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I felt like I was floating, drifting towards Ethan and Liam. No one could hurt us here. No one could find us; we were all drifting. We were happy, I was happy.
LIAM
“Our son and I miss you and love you so much, Mel. Thank you.” As I pulled away from the microphones, the reporters began shouting their questions as their camera flashes blinded me.
“Sir, the car is ready,” Monte said, leading us into the hospital.
We were supposed to be checking out today. The cars were already waiting around back for us. Part of me wanted to stay. I came with my wife; I should be leaving with my wife. But I couldn’t stay, the faster I got home, the faster I could get out and work.
My mother stepped forward with my son—my and Mel’s son—who was fast asleep wrapped in a small blanket and wool hat. He was a good sleeper. Mel had talked to him in her womb, demanding that he get used to her sleep patterns when he was still in her. It was a tad bit crazy, but mostly beautiful. She claimed she wouldn’t be a good mother, but I saw it everyday, and now she didn’t even have the chance to prove it to herself.
Before I could walk to him, officer pain-in-my-ass was already on my tail. “Mr. Callahan, we asked you not to do the ransom.”
“And I ignored you.”
“Mr. Callahan, with a record like that, we are going to get thousands upon thousands of calls distracting us from the real leads, making it harder—”
“Then get more people on the damn phones,” I roared. “You want me to do nothing? My wife is out there and I plan on getting her back, even if I have to give away all my money, seeing as how the Chicago PD can’t do their jobs.”
“You said you wanted a real FBI agent. Well, I called in a favor, Mr. Callahan and we will find your wife. Avian Doers, the director of the FBI has now commissioned a team. Just give us—”
He was cut off as Ethan began to whimper in my mother’s arms.
“All I hear are words, Officer. Now if you’ll excuse me, my family and I would like to get home.”
“Mr. Callahan, is there something you’re hi—”
“Officer Scooter,” Declan said. “My brother has just asked you to leave us alone. Please do so before we refuse to speak with any more of your kind.” He was wheeling in Coraline, who hung her head low as she stared at her thin hands.
The officer shook his head. “I wouldn’t advise that, sir. That would only make us think you have something to hide. You don’t have anything to hide, correct?”
“Goodbye, Officer,” Declan said as I took my son. He smelled like air-dried laundry and flowers.
No one had really spoken to me within our family; it was hard to do so when so many people were listening in. Neal and Olivia were at the house, waiting for our return, and doing a sweep of the house…or at least Neal was. I had no idea what his wife did other than spit poison.
“Oh no you don’t,” I whispered to the little man. He yawned, his face scrunching up like a prune. “Get some real sleep.”
“Liam, I also got a car seat for him. I gave it to Monte, so it should be in the car,” my mother said once we reached the alleyway. The same alleyway the doctor had died in. The fresh snowfall had covered all traces of her.
“Thank you, Mother,” I replied, pulling Ethan’s hat down to cover his ears. He was more than ready for the weather with all the clothes on him; I was worried he was going to be too warm, but the nurses told me to keep him as warm as possible.
“Liam, we need to go.” My father held the door open for me. I looked at the baby seat and realized this would be his first car ride.
Mel would have wanted to put him in herself.
He yawned once again when I put him inside, smacking his own face a little as he tried to get his thumb into his mouth before drifting off.
Declan came up to me with a phone in his hands as I took a seat inside the car. “Neal says the house is clear. He’s ready to fly anywhere you needed him to.”
“Have him check it again,” I said, rolling up the window. Without another word Monte drove, leaving the rest of them to get into the fourth car. The car before us and behind us pulled in tightly. Through the rear mirror I could see our men.
“Sir,” Monte said. “I have to tell you something.”
“Are you betraying us, Monte?” Because somebody was…someone close and he was as close as they came.
His eyes met mine through the mirror before he shook his head. “No, Sir. Never.”
As if the guilty ever admitted it.
“Then speak.”
“There is this rumor spreading among the Italians that you had the boss taken and killed.”
My blood felt as though it was boiling right under my skin. I didn’t have time for this shit!
“How bad?”
“The old five families are meeting tonight. They want your head.”
“How did you come by this information, Monte?”
He smiled. “The boss, Sir. Fedel handled the men in the house, and I handle the moles outside. When Melody took over, she made sure to have a mole within all the old families. It’s how she stayed ahead. Only I know who they are, but they are completely loyal to her.”
Apparently my wife had more secrets than I knew. “They reported to you?”
“They aren’t aware of Aviela or Ivan. That’s how the boss wanted it. They knew nothing about her or her family, and she knew everything about them. Now they don’t know what to believe,” he said, obviously picking his words very carefully. “What do you want me to do?”
My phone rang before I could answer.
“Declan.”
“That burn phone Aviela used didn’t tell us where—”
“Declan. Why was he wasting my time?”
“Liam, I was able to get a record of all the calls she made on a payphone near the train station. I got the camera feed, and you will never believe who was there to pick up her call. They finally fucked up.”
“Declan.”
“Adriana, Liam. Adriana is the mole. I’ll send the video to your phone.”
MELODY
“Agh…” I moaned. I still felt like I was spinning, and there was a horrible taste in the back of my throat. Nelson sat on the other end of the tea table, which had nothing but sweets on it. The rest of the room was about the size of my closet back home; it didn’t make sense, it was designed for adults but covered in small dolls.
“Where’s Aviela?”
“Most likely calling your right-hand woman. Adriana, right? Did you know she was the reason I got a position on your jet?” He leaned back in his chair. “No, you wouldn’t have known that. Your mother outsmarted you in every way, and you can’t even be a nice little girl for her.”
This motherfucker.
“Look who found his balls.”
“I never lost them! Do you remember this?” he asked, lifting the stained white jacket I had given him the very first time we met.
But I wouldn’t waste my breath on him.
“When you threw this at my face like I was less than human, it took all of my control not to put a bullet in you right then and there.” He pulled a gun out from behind him, placing it on the tea table. “You told me to give it to my sister not knowing it was your drugs that killed her!”
