37

Niall Has Other Plans

Here is Thursday's chapter. I'm sorry that I'm posting it at this hour. I'd hoped to post it earlier but I had an issue at work. Anyway, I hope that y'all enjoy it. If I get off in time Saturday, I will post another chapter. I want to thank all of you for reading, reviewing, and making this a favorite. And welcome aboard to the new readers.

The main characters belong to Charlaine Harris but the story idea and the side characters are mine.

Eric was sitting at his desk when Niall entered his office with Liam Malcolm. The man, the investigator that he'd hired to look for Sookie, was once again standing before him … holding a folder in his hand. He'd seen Liam several times in the past and each time, he looked quite pleasant but not this time. This time, he looked afraid.

"Mr. Malcolm," Eric said as he remained seated. He pointed at the chair in front of his desk. "Please, have a seat. What have you brought with you today? I'm sure that the folder you're holding isn't more information on not being able to find my lover. Am I right?" He smiled.

Liam didn't.

Niall patted Liam on the back as he walked beside him.

Liam stared at Eric as he walked towards the desk. He believed that he'd never have to see Eric again. After he'd told the younger Northman that he couldn't find Sookie Stackhouse, he was under the impression that he was free to live his life but when he was told by McArthur that he was needed in the states by Northman, he knew that something was wrong. He wanted to run but where would have gone? McArthur could find Amelia Earhart if he was offered the right price. He'd often wondered why McArthur didn't look for Sookie for Eric. He would have found her.

Liam unbuttoned his suit jack as he sat down. He placed the folder that he was holding onto the floor next to his chair. "Hi, Mr. Northman. It's been a long time since the last time I've seen you. How have you been?" He pointed at Eric as he smiled and nodded. "You look great."

"Thank you for the admiring comment, Liam. Though I didn't think that I would feel this way again, I've been doing quite well," Eric countered. "Especially since the new investigators that I hired, the Flowers, were able to do the job that you were unable to do. The job that you said couldn't be done."

Niall nodded in agreement as he removed his suit jacket before sitting down. As he placed his jacket on the back of his chair, he began to confirm Eric's earlier statement. "He's right, Liam. Bruce and Jade Flower, you may have heard of them. They're very well regarded in Japan. As Eric said, they are the investigators that we hired after you wouldn't do the job that you were hired to do. We find it to be quite odd that they were able to find Ms. Stackhouse without any problems at all. All of the obstacles that you had to encounter while looking for her, seemed to have completely vanished. They found her within a month of looking for her."

Liam began to chuckle in a very nervous sort of way. "I don't know what you're saying." He shifted in his seat. "But I give you my word …"

"Which is as useless as you are," Niall exclaimed.

Liam glanced at Niall from the corner of his eye before picking up where he left off. "I give you my word, Mr. Northman. I did all that I could to find your long, lost lover, Mr. Northman. She was impossible to find. If this Bruce and Jade Flower was able to find her, they knew where she was all along. That had to have been part of the reason why they found her. They had to have been in on her hiding. They just wanted to take your money."

Eric looked as if he was believing the explanation that Liam had given to him. "Hmm," he said. "That makes no sense at all. That would be an acceptable explanation if someone else had told us that the Flowers were in on Sookie's hiding but coming from you, it's not. We don't trust you. Liam, this entire conversation is nothing more than a waste of time. Let me get to the reason why you're here."

He rested his arms on his desk as he talked. "Niall and I have become sort of amateur investigators ourselves. What you're saying … what you expect us to believe … is nothing more than lies. We've learned something entirely different than what you're telling us. Niall."

Niall opened his briefcase and removed a green folder from inside. The folder was labeled with the name Sookie Stackhouse. It was dated from 2004 – 2014. He handed the folder to Eric.

"Thank you, Niall," Eric said graciously as he took the folder. He stared at the folder for a long minute. He'd waited almost ten long years to get this information on Sookie. He glided his hand over the folder before opening it.

He looked at Niall and sighed. "I've waited had to wait so long to get this information." He looked down at the folder and said, "Ten years, Niall."

"The wait is over," Niall assured him.

Eric silently flipped through the pictures. "Yes," he agreed. "It's over."

Unbeknownst to Liam, this was Eric's first time seeing any of this new information. He suggested that Niall give them to him while they were with Liam. He wanted his anger to be fresh … raw. He wanted Liam to know the fate that was coming for him when he looked into his eyes. And he knew what would happen after he looked through the file. There would be no leniency for the man.

Liam was still smiling. "What do you have there?"

Eric didn't answer.

The first picture was of Sookie walking along the college campus. She was dressed in jeans and tight pink tee. She wasn't wearing a wig and she wasn't wearing a pair of shades. She looked just as she did after their return from the inn. There was a young man walking along with her. He was carrying her books for her as she talked to him. The boy looked as if he was mesmerized by her. Sookie looked as neutral as ever. She was talking. He was gazing. Eric smiled at the picture. He knows just how the boy felt.

He flipped through the pictures of her on the campus and he found what he needed to see. He looked closer at the pictures and she was still wearing them. She was wearing his class ring … and her engagement ring. She was still his. She is still his.

He looked up at Niall and smiled.

Niall tucked a stray hair behind his ear as he admired the love and joy that was on the young man's face. "Wonderful," he whispered. He knew that the joy wouldn't last for long. That's why he put that picture on the top. The next pictures that Eric would see, they would be the ones to anger him enormously.

And just as Niall suspected, the love and joy wasn't on the young man's face for too long.

The next pictures were of Pam and Sookie holding hands as Sookie rested her head on Pam's shoulder. She was crying. According to the date on the picture, this was taken after her time in Sweden. A week after she'd left him. Her face was red and swollen from crying. Her hand was resting her stomach. She and Pam stopped walking and Pam held Sookie to her. Pam had a tight grip on Sookie's shoulders. Pam was saying something to Sookie as they looked at each other. Sookie's arms were soon wrapped around her friend's neck as they cried together on the streets of New York.

Eric looked evilly at Liam.

Liam's smile shrank down to nothing.

Eric glared at the pictures of Sookie … the ones that looked as if she hadn't slept … the ones that showed her dragging along, barely smiling. She looked lost and alone. She looked as if she'd been abandoned and as far as she knew, she had been. As far as she knew, the man that she was supposed to spend the rest of her life with was going to leave her to raise their child alone.

Niall's hands were fists as he looked at the pained look on Eric's face. "It gets better," he said to him.

He looked at Niall briefly and nodded his head.

And Niall was right. They did get better. They got a lot better.

There were pictures of Sookie in the early stages of her pregnancy to the latest stages. She and Adele were in one picture. They were at the local Sup 'r Sav a' Bunch. They were grocery shopping. Sookie had gone home to Bon Temps. It was during the holidays. She looked happy. She was smiling … at least her face had a smile on it. It didn't reach her eyes.

She and Jason were sitting at the picnic table in Gran's backyard. They were bundled up and talking. Sookie's head was on his shoulder. She looked sad at first but that sadness was soon replaced with laughter. They were laughing together. He kissed her forehead as she looked up at him and smiled. They soon walked back to the house … holding hands.

He moved on the next set of pictures. She was back in New York and she was struggling to get out of a cab. He almost didn't recognize her because of the black wig but her eyes told him that it was her. Pam got out of the other side of cab and went to help Sookie. They were laughing and smiling and Pam did her best to pull her friend from the car. It was obvious that their laughter was what was keeping them from doing what they'd intended to do. The cabbie finally decided to help them.

There were pictures of them shopping; Sookie, Pam and Amelia. Having lunch. More shopping and laughing. Doing all of the things that friends do with each other.

Eric sat tall in his seat when he looked at the next pictures. Pam and Amelia looked anxious. Pam was hailing a cab as Amelia was on the phone with what can be assumed as being the doctor. Sookie was being held up by the doorman of their home. She looked as if she was breathing hard. Sweat was glistening on her forehead and her blonde hair was in a disheveled and twisted ponytail. And she still looked absolutely stunning.

"She was going into labor," Eric whispered.

Niall smiled at the look of amazement that was on Eric's face. How he wishes that Eric could've been there for that moment.

The next pictures were of Sookie, her grandparents, Jason, Pam and Amelia. They were leaving the hospital. Sookie was holding Flynn. Pam and Amelia were fawning over her. They were walking down the street with the baby. Amelia was pushing the stroller. Pam was holding Amelia's free hand. He wished that he could've been with them.

"I missed it," he said. He looked up at Niall. "I missed it," he repeated.

Niall didn't know what to say so he said nothing. There was nothing that he could say. He had missed it. And if he could help it, Eric would miss nothing else. He would make sure of it.

Sookie's graduation was next. Flynn was a little tyke and she was being held up by Gran'pa. Adele was crying. Jason was holding Flynn while they were pointing towards the stage. Michele, Jason's wife, was very pregnant and cheering loudly. Pam was jumping up and down as she cheered. Amelia was taking pictures. Sookie, she was on the stage holding her diploma high and up in the air. And she was happy.

Sookie passing the BAR exam was another picture. Sookie, Pam, and Amelia going to parties. Sookie on dates with other men. She didn't look happy. She looked miserable. She would smile when she was supposed to. She looked intrigued when the time called for it. She was one hell of an actress.

That made Eric smile. "Duds," he said as he looked at Niall. "All of them. They weren't worthy of her." A final nod gave his statement confirmation.

Niall laughed because he knew what Eric was speaking of.

The next few pictures were the ones that caused his ire to rise.

Sookie and Flynn were sitting at a diner, Busy's, and they were having dinner in the next few pictures. They were laughing and talking. Sookie's eyes were filled with love as she looked at their daughter. They were holding hands as they walked home together. Alcide appeared in the next few pictures. Sookie greeted him with a kiss as he lifted a young Flynn in his arms. Eric's daughter had her arms wrapped around the neck of another man. She kissed his cheek and she looked so happy to see him. He looked just as happy to see them. They looked like a family.

His family.

Eric closed his eyes as he handed the picture to Liam. "My family," he said.

Liam nervously took the picture. The lump that was in his throat almost choked him. He looked at the picture before looking back at Eric. "They're beautiful. I'm … I'm glad that you were able to find them. I guess the Flowers are really good at their job. It's a good thing that you hired them when you did." He placed the picture back on the desk.

Eric cocked his head to the side and said, "I'm not the type of man to take credit for something that I didn't do. You see, Liam, I didn't find them." He rested his elbows on his desk as he stared the man in his eyes. "You did."

Liam tried laughing off the comment but failed miserably. "I don't understand what you mean, Mr. Northman. I never gave you those pictures." He glanced at Niall and said, "I just saw Mr. Brigant hand those to you. I'm under the assumption that he hired a more competent investigator to do what I apparently couldn't do."

Eric laughed. "Don't sell yourself short, Liam. This is work that you'd done for me several years ago … or was supposed to have done for me. Almost ten years ago as a matter of fact. Excellent work." He removed over three hundred pictures from the folder and added them to the ones he'd already looked at. He then removed the documents and placed them in a neat, little stack in front of the traitor.

Looking at Liam once more, Eric said, "Names that she was going by. Addresses that she'd used. Jobs that she'd had before graduating college. You found all of this information on Ms. Stackhouse. All of this is you. I have to applaud you on a job well done." And that's what he did. He began to clap.

Liam began to shake his head no. He was going to try and lie his way out of this but he wasn't given the chance.

Niall reached out and punched him in the face.

Liam's head turned harshly as he grunted. He glanced at Niall but didn't speak a word. It was in his best interest to remain quiet … at least for now.

"Be a fucking man and own what you've done," Niall growled. "I hate a fucking coward."

Eric sighed as he waited. "You deceived me, Liam."

Again, he shook his head no.

Niall stood up from his seat and began rolling up the sleeves to his shirt.

Liam didn't see the next couple of punches coming. It astounded him that an elderly man was beating the shit of him. The silvering hair was misleading. The crinkles around the eyes were just as deceptive. He wasn't what he appeared to be. The 'elderly' man had muscles for days. His fists were like steel. Liam could almost feel his neck snap from that last punch.

Niall then walked to the bathroom to wash the blood from his hands. He returned from the bathroom with a rag and threw it at Liam. "Clean your mouth, Coward, before we proceed."

Liam did as he was ordered. He placed the wet rag on his lap. He didn't know what to say or where to begin. He knew that what he'd done to Eric was wrong but he needed the money. No. He wanted the money. He could live as he's always wanted with that money. He could be accepted in a world that never wanted him to be a part of it. That money worked wonders for him … for a while. With his head bowed, he looked at Eric and Niall through hooded eyes.

"You've already been caught. There is no need to prolong the lie. Stop being a coward. As far as I'm concerned, there's nothing worse than a lying, coward. I hate a fucking coward," Niall repeated as he leaned his backside against Eric's desk. "Speak the truth."

"Where do I begin?" Liam asked.

"At the fucking beginning," Eric snapped.

Niall glanced at Eric over his shoulder and smiled.

Liam knew that he didn't have a choice. He had to tell everything that he'd done. "The day that you hired me, Victor came to my office," he said. "I later learned that he was having you followed. He asked why you'd hired me. I told him that you needed to find a missing girl and you wanted my help. He wanted to know the girl's name. I told him." He shrugged his shoulders.

"But not without a little incentive," Niall pushed.

"True," Liam agreed.

"And?" Eric asked.

"That was that," Liam concluded. "Well, at least on that day. I did the job that you wanted me to do. I worked on the case for the full month that you wanted. I found her. I followed her. I was writing up my report the day that Victor returned to my office. He wanted to know what I'd discovered. I told him everything. I told him that she was pregnant but she must have been having issues. She had several visits with an OB/GYN within that month."

"Why?" Eric asked he scooted to the edge of his seat. "Why was she seeing the doctor so many times within that first month?"

"Stress," Liam answered. "She was doing a lot of crying. She'd lost some weight. She always looked tired. I told Victor that something was wrong with her and you needed to know what was going on. I was on my way to tell you when he came by. He said that he would take care of it. He paid me $25,000.00 more than I was supposed to get. I let him know that my payment was only $10,000. He said that he wanted to keep me on his payroll until further notice. I agreed to it because I believed that he was going through you."

Niall shook his head no. "But you soon learned differently,"

Liam nodded. "I did. That day, when I told him that I had to take the reports and photos to Mr. Northman, he gave me an extra $15,000 per month to let him handle it. He said that because of the things that you were going through, he didn't want to stress you out any more than you already were. He told me to keep working for you as I've always been but everything was to go through him. So that's what I did. I reported to you weekly."

"Lies," Eric said

He looked down at his hands before looking up at Eric and Niall. "Yes but I knew that something was up with Victor. I knew that he was lying so I began following him. I wanted to know what he was up to. I wanted to know why it was so important for him to keep Ms. Stackhouse away from you."

"No honor among thieves," Niall retorted.

"You are correct," Eric agreed. "What did you learn about Victor?"

"That he's nothing more than piece of shit."

"A well-known fact," Niall replied. "What more did you learn?"

Liam reached down a picked the folder up from the floor. He handed it to Niall who in turn, handed it to Eric. "What is this?" Eric asked.

Leaning forward as he rested his elbows on his knees, Liam said, "It's information that I dug up on Victor Madden and your father. There are pictures and telephone transcripts."

Niall was almost impressed with Liam.

Eric read over the documents and wasn't surprised at what he was reading. He's always known that Victor and Appius were out to destroy his life. There were plans to scare Sookie if Eric ever found her. Her family would be threatened. She would be threatened with losing her job … her home. Her name would be destroyed. She would lose everything that she's ever worked to have. They were going to deposit lumps sums of money into her bank account each month to make Eric believe that she'd accepted a payoff. If all else failed, they were going to use Flynn against her. They wanted to hold off on doing that for as long as they could. They decided to use the next best thing that was at their disposal.

They brought Freyda in on the plan. She was to keep Eric's mind off of Sookie. She was to cater to his every need. And she was more than willing to do it. That's when Appius and Victor began plotting to get Eric and Freyda together.

They would call meetings and Freyda would just so happen to be there. There would be 'unplanned' dinner parties and Freyda would need a date. Eric was the man that was always on call whether he wanted to be or not. And Liam had documented most of them.

There were pictures of Eric and Freyda at meetings and Victor and Appius would be off to the side watching them. There were pictures of Eric and Freyda dancing but Freyda was the only one to look happy to be there. Eric would only smile when others would be around them. Any other time he would look miserable.

In another picture, he and Freyda were dancing at a party. He remembered that night. His mind was on leaving. He was going to go and look for her on his own but he was afraid to. Not because he felt that he couldn't find her but because of what he might find. He was afraid that she'd moved on. She'd decided to live her life without him. He hadn't heard anything about Sookie from Liam. His mind was consumed with thoughts of Sookie. Where she was. With whom was she spending time. Had she fallen out of love with him. He'd never known such misery.

Or such fear.

He'd kept Liam on the case. Asking him to not give up. To keep looking for his lover. Liam had led Eric to believe that he'd been looking for her and he couldn't find her anywhere. He'd talked to her family and they refused to speak with him. Sookie didn't go home for visits. She had completely vanished.

A look suddenly appeared on Eric's face. He knew the answer before he'd asked the question. He needed to hear Liam say it. "The other investigators that I'd hired on to look for Sookie, why weren't they able to find her?"

Liam dropped his head.

"Tell me!" Eric yelled.

"Victor hired me to follow you," Liam said. "I would tell him who you were trying to hire. He'd pay them off. He'd tell that he was sorry for the confusion but the girl had already been found."

Eric started towards Liam but Niall stopped him. "No," he said. "This is not what you do. You are better than that. You are here to give your family a new name. This here, what we are doing, is a new beginning for the Northman name. A name that you can be proud of. Don't let your anger get the best of you."

Eric had to close his eyes and count so that he would not lose his cool. And he counted for a long time.

"That's it," Niall said.

After a moment, Eric looked at his friend and nodded his head.

"You're okay." Niall patted Eric on his back as he the young man leaned against the desk.

Eric returned his attentions back to Liam. "I called you every day," he said as he glared at his enemy. "Every day and you led me to believe that she was nowhere to be found. You supported Victor in his quest to stop me at every turn." He stood from his chair and stood before Liam. "You deceived me."

Liam stared up at Eric. "I know now that I should've let you know what was going on. I was wrong." He didn't want to have to deal with the consequences of betraying a Northman. He knew what was in store for him. He couldn't do it. He wasn't made for that life. His mind was frantic with worry and fear. He was …

An idea then hit him.

"My mother! My mother needed me. I had to side with Victor. I needed the money to save her life. Don't you know what it means to have to do what's needed to save your mother? I did what I had to do."

Niall and Eric glanced at one another.

Eric more than knew what it meant to have to sacrifice his life and happiness for his mother but he was done. He wasn't going to do it anymore. His life was going to be his own. He'd already lost too much and he wasn't going to lose anymore.

Though he didn't feel the need to answer Liam's question, he did. He wanted to know where this was going to lead. "I do."

Excitement appeared on the man's face. "So, you know what I was going through. She needed me. I had to help her. I'm her son."

Niall looked at Eric. He pitied him. Always has. He wanted more for Eric. And was going to do whatever was needed to make sure that he got it.

"Unlike me, you had a choice. You chose your fate. I did not," Eric said as he shook his head no. "My mother did not consider me in her quest to get me to help her. So, Mr. Malcolm, I do not know what you had to go through but I do know this. You were a party to the detriment of my freedom … my life."

Sophie Ann then knocked on the door.

"Yes," Eric called out.

She poked her head into the office. "I am preparing to leave for the night. Everything has been taken care of as far as the termination letter and severance packages. If there's nothing else that you need of me, I'll be on my way."

Eric shook his head no. "You may leave. Have a good night, Sophie Ann."

"Thank you, Mr. Northman. Oh," she added. "McArthur is on his way up. Do I send him in when he arrives?"

Liam squeezed his eyes closed at the mention of that man's name.

"Yes," Eric said.

"Goodnight, Mr. Northman, Mr. Brigant," Sophie Ann said.

"Goodnight," they said to her.

Once the door was closed, Liam closed his eyes and asked, "McArthur? He's here?"

Niall smiled as he nodded. "He is."

A tear fell from Liam's eye. "When he called me, I should've known that he would be here. I should've known."

Eric leaned down and stared into Liam's eyes. "So, you know your fate?"

"I do," Liam whispered. "I guess apologizing will do me no good."

"Not one bit," Eric clarified. "You will lose your freedom just as I lost mine."

Liam nodded.

"You and your need for more money is the reason why this is happening to you," Eric specified plainly. "You have to pay for what you've done. This is your doing."

"I didn't want to do it," Liam said. He was going to go with the mother angle once more. It had to work. It just had to. "My mother would have died."

Niall frowned as he stared at the investigator. "She died anyway, Liam. Your efforts are for naught. She didn't need your mediocre efforts. She needed your love in her final days but you … you were working for Victor and pocketing the money. You never paid for her medical care. You didn't help pay for your mother's funeral."

Liam looked surprised for just a moment before his face was blank once more.

"Jade discovered that your sister, Diane, was the one to take care of your mother in her final days. You were nowhere to be found," Niall continued. "You ignored their calls. You'd moved and didn't tell them. You didn't even go to her funeral, Liam, and your mother wanted you there. She died wondering why her son wasn't at her side."

Liam dropped his eyes to the floor as he began to try and accept his fate. He knew that he should've gone to Eric when he had the chance but the money. The money had a hold on him. It was too good for him to pass up. He'd never had that much money in his life. He was going to finally be able to travel. He was going to see the world and meet the woman of his dreams. But as Niall previously said, his efforts were for naught.

"Do you have anything to say for yourself?" Niall asked.

Before Liam could answer, there was knock at the door.

Eric returned to his seat as he told the new guest to come in. "It's open."

"Good evening, gentlemen," McArthur said with a smile. "It's always good to see you." He coat was thrown haphazardly over his arm. "Is this the one? He is the one that tried to cause harm to our dear Ms. Stackhouse?"

Eric nodded. "He was a party to what transpired."

McArthur stood before the doomed man and shook his head. He looked down at Liam … disdain and disgust was apparent on his face. "He doesn't realize what he has done. She is like a daughter to me. I can't allow anyone to hurt her. I would never forgive myself." He stooped down in front of Liam. "You realize that your efforts to hurt her and your quest to hurt Eric will cost you your freedom."

"So, I've been told," he replied.

McArthur looked at Eric and said, "I've known this man since he was a boy. I've done all in my power to get him out of this life but he wouldn't accept my efforts … until now. Now that he has his family with him, he's willing to do what is necessary to keep them safe. I am here to keep them safe."

Liam looked up at McArthur and said, "I understand."

McArthur handed Niall and Eric the files that he had on Liam. The man was one of the worst humans to have lived in this world. In the last four years, he's had in hands in everything from drug dealing to sex trafficking. Today his life of crime was going to end.

Eric handed Liam the folder and let him read over it for a few minutes. "You will be spending the rest of your life in prison." He used his head to point at McArthur. "If not for McArthur's contacts, you would still be running free. I can't have that. So," he said as he sighed. "You are done, Mr. Malcolm."

"I know," he said.

"Good," McArthur said as he stood tall. He took the folder from Liam and tucked it into the inside of his jacket. He clapped his hands before sighing. "Let us go, Mr. Malcolm. You have a destiny with a fate that you've carved out for yourself."

Liam placed the cold rag that was on his lap on the chair once he'd stood "Forgive me," he said to Eric.

Eric stood and offered his hand to Liam. "You will find no forgiveness here."

McArthur stood behind Liam. "Pam called me earlier in the evening to get tickets to Senator Vardamon's party. She and Sookie will be going, I presume. Has new information been discovered?"

Eric shook his head no. "I'm not quite sure."

He began telling them about the letter that Sookie received from Apish Neon and the reasons why she and Pam needed the tickets. "They were going to go together but because of certain logic, it has been decided that Sookie will be going with a male friend. It is believed that it will be best that she goes with someone that may not draw suspicion."

A full on smile appeared on McArthur's face. "Are you alright with that … Sookie going with another man?"

After a brief pause, Eric said, "I am not but I have no other choice in the matter. But it will be okay. I have been invited so I will be there to keep an eye on her."

"Einin and I will be in attendance as well," Niall volunteered. "She will be safe."

McArthur nodded at their words. "Good," he said. "Very good." He then grabbed Liam's elbow. "I will also have people there to look after things. Now, we must take our leave." He looked at Liam and said, "We have business to take care of. Shall we?"

Liam led the way and McArthur followed.

Niall removed himself from Eric's desk. "I guess I'll be going. I have a meeting with Sookie in an hour. Will you be attending?"

Eric shook his head no. "I'm going to pick my daughter up from school. But I would like an update though."

"Wonderful and you will definitely get an update," Niall said. He looked at Eric for a moment. "Are you alright with what we had to do?"

"I am," he replied. "My family's welfare is at stack. I have to keep Flynn and Sookie safe. I can't keep them safe with a man like Liam running free in this world."

"We protect what is ours at all costs. Remember what I've always told you, Son," Niall said.

"Love and family always comes first," Eric said. "Anyone that gets in the way of that, is the enemy."

"Always," Niall reiterated.

"Always," Eric repeated.

Niall patted Eric on the shoulder. "The amended documents that were sent to Freyda have been signed and returned. You now have 49% ownership of Madden Corp. Just a little more and you will have full control."

Eric finally smiled. "He will fall at our feet."

"Obliteration and devastation is his."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Once he was in his car and driving away, Niall immediately called McArthur. He answered on the first ring. "He still believes that I'm taking Liam to the police?"

"He does," Niall said. "He needs to know no different. This is not about him anymore but Eric was right about one thing. Liam has to pay for what he's done but he won't pay with his freedom. He has to pay for what he's done to Eric, Sookie and Flynn. He has to pay with his life."

"And he will," McArthur promised. "He's in the trunk of the car now. The serum took effect immediately. My guys are waiting for him. Has he mentioned Appius to you?"

Niall shook his head no. "Not yet but he will."

"What are you going to tell him?"

"Nothing," Niall answered. "I'm going to give him my condolencenses and nothing more."

McArthur laughed.

"I love that boy," Niall said. "Since the day he came to Sweden, I've been drawn to him. He has not had the best life and he's a good man. He deserves better than what's been lain out before him. I feel the need to protect him from all that mean to cause him harm. I can't allow it. If his enemies must die, then so be it. As long as he lives and he's happy, I'm happy."

"I recognize that this is a touchy subject for you but I must know. Is this because of your son?" McArthur asked. "Is that what has drawn you to him?"

"He has nothing to do with it," he answered. "This is about Eric."

McArthur knew otherwise but stayed quiet. The only sounds that could be heard were the sounds of the orchestra music playing on the radio.

Niall finally broke the silence. "Let me know what it's done."

McArthur nodded as he spoke. "I give you my word. I will speak with you as soon as it's over."

"Niall," McArthur. "You know that I had to hide Sookie. I had to keep her and Flynn safe. I had no choice."

"I know," Niall replied.

"She was afraid of what was awaiting her and the child." McArthur sighed. "I asked Appius why he and the Maddens destroyed the letters."

"What did he say?"

"He didn't want to lose the money," McArthur answered. "He didn't realize that everything was coming through me … until he was about to die."

Niall frowned. "What do you mean?"

"The invitations, the pictures," McArthur said. "They call came through me. If Eric was going to come to any of the events, he would meet with me and I'd take him to his family. Sookie believed that was best. It would keep her and Flynn off the grid. Everything went through me. So, when Appius, Victor, and Freyda interfered with their means of communication, they interfered with me." A scary smile played across his lips. "No one interferes with McArthur Ravenscroft. They know that and now they must pay."

Niall always had a feeling that McArthur was involved. He just never had any proof. And no one accuses McArthur Ravenscroft of anything … even if they have proof. Not even him.

"Appius told many secrets that weren't really secrets before meeting his end." McArthur began to laugh again. "It's surprising to me that people will tell the secrets of their lives when it comes to their life."

"Don't they all?" Niall asked.

"Well, it will all be over soon and the children will be free."

"Three down, one to go," Niall said. "But they won't die. They have to live."

Again, McArthur laughed "As always, Niall has other plans. I assure you, death is too good for something like Victor Madden. Good evening, old friend. Be safe."

"You as well."

As ending the call, Niall thought that death was too good for Victor. He had to lose everything and he has to live through it. He has to suffer for all of the pain that he's caused and he is going to make sure that he does.