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“Don’t punch me if I ask this,” Michelle said.
Anne set Evie’s breakfast in front of her. “When was the last time I punched you?”
“I dunno, you’ve been looking like you wanted to punch something for a week.” Michelle took her plate to the sink. “Ever since—”
“Don’t, Miche. Please?”
Michelle leaned back on the counter and looked at Anne with annoyed half-lidded eyes. “Why are you like this?”
“Like what?”
“Something was clearly heating up with William again—”
“Miche, I swear—”
“And you were happy for like, a millisecond, and now you’ve kicked him out, and you’re miserable again.”
“I am not miserable. We’re all just working really hard on this case.”
Michelle threw her hands in the air. “You’re always working on a case! You’re never just living your life. I know being a cop is important, but I think you use that so you can get out of actually having a life of your own.”
“Too harsh, Miche,” Anne said.
“I’m sorry, but no. You lived for me, and you live for your job, and you live for Evie, but you won’t try to have a relationship because… I dunno. You tell me. How bad could it be if you tried to make it work with William and it didn’t work?”
“Then, Evie has to deal with her father figure walking out the door?” Anne argued. “No, I don’t think so.”
“Why not? Evie already has to legit deal with her actual father not being here because you haven’t told him he’s a dad. He wasn’t bad at it, either.” Michelle held her hands up. “I know babysitting isn’t parenting, but he hasn’t had a chance to do it. And I wouldn’t be saying anything if you didn’t genuinely seem unhappy. I just want you to try to be happy. No mom has to put her own life on hold just because she’s a mother.” Michelle paused. “Our mom didn’t. Mom dated. Mom had a career she liked. I just don’t want you to not to get to have a life. I already felt bad that you had to put your life on hold to be my mom.”
Anne swallowed and looked at Evie with oatmeal smeared on her face. “It’s complicated. But I’ll think about it when this case is over, okay? I really don’t want him involved.”
“I get that. Do you want me to finish up with Evie so you can get ready for work?”
“I have time.” Anne wiped Evie’s mouth. “I kind of would just like to spend the morning with my daughter.”
Michelle dropped a kiss on Evie’s head and gave Anne’s hand a squeeze before heading out. Anne rubbed her thumb along Evie’s hand. What would her daughter think her role was in life when she was a teenager? What would she think about guys, living the way they did? Anne sighed and tried to live in the moment, just for now, and enjoy the happy sounds Evie made as she smacked her spoon into the oatmeal.
***
William smoothed his hand down his suit and checked his tie in the mirror before he left his car and headed up to Harrold Egerton’s penthouse. He wasn’t sure how long he would have to record for the police, but if this was the last favor he did Anne, at least he’d made it a big one.
Unfortunately, when he and Egerton sat around and talked business, they never talked murders or the dirtying of hands. They talked systems, smuggling, supply and demand. They sipped whiskey, neat, while Egerton told William old stories about his bastard father. They talked about the nuts and bolts of business that William had and would do. For that reason, William was glad that he had enacted a promise from the captain that whatever they uncovered wouldn’t result in William’s arrest. He was putting a lot on the line to get them a direct feed into Egerton’s circle, and it had been very clear what happened to anyone who crossed this man.
“What happened to that lovely girl on your arm from the gala?” Egerton asked. He prodded William’s shoe with his own.
William shrugged. “I had her a couple of times.”
“And then?” Egerton leaned over with a grin.
“I sent her on her way.” It was only partially a lie, but Egerton didn’t need to know about any part of it. Nor did Anne’s wormy little partner who was listening. He wasn’t sure Jeffers and Lopez would come through on their end of things, to be honest, but considering how much they believed they knew about Anne and him, it was simply easier to go along with things.
That had been William’s strategy going in. His father was much like Egerton, so he knew how to play the man. He would play along with almost everything, then take a stand on one thing, something he doesn’t care too much about to prove himself a “proper man,” and then go back to being his little buddy. Men like this didn’t really want someone self-possessed in their employ. Someone who had his own ideas was a potential threat. However, Egerton had always wanted William by his side. It would surely irritate his father, as a bonus.
