Page 86 of Finn

He laughed, the sound frightening. “Never thought I’d see the day you were speechless.”

I gathered my courage. “Where is Tom?”

He smiled. “Dead. I pushed his body into the garbage can where he belonged.” He held up a shiny key. “Not before retrieving this, of course.” He tutted. “You’ve made my life difficult the past couple of days, Una. My new boss thinks I lifted a few of his drugs, which I had planned on doing until he figured it out. I had to convince him I was simply storing them for easier deliveries. Lots of users not far from here.” He winked as if we were sharing a joke. “Imagine my dismay when I couldn’t get in any longer.”

“I-I’m sorry.”

He shook his head, and I noticed a twitch in his eye I hadn’t seen before. “I don’t think you really are.”

“So, you had a key all along?”

He rolled his eyes. “Everyone thinks you’re so smart. You’re dumb. Far too trusting. Did you really think I only had one copy of the key? I’ve been coming and going—even while you were asleep. Stashing the drugs and the money. A few times, I was here, seeing you get ready for work, thinking how easy it would be to hurt you. And I really wanted to sometimes.”

A shiver went through me. He hated me. Or at least this drug-induced version did.

“Why—why would you kill Tom?”

He shrugged as if it was no big deal. “He was always an ass to me. Thought too much of himself. And of Finn.” He studied me. “But of course I shouldn’t say anything bad about the perfect Finn O’Reilly, should I?” He ran the end of the gun over his chin in a jerky motion. “Is he a good fuck for you, Una?”

Somehow that question shocked me more than anything. “Brian Murphy! That is none of your business. Stop this nonsense now. Where is Tom?”

Suddenly, he was moving. Stalking toward me, anger radiating from him. I backed up, hitting the wall. He pushed the gun against my temple.

“He is fucking dead, just like you’re going to be.”

I whimpered, now really scared. “Why?” I whispered.

“Because you deserve it.” Then he stepped back. “But I can’t.” He looked truly upset by those words. “I have to take you to him.”

“To whom?” I asked. “Finn?”

“Finn?” he laughed. “So he can kill me? No. I have to take the drugs and you to him. Juan and my new boss. Prove myself.”

I swallowed. “No, Brian. Let me call Finn. He can help you.”

“How?”

“He can help you with the drugs. Dispose of them. We can get you into rehab, and I’ll convince Finn to send you somewhere new. You can start over again,” I babbled.

He laughed as if my words were the biggest joke. “Right, Una. I’m high, not stupid. He’d blow my head off before I could say a word.”

“No, no, he won’t.”

“Of course not. He’d have someone else do the dirty work so he could tell you his hands were clean. Take you upstairs and fuck you so you’d forget.”

“Stop saying that.”

“Where’s your phone?”

“In my pocket.”

He waved the gun at me. “Call him. Now. I’ve got a message for him.”

I hesitated, and he pointed the gun at me, his hand suddenly steady. “Now.”

I pressed Finn’s name and began to pray.

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