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"Small miracle, that," Hunter mumbled.
"Ah, there is Detective Jones now," Collings announced. I guessed that must have been the name of the detective on the case because, at the announcement, the entire group of people moved in the direction of the man in question.
Mark turned back, half-distracted, but his eyes were pleading when he said, "Wait for me here, Scotti."
I gave him a nod even as my stomach sank to my feet.
Because I had given Collings a license that claimed my name was Angela.
I couldn't be mad. I couldn't blame him for the slip. He was out of his mind with worry.
But as my eyes drifted to Collings, I could see the understanding there.
"How about you help me get coffee for the whole lot of them?" he suggested, waving a hand toward the other end of the room where a four-pot system was set up. "Scotti, was it?" he added, lips twitching, not seeming pissed at all for the lie, something that in no way eased my concern.
But what was there to do? I couldn't refuse him. That would likely only make things worse. "Sure," I agreed, giving him a nod as he invited me to move next to him as we started walking.
"So you and Mark pulled a Speed, huh?"
And, despite the swirling anxiety in my stomach, I had to laugh at that. "Something like that," I agreed as we moved next to the coffee pots and Collings set out ten cups. I assumed eight for the Mallicks and one for each of us.
"Don't know about the girls, but the rest drink it black," he explained as he started pouring.
"You know them well, it seems."
Collings' smile was warm. "Hard not to in this town. Hell, I went to school with Charlie back in the day. Had a wicked crush on Helen in my early twenties. He was a lucky sucker to get her. But yeah. These boys have been causing all kinds of chaos all their lives. Never been anything like this before though. They're careful with their... work," he said, raising a brow at me. "Eli never gets to do a job alone."
Because Eli had some rage issues, I remembered Mark telling me. If he didn't have someone to pull him back, sometimes he would just keep going and going and going.
"But this wasn't a job far as I can tell," Collings went on, surprising me with his willingness to share as he clipped tops on all the cups. "Happened three days ago one town over. Took them until this morning to bring him in."
Three days ago.
My stomach twisted again, realizing for the first time that those cars that had been patrolling the area weren't looking for my brothers or me at all, but Eli.
Somehow, even though I barely knew him, that was just as bad.
"So, Scotti," Collings said suddenly, done with the coffees, and turning to lean back against the counter, looking out at the station. "Funny thing. I ran your license a couple days ago..."
Shit.
Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.
"Oh, I..."
"It obviously came back fake," he said casually, tone somehow completely devoid of surprise or anger. "Nice work, that one. Barney?"
"Who is Barney?" I asked, brows drawing together.
"Local forger. No matter. Just seemed like his level of work. Anyway. It looks like you and Mark might be a thing. So that means you're likely going to be dropping anchor in Navesink Bank."
"I, ah, maybe," I hedged, feeling like I was on truly unsteady footing despite his casual tone.
"You going to be doing that under your real name? Your brothers too?"
Oh, God.
Okay.
Alright.
I needed to, ah, remember how to breathe.
And look for exits.
And not get caught by one of the dozen or so cops and detectives moving around.
"I'm going to assume that if you all do, that you will be hanging up your armed robbery hats."
Holy shit.
Okay.
Worst possible case scenario.
At least it was just me though, right? My brothers could all get out clean.
"Relax," Collings said, tone calm, reassuring. "I'm not dragging you or them in for it. Way I figure it, no one has ever gotten hurt, and those stores do more harm than good all the way around. So long as it's over, I am willing to get rid of all the research I have done on this. And trust me, no one has even bothered to do half the digging I have so you don't need to worry about that." When I couldn't seem to get a conscious thought to form, let alone make my mouth move and get sounds out, he shrugged. "I know I'm not supposed to say that, but I have men in this town who viciously gang rape women. I have dealers who are handing out overdoses like candy on a school yard. I have a lot more important shit to focus on than you. So if you can tell me that you're retired, I can make it so you live here in peace. All of you," he added.
