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He did actually, when it came to women. Though that wasn’t Steeple’s point.
“He’s a serious guy.”
“Yeah, and getting mixed up with the McDades like that…” He lowered his volume. “Do you know things? I’m not asking you to tell me, but… does he talk to you?” She said nothing. “You’re like… Shit, Sersh.”
“No one expected it, I know. Neither did I.”
“You’re together? What are we talking? Marriage and kids and—”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I know this is a shock and there’s a lot going on, but I cannot be The Chronicler’s gal on the inside. That won’t happen.”
Though for a brief time, she’d considered using sex to get a story. What a delusion. She’d never wanted to manipulate Connel for anything other than sex.
“The attack, when you were attacked. Was that because of this?”
“No.” A possibility, a wondering, trickled into her mind, which, for the first time in weeks, was sharp. Now that they had confirmation… “Huh.”
“What?”
“Nothing.” She leaped to her feet. “Can I go?”
“Uh, yeah,” he said, sinking back in his seat. “Just let us know if there’s anything you need.”
What she needed was a shot of whiskey and a little inspiration. Maybe she’d find the second if she could order her thoughts.
Snagging her phone from her desk, she went into the empty breakroom and closed the door before dialing.
“Macushla?”
“Those guys who, you know, in the alley,” she murmured into the phone.
“Attacked you?”
“We know it was the Manzanis, but do we know the order came direct from Silvio Manzani? Might his people have taken initiative on their own?”
If they did it once, maybe they did it again with her grandfather.
“Going after the superintendent’s daughter is risky. In McDade territory they could start a war. They’d need permission.”
“From Silvio?”
“From someone higher up.”
Could that be Evander? Not if he wanted to foil his father’s plans to prevent the McDades acquiring the Harvest site. Swerve? Possibly, that guy didn’t seem to ask anyone for permission. Though, thus far, they had no evidence Silvio’s go-to guy was involved with Harvest at all.
“They wanted to know who you greased. If my grandfather found out who was working with the McDades, could one of your allies have pulled the trigger to protect themselves or the family?”
“No one would act without my consent.”
“Unless they were doing it to impress you.”
“If anyone on my books was responsible—”
“They’re sweating right now,” she said, finishing his thought with fewer curse words than he’d use.
Pre- their relationship going public, a McDade ally might expect praise for eliminating a threat. Post… yeah, that person would be a wreck.
“Has to be someone he knew to get into his bedroom,” Connel said.
