Page 86 of Pretty Lies

“Listen, sometimes a mess is just a mess. And you have to let people live in their mess when they want to.”

“That’s fine as long as someone has good coping mechanisms for their mess. She doesn’t.”

Cory frowned. “You’re worried.”

“A little.”

He nodded. “I’ll get Joe to put a bead on her. He’s already working on something related to the warehouse anyway. Somebody had info about that place, and they gave that info to Luis. We need to know who it is.”

“He’s claimed it, then?”

Cory chuckled dryly. “Made a few calls while you were down there. And yeah, word on the street this morning is Luis’s crew claimed the hit on the warehouse, but it’s already radio silence on where he or his people are. They’re playing a dangerous game now, and they know it.”

Rage filled her. It must have radiated in her tension or even showed in her eyes because Cory nodded when he muttered, “Yeah, I feel that.”

“Did anything else come from your calls?”

“Your mother is home—asking for you. Frankie also mentioned business needs to be figured out over the next little while considering everything.”

The lump in her throat came back. Even when her father was handling his wife having a mental breakdown and the death of his son, he still put mob business front row and center for his attention. It was only that moment when Della finally learned to appreciate what it meant to be these people living this life. They sacrificed in ways others couldn’t imagine.

“Okay,” she said.

Cory stroked her cheeks with his thumbs. “Get some color into you. You’re going to need it.”

“For what?”

“The lawyer let me know there were a couple of news trucks pulling up when he stepped out for a smoke before he finished his business at the desk and headed out. I checked—there’s more. Someone must have let the media know someone from the Costello family was at the morgue.”

Della’s teeth clenched. “I didn’t check the news this morning.”

“You don’t want to. The Outfit is all over it.”

Great.

“And so is your family’s name and connections,” Cory muttered lower. “Listen, just give them all that I’ll-stomp-your-fucking-ass-out look that you like so much, I’ll get you to the car, and we’re gone. We’ll be at your parents’ place in no time, and I’ll call Joe on the way to deal with your crazy ass friend.”

A part of her adored him for having an answer to everything. She pushed down the ache in her chest at the idea of reporters throwing questions at her at a time like this. “You like that look of mine, too.”

Cory grinned. “There she is. Are you good? Did you find what you needed down there?”

She understood what he meant.

Della sniffled and dropped her sunglasses down over her eyes. “I just needed to say goodbye. Let’s go.”