“What are you talking about?” he asked.

“Every shipment that cleared the harbor without a customs inspection,” I said. “That was my design.”

“I paid the officials,” he muttered.

“You signed the checks,” I corrected him. “But I knew which officials had gambling debts. I knew which ones had children in private schools.”

I took a step toward him, forcing him to look at me instead of the door.

“I drafted the corporate shells that hid your real estate holdings,” I said.

“I negotiated the truce with the unions when your father died and the docks went cold.”

“You did your job,” he said.

“I kept you alive,” I said. “You are a violent man, Arthur, but you are not a clever one.”

The front door groaned as a shoulder hit it from the outside.

“Clara!” Julian shouted, his voice closer now. “I’m not going to ask nicely again.”

Arthur’s hand began to tremble slightly, the weight of the gun heavy in his grip.

“If Julian gets in here, he’ll kill us both,” Arthur said.

“He will kill you,” I said. “He wants your territory. He has no reason to hurt me.”