AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Enough family history. Give us what we need, Rada,” Theo said.
“Oh, I do so love it when you say my name,” she purred.
This time, I stiffened for all too different reasons.
“Explain the room.”
Theo’s tone left little room for argument, and while it was clear Rada still wanted to play, she relented and sat back. “It’s at the Duke of Buchanan’s house.”
“Do I have to…” I scratched at my left arm, wishing I had a drink to hide any nervous movements. “I dunno, approach him in a certain way when I’m there? Curtsy?”
“Not at all.” Rada waved me off. “Many families have royal titles, cousins of cousins of in-laws of heirs, though they’re more decorative monikers these days. I wouldn’t pay much attention to it. In any case, this particular House is run by his son, Henry Wittacker. Young, often stupid, but knows how to run games.”
“Security?” Theo asked.
“Plenty.” Rada paused to sip her wine. “He has a room devoted to it, monitors displaying cameras located all throughout the playroom. Two men manning it, usually. One is a retired detective, the other is a former MMA fighter.”
I raised my brows. “That’s some polarity.”
“To add further color, the fighter is named Edgar and the detective, Steve.”
“Huh.”
“Why would Trace go to a game so heavily taped?”
Rada raised a brow. “What makes you think he’s going there personally?”
Theo shook his head, thinking. “That’s not like him. To do work he can easily assign.”
“He’s desperate,” I said, and they both glanced at me like I’d magicallypoofedmyself into existence. “Trace needs a big play. So far, he’s been collecting in side games, not making too much, or too little. Drawing the least attention possible. You agree with that, right?” I asked Theo, and he nodded.
“Now, well, it’s been two years,” I continued. And thought of myself. “He’s tired. Not as careful. Essentially, ready to come home but afraid to, and so he’s taking it out on random victims he’s coming across. Scraping as much money together as he can. And becoming paranoid. Trace is losing his touch, which is not only bringing us closer to him, but—”
I cut myself off. I’d become so absorbed, thinking so hard of Trace and his motivations, I’d almost brought the FBI into the conversation, and the least I could do to talk about them, the better. Theo was watching, and I’d be a fool to assume I was so talented I could continue flying under his radar.
Not if I couldn’tshut upabout the police.
“We need to catch him before they do,” Theo surmised, and while he was calm, I worked overtime to remain the same. “How do you assume all this?”
“Drea. Her bruises.”The look on her face.“That’s not the sign of a man in control.”
“You’re right,” Theo said. He put down the sandwich he hadn’t bothered to eat. “This may be our last chance. You were able to find him,” Theo said to Rada.
“There’s nothing to stop the cops from doing the same kind of research,” Rada said. “Our families have deep, loyal ties. Just as if you would call me for help, I’d assist, and just as you’d ask me to keep a secret, I would. Trace used a connection, and if the police get close to me, I’ll swear up and down I haven’t seen him and don’t know anything about where he could be.”
“Haveyou seen him?” I asked, and Rada startled. Yet, there was something in her tone…
“Of course not,” she said. “Any man smart enough would know to play under pseudonyms. His happens to be a form of communication we use when we’re down on our luck.”
“I’m sorry, we?”
Why did I continue to feel like I’d just walked in on an intimate conversation between Theo and Rada?
“Yes,” Rada said.
Neither decided to fill me in. Perhaps they were waiting for me to answer my own question, and given enough time, I did.We.The mafia.
It was easy to forget what kind of chain Theo was a part of, titanium and strong. Unbreakable. It was an underworld family containing so many links, far-reaching, worldwide. Always there when you needed them, as well as when you didn’t. The Theo I remembered wanted to break away from such strangulation. Yet, here he was, working for his father again in bringing his psychotic brother back into the family.
