Antagonist backstory NaNo 2021

Bernard O’Leary
“I’m not going down for you,” Bernard screamed at his brother Bryant.
“You started the whole damn thing,” Bryant raged. “Don’t tell me you turned yella and you want out now. It’s too damn late for that.”
Bernard’s hands were sweating. He felt the hair raise on the back of his neck. Things were coming together now. As the firm’s clients left, he did not understand what had happened. Now he knew. But he could not believe it. He could not believe it of us brother.
“Bryant, why?”
“What does it matter? What does it really matter? When they get keen to what we’re doing, what does it really matter?”
“Oh God,” Bernard moaned. The brothers had an elaborate scheme to bilk people out of their retirement money. Bernard was not in immediately, but he saw the money Bryant was bringing in and could not help himself after a while.
Three sports cars. Two private jets. A woman in every city. What more could a man want? Bryant was living the dream and here Bernard was – stuck in this hole of a town. He deserved better. He needed better. He got into the dealings almost by accident. But once he got in, he was stuck. He could not go straight again. He could not take the chance. But now he was in too deep.
“You’ve got to help me bury him,” Bryant said, wrapping a man’s body in a tarp.
“Bury him? Where?” Bernard’s stomach was turning.
“Same place as all the rest,” Bryant laughed. It was a laugh like nothing Bernard had ever heard. He looked into his brother’s eyes by the light of the headlights. It was a man he no longer recognized. This was not Bryant. It couldn’t be.
“What do you mean the rest?” The words were out of Bernard’s mouth before he could stop them. He didn’t want to know. He did not want anything to do with this. Taking people’s money was one thing. Taking a life? He bent over and threw up in the bushes.
“What did you think happened to them?” Bryant laughed again, even more heartily. “Did ya think they just moved away?” Laughter rang out throughout the forest. The trees started spinning around. The night became even darker.
“Hey! Hey!” Bryant was standing above Bernard. He had apparently passed out. He had no idea how long he was out. Was it all a dream? He tried to sit up, his head still spinning.
“Come on, wimp,” Bryant said over his shoulder. “Help me with this bastard.”
Oh shit. It was not a dream. Bryant had killed a client. From the sounds of it, it wasn’t the first client.
“Where are you bringing him?”
“Down by the old slaughterhouse, same as the rest.” Bryant only chuckled this time.
The words “the rest” echoed in Bernard’s head. He shook his head violently, trying to make sense of it all. The old slaughterhouse?
“That slaughterhouse is on my property!” Bernard pushed his brother, who pulled a gun on him.
“Exactly.” Bernard’s voice was flat, calm. “There is no trust in this game, my brother. If I would have let you in on it, you’d squeal. If I buried these bastards on my land, you’d squeal.”
“All of them?” Bernard could hardly speak. He went to his knees. He thought of all the clients lately who had not returned his calls. He would be implemented in all of this, of course. It would all be pinned on him if he said a word. Bryant was a shrewd businessman, but Bernard never expected him to turn killer.
“As soon as I can get them there, good brother. As soon as I can get them there.”