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“Thanks, Doc. You want some bread with that?” she asks, getting an enthusiastic nod. “I’ll get some.”
“Congratulations, Esther,” I say around a smile.
“Thank you, Pearl.”
“I think I’ll just get some fresh air,” I say, pushing myself to my feet. “Not too far.” I point to the door that leads to the garden from the kitchen.
“You want some help?” Zinnea asks, volunteering Quinton by pushing him forward.
“No, no, I’m okay.” I hold up my good hand.
“She can walk in short spurts,” Doc says, vouching for me.
“Tell that to Brad,” I mutter.
“I have.” He takes a big mouthful of stew and hums his happiness, and I take the moment he’s got his eyes closed to pick up the packet of Marlboros, taking small manageable steps to the door, forcing my face not to show my pain. I make it outside and sit on a low wall, lighting up.
And wait.
Because my vicious, inhumane uncle always gets what he demands.
62
BRAD
* * *
I don’t think there’s ever been so many people in this office. All attention on me. It’s time to fill everyone in. “Has Higham gone?” I ask.
“Rose was seeing him out.” Goldie’s staring at the rug, pissed off.
“Nolan’s being held in a motel,” I tell them as Otto sets his laptop on the desk and turns it to face the room. The image of Nolan tied to a chair fills the screen. Proof of life. But he’s black and fucking blue. My teeth grit. “The X5 that Otto put a tracker on stopped at a shitty motel off the freeway near MIA.”
“I got this CCTV footage from Target’s parking lot,” Otto says as we all lean in and see the X5 driving through the lot, then soon after, a truck pulling a jet ski. I point at it. “That’s King. I expect he was driving this truck pulling that jet ski when he took Nolan from the boatyard.”
“Because no one would question a truck pulling a jet ski at the boatyard,” James grunts.
“Correct.” I drag my pointed finger to the X5. “That’s Sandy.” And then a Lexus comes into view. “And that there is Luis.”
“Fuck me,” Danny breathes.
Otto changes the screen, and we all watch two men dragging an unconscious body from the trunk of the X5 to a door. “King took Nolan from the container. Sandy has him now.” Thank the Lord for Otto. Quite honestly, I’m not sure how Danny and I got through our debased, criminal lives without his tech genius brain. “Nolan’s an insurance policy. We know Anya was working for Sandy. Anya knew Pearl and I were together, and she told Sandy, but King asked for Pearl intact, so we know Sandy hasn’t given King that information.”
“Wait,” Ringo says, a halting hand held up.
“Let me finish,” I say flatly, and he backs down.
“We also know King took up golf and got friendly with Bean to track down Pearl.”
“Or two-hundred-million-dollars,” Danny grunts.
“We know Anya bugged Danny’s phone and gave Sandy the cell numbers of our women. Sandy gave those numbers to King. We think Sandy tried to have Pearl abducted so he could use her as bait to ensure he gets what he wants from King. Guns. Because he doesn’t trust him.”
“So now can you wait?” Ringo’s hand comes up again. “And don’t tell me you’re not finished.”
“I’m not finished.”
“Tough. I need to know. Why the fuck wouldn’t Sandy tell King Pearl’s no longer a virgin? It’s the perfect way to turn King against us.”
