Anthony was sixty.
Fit.
Controlled.
He looked nothing like the frightened recruit Jack remembered.
Laura placed the photograph on the table.
"You recognize this?"
Anthony nodded.
"Yes."
"Why were you with Rick Dalton?"
"I've known him a long time."
"He almost killed you."
Anthony smiled slightly.
"People change."
"Did he?"
"Sometimes."
Laura leaned forward.
"Did Sergeant Miller ruin Dalton's military career?"
Anthony glanced toward the glass.
Jack wondered whether he knew he was there.
"No."
"Then why does Dalton believe he did?"
"Because Rick needs enemies."
"What is Final Phase?"
Anthony's expression did not move.
"I don't know."
Laura showed him the back.
"Your meeting. Final Phase Approved."
"Not my handwriting."
"Did you approve something?"
"No."
"Do you know Dustin Parker?"
"Yes."
Jack's jaw tightened.
Laura asked:
"How?"
"I provided security consulting for Dalton's gym."
"When?"
"Several times."
"Did you know about illegal fights?"
"No."
"Women being pressured?"
"No."
"Gambling?"
"No."
Laura leaned back.
"That's a lot of no."
Anthony smiled.
"It's still the truth."
Then Laura changed direction.
"Do you know Hannah Miller?"
Anthony's gaze shifted.
Tiny.
But visible.
"Yes."
"How?"
"Jack's daughter."
"Have you met her?"
"No."
"Have you watched her?"
Anthony's expression hardened.
"No."
"Have you paid anyone to watch her?"
"No."
Laura placed surveillance photographs on the table.
"Your company's watermark is embedded in two metadata records."
Anthony finally lost composure.
Jack stood behind the glass.
Laura continued.
"Why was your firm surveilling Hannah?"
Anthony looked toward the mirror.
Directly at Jack.
"Because I was trying to keep her alive."
Jack froze.
Laura said:
"Explain."
Anthony took a breath.
"Rick contacted me eighteen months ago."
"Why?"
"He said he wanted protection."
"From whom?"
"A gambling group."
"Name?"
"Mercer."
"Cole Mercer?"
Anthony nodded.
"Rick owed him money."
"How much?"
"Nearly two million."
Laura whistled softly.
"Why?"
"Lost bets. Bad investments."
"So Rick created Forge Athletics."
"No."
"Who did?"
"Mercer."
"Rick worked for him?"
"Eventually."
Anthony continued.
"Rick started bringing women into private matches because Mercer needed controlled outcomes."
"Fixed fights."
"Yes."
"Where does Dustin fit?"
"Enforcer. Recruiter."
"And Hannah?"
Anthony looked toward the mirror.
"Rick wanted revenge on Jack."
"So he targeted her."
"At first."
Jack's fists tightened.
Laura caught the phrase.
"At first?"
Anthony nodded.
"Then Mercer learned who Jack was."
"Why would Mercer care?"
"Because Jack trained people."
"So?"
"Some of those people later worked private security."
Laura waited.
"One of them stole something from Mercer."
Jack stared.
"Who?"
Laura asked.
Anthony hesitated.
"Ethan Cole."
Jack knew the name.
Former Marine.
One of Jack's best trainees.
Killed in Afghanistan.
Or so Jack believed.
Laura frowned.
"What did Cole steal?"
"A file."
"What file?"
"I never saw it."
"What does this have to do with Hannah?"
Anthony looked exhausted.
"Mercer believed Jack might have it."
Jack nearly laughed from disbelief.
Laura asked:
"Did he?"
"No idea."
"Then why use Hannah?"
"Pressure."
Laura's face hardened.
"So you watched her to protect her."
"Yes."
"Without warning her."
"If Rick knew I was helping..."
"You stood beside him in a photograph."
"I was pretending to cooperate."
"Final Phase?"
Anthony looked toward the mirror again.
"That wasn't about Hannah."
Jack felt something worse coming.
Laura asked:
"What was it about?"
May you like
Anthony said:
"Jack."
