"Oh, I see," Victor said, the reason for the visit coming to light. "If I had your son, I would have made mention of it so I could get my money faster. He was smarter than he looked. I never placed him as the kind to run off and not pay his debts."
Victor thought Warren was smart for passing his problems off to someone else, but he wasn’t wise for stabbing Victor in the back.
Noah didn’t believe a word Victor said.
Warren had to be here.
"If that money is correct and you don’t return their son, then the court will come for you. Your dreams about running this district will be over with," Declan warned Victor.
"Luckily for me, I don’t have his son. I’m not the only one in town who lends money. For the right price, I can find your son for you. All you need to do is make a deal with me. Right here," Victor said, tapping his hand on the table.
Noah was relieved to hear that the money was right, so his family didn’t owe Victor any money. They had already taken plenty from what they saved up, and Noah needed to work hard to make up for it.
"The money side of my deal with your son is over, but there’s another part I have more interest in. Something I have been looking forward to. Did you tell Declan here what your son offered me?" Victor asked, curious how the court took the news.
Noah ignored what Victor spoke of and said, "I want my son."
"His son promised to bring a woman here. Careful now," Victor warned Noah, not phased by Noah abruptly standing up. "That gun might get you a good shot at me, but you’re not going to survive my workers aiming at you."
"Once they are through with you, they’ll go after that pretty wife you have at home. Her inability to walk will make the job easier-"
"Don’t," Declan said, grabbing Noah’s hand before he reached the gun. "We didn’t come here to fight."
"Next time, you should reconsider putting a gun in the hands of a man who acts on emotion. For now, the debt is settled since I have my money back, but I don’t like that a woman who promised me isn’t in my arms now. I advise you to find your son before I do," Victor said, his threat evident.
Victor knew from the start that Warren wouldn’t be able to get him Penelope, but he was open to being surprised.
Warren had filled Victor with the fantasy of having Penelope, and it was too late to stop wanting her.
"I would love to sit here and speak of how to find your son, but I have more important matters to tend to. Either get a bottle, a woman, and a room or leave. I don’t have space for men who sit around and don’t spend money," said Victor.
Victor started to walk away.
While Victor wasn’t afraid of Noah or the gun Noah possessed, now wasn’t a good time to be shot in his brothel.
Victor walked back to a private room where he had a guest waiting for him.
Victor buttoned his shirt as he walked back to his seat. "You’ll have to excuse me. Some unusual visitors came by to see me. Now, where were we, Mr. Monroe?"
Quinn stared right back at Victor. "We were discussing money," he replied.
"Oh, yes. In exchange for a few women for a day. Normally, I don’t send my girls out to gatherings unless it is someone I am friends with. Are we friends?" Victor asked, lighting a cigar.
"In time, we’ll be friends. It won’t be long until you realise you need me by your side if you want to become the king of this place," said Quinn.
Quinn’s eyes narrowed in on the smoke Victor blew. He didn’t like it.
Victor’s chest vibrated due to laughter. "I’ll need your help to be king? That’s the first time anyone said that to me. I don’t need you, Mr. Monroe. You need me, and that’s why you came here. That’s why everyone comes here."
"No," Quinn replied, certain of what he spoke. "You’re going to need me to keep all of this. I’ll give you some time to realise why you need me."
Victor found Quinn to be amusing. He didn’t know much about Quinn, but Quinn had entertained him so far.
"I’ve seen you somewhere before, haven’t I? I just can’t put my finger on it, but you know where we’ve seen each other. You’ve been to the red light district before, right?" Victor asked, trying to place where he saw Quinn.
It was on the tip of Victor’s tongue, but he couldn’t get it. He soon gave up since time would eventually reveal who Quinn was.
Elsewhere in the brothel, Declan led Noah outside before Noah could do something to get them both killed.
Declan yanked the gun back out of Noah’s hold when they got outside.
"I gave you a gun because we were going to be outnumbered. The next time you come here and try to have a gun fight with Victor’s men, don’t ask anyone from the court to join you. I am not ready to die," said Declan.
"My son is missing, and no one seems to know where he is. I can’t stay calm when I am seated before the man who might have him. I don’t believe that Victor doesn’t have my son," Noah said, certain Victor was lying.
Declan suspected Victor as well, but there was nothing they could do unless someone saw Warren being taken by Victor.
"Mark has promised to help you and your wife. I suggest you go home and don’t think of coming back here alone. He will kill you if you stand before him again, and he will go after your wife next," Declan said, hoping Noah would act with sense.
Declan understood Noah’s anger, but now was a time for Noah to be wise. He could lose more than his son if he wasn’t careful.
"No one told me of the part where your son offered to take a woman and bring her to Victor. I don’t deal with the duke a lot, but you should hope for your son’s sake that this doesn’t reach Edgar. Go home," Declan advised Noah. "Be with your wife and comfort her."
Declan continued to say, "The town guards will be told to look out for your son and share what they find with us. Dead or alive, we’ll do our best to find you answers about your son."
Hopeless, Noah decided to give up and return to Kate since she had to be worried out of her mind.
"Fine," Noah replied, leaving Declan to head home.
At least for now, Noah had one problem dealt with.