“I’ve got a problem,” Angelo said. “I was just paid a visit from a cop who asked me what I knew about Kara. He called her KaraO’Brien, not Gallagher. Then he tried to kill me.”
“What?” Dante’s voice sharpened.
“Dante? What is it?” Alessia’s voice could be heard in the background.
“Hold on,” Dante said to Angelo. “Go back to sleep, honey.” Dante whispered to his wife. A moment later Dante spoke again, his voice softer. “What happened?”
Angelo described the cop’s interrogation and attack in more detail.
“And you didn’t tell the nurse to call the police?”
“Thing is, I don’t know if he was posing as a cop or if he’s a dirty one. That uniform wasn’t a costume. Until I know for sure, I don’t think I can trust the police.”
“Good point,” Dante replied.
“I’m sorry to put this on you, Dante. Can you keep an eye on Kara until I get home? This guy knows that Kara is living with me.”
“Sure,” Dante said. “You’d better have Jared look into this Kara O’Brien. Maybe it’s some kind of mistaken identity thing?”
Angelo remembered the hunted look in Kara’s eyes. “Unfortunately I think it’smyKara he wants. I have a feeling she’s in trouble, and I have to keep her safe.”
“So she’s using a fake name? Jesus… what if she’s into something bad?” Dante asked. “I can’t have my family around if?—”
“Dante, doyouthink she’s dangerous? You spent all day with her.”
His brother let out a sigh. “No, I don’t think that,” he finally admitted. “But even if she’s not dangerous, the situationis.”
“I’ll check out of the hospital as fast as I can. Once I’m home, you can get the kids out of the house and somewhere safer.”
“Okay,” Dante agreed. “Angelo… just how well do you know Kara, really? If she lied to you about her name, what else is she hiding?”
He was absolutely right, but given the fact he was lying and hiding things from his family, he was obliged to say, “You’re talking about my fiancée, Dante. And beingintrouble isn’t the same asbeingtrouble.”
“I know, I’m sorry. But you said yourself you’ve only known her a couple of months. If you bring her into our family, you need to knowallof her secrets.”
“Yeah, I know.” Whatever Kara was running from, Angelo was sure it wasn’t her fault. Call it instinct, or willful naivety, but he’d stake his life on it. But he couldn’t help her unless she was honest with him. “I’ll get some answers, Dante. I promise. Don’t tell her what happened. I don’t want to scare her.”
“Good. I’ll keep her safe until you come home.”
Angelo hung up and called Jared next.
“Sorry to bother you on Christmas,” he said.
Jared chuckled. “You’re family, Angelo. How are you feeling?”
“A bit more like my old self. Look, I need a favor.” Angelo hated asking for help, but it was easier asking a friend like Jared who would do anything to help him.
“Name it.” His friend replied without hesitation.
“Can you do a search or a background check on someone?”
“Yeah, I can do that. Is this about Kara?”
Angelo blinked. “How did you know?”
“Come on, Angelo. If you ever fell in love, Thad and I would be the first to know. So, yeah, I called her bluff and she told me the truth. I figured it would be better for everyone if we just let that slide for a bit. Of course, since you’re asking for a background check, I’m starting to wonder if I did the right thing.”
“Right,” Angelo sighed. He was hurting like hell but he needed Jared’s help. “I need you to dig up all you can on her.” He explained the cop showing up, asking about Kara and then attacking him.
