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I sagged back into my office chair. No part of me wanted to meet Tony today. Besides hating my fucking ex-husband for all he’d done to me, he wasn’t the right man for this situation. He was short-tempered and even shorter sighted. He’d explode into a rage at the worst possible times, and history told me I’d be the one to suffer when he did.
My finger hovered over the keys as I cradled the cell in my hand. I’d had Uncle Jimmy’s private number memorized since I made my deal with him. I closed my hand into a fist. Calling Jimmy was like going nuclear. There was no way to undo it. Once Jimmy was involved, so was the entire organization. And that generally didn’t go well for anyone. Well, anyone that wasn’t Uncle Jimmy.
Chapter 35
Derek
“Hey,Steel,yougota minute?”
Michael Steel looked up from his desk and tilted his head, considering my request.
“Sure. What’s up?”
“Come on.” I started walking toward John’s office.
Steel, an ex-biker, was our heavy. He looked scary. He was burly and had tattoos running down both arms and up his neck. He’d given up the long hair and earrings when he came to work here, but once he sat on his Harley, he still looked like the biker he’d been. You’d never know he also had a soft spot for feral cats and a master’s degree in anthropology.
Odd guy. But I trusted him.
I knocked on John’s door and he told us to come in. As we entered, I glanced at the flowers on Kira’s empty desk. She spent less time in the office nowadays. Marsden, their twelve-year-old, had a full schedule, and she took on many of those responsibilities. But nonetheless, there was always a fresh bouquet from John waiting for her. When it came to his wife, John was a sentimental bastard.
“What’s going on?” John asked as soon as my ass hit the chair.
I took a moment to gather my disjointed thoughts. It was now or never. I needed these men to help me. I started with Charles De Wispelaere’s murder. John wasn’t shocked. Michael was. I waded through the details I learned last night and finally got to the part about Lee being a person of interest.
“Lee Vance? The fence? That you met with months ago. The dead end?” John looked pissed.
“She didn’t kill him.” I tried to temper my voice and failed. I all but yelled my defense of her.
“Oh, fuck.” Steel muttered under his breath. He leaned back and crossed his massive arms, waiting for the shit to hit the fan.
“You’re sure.” John’s voice was ice cold and his body unnaturally still.
“Yes.” I’d stake my life on it.
“What’s your relationship with her?”
Shit. There was no way to tap dance around this question. I’d leave out as much as I could. But lying about our relationship wouldn’t go over well with John.
“I made a promise to her brother to watch out for her if something ever happened to him. He was on my SEAL team. I didn’t keep my promise. Then I saw her at the Moment in Time Gala.”
“And now, you’re trying to make it right?” Steel was skeptical.
“I, ah, yes. And…” I looked over at Kira’s desk. The flowers this week were tall pink stalks of gladiolas. “We’ve been seeing each other all summer. I want to help her.” I exhaled now that the truth was out.
Steel chuckled.
“You saw her at the gala and they found her standing over De Wispelaere’s body, and you want us to believe she’s innocent because you’re fucking her?” John shook his head.
“She isn’t asking for help. I am. She said I didn’t understand how the criminal world works and if I got involved, I’d make it worse. She sent me packing. But I figure you two might enlighten me. I can’t do this alone. And without help, I don’t think Lee will live through this. I’d like to see her on the right side of the law, and I think she wants that too.” I might have overstepped with that last bit.
“Does she have the watches?” John asked, his interest level rising.
“I’m not sure.” I couldn’t look him in the eyes. The more I talked, the worse my position sounded.
Steel groaned like I’d punched him in the kidney.
“Did you ask?” His tone implied I was an idiot.
