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“I can’t promise that, Frank.” Keith shook his head. “I’d risk everything to get her back.”
“I know, just hear me when I say, I’m risking a lot here, too. I can and have turned my head for a lot, but involving the mafia is a whole different level. Just,” he paused, “wait for Trigger. He’s bad enough.” He turned and hastily headed for the door after giving me a look to help reason with Keith.
As the door closed, Keith sank back into his chair, and I sat across from him. We both stared at his phone as the screen grew dim. I watched him from the corner of my eye and thought about all the times I had bent the rules. I never did it lightly and always justified it as necessary at the time. I couldn’t imagine what he was going through with his wife missing, let alone with kids involved.
He finally spoke while keeping his eyes glued to the phone. “Catalina has this favorite movie she watches all the time. It’s about a guy and a girl who fall in love but fight like crazy all the time. They just can’t seem to make it work for very long. They break up but always find their way back together again. It’s messy and confusing, but at the end of it all, they love each other. They die together at the end. That’s how I always saw me and Lex. Fighters but lovers ’til death parts us.”
“It’s not over yet, Keith.” I tried to think what Ivy would say, but that was all I could come up with.
“Blackstone’s been through unimaginable things,” he said quietly. “We built a fortress to protect the ones we loved, but there was always some part of me that knew it would be Lexi who would be the one to test it.” He cleared his throat. “She was always one to live on the edge. She loved hard, but she had a side that was cold as ice too.”
“No doubt, wherever she is, she’s kickin’ ass, then.” That made him chuckle.
“Yeah, she’d never go down without a fight.”
“Look,” I leaned forward so only he could hear, “I’m with you if you want to call Elio Capri, or anyone else you want. I’m with you if you want to leave tonight. Guns out, shoot first, repercussions later. Just make sure whatever you do, you can live with it afterward. Because whatever the outcome is, you have two kids who need you, too.”
Pain showed on his face, and I knew he’d heard me. He opened and closed his eyes as he thought about it or thought about who else he could call. Keith was a smart guy, and I knew once he settled and had a good night’s rest, he’d see what he needed to do. He reached over and squeezed my arm. I could see the battle that waged just below the surface.
He let out a long breath and slowly stood then held out his phone.
“I need sleep, and right now I don’t trust myself.” He urged me to take it. “All I ask is answer if Trigger or Dusk call.”
“You’ve got my word.” He looked away, then nodded and dropped heavily onto the couch where he sprawled out and covered his face with his arm.
I lowered my head, pursed my lips, and silently thanked the stars he hadn’t made a deal with the mafia tonight.
Eric
“So, you’re telling me you had a Blackstone member’s wife sitting in your basement this entire time?” Chili looked at me from behind his glass. The ice cubes clicked together as they touched his teeth.
“Yeah.”
“And why is this the first I’ve heard about it?”
“Because I’ve been like a fuckin’ bug under a magnifying glass. Damn Castillo’s got me paranoid. I got rid of his cameras, but I’m sure my phone, office, bedroom, even my truck is bugged.” I patted my pockets and gave him a palms up, to show him I hadn’t even brought my phone with me. “I don’t dare make a move.”
“I got wind she’d been picked up but didn’t make the connection you had her. The four girls I got were all from Seattle, so I just assumed.”
“Yeah, it was a surprise to me, too.”
“Blackstone must be flippin’ loosin’ their minds.”
“I’m sure.” I shrugged as I scanned the perimeter of his house. Chili had sensors everywhere, but I still didn’t trust that we were alone.
“And how is it you’re here now?”
“Well,” I turned to look at him, “that’s what I needed to talk to you about.”
“I’m listening.”
“His plan was to kill her.” Chili’s face twisted in disbelief. “I know, asshole move, right? But I think I’ve convinced him to put her up for sale.”
“He’s gonna open it up for a bidding war?”
“That’s what he says, yes,” I leaned my forearms on the railing and looked out over the crystal blue ocean, “but I’ll believe it when I see it.”
“Did you stroke his ego?”
