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“Just like that, you walked away? You don’t keep in touch with anyone from your past?”
“Everyone from my past are criminals. Well, except for one. My old partner, Angel, we keep in touch. I call him using a burner phone, and he keeps me posted on what’s going on in Boston. I talked to him last week. His wife’s pregnant.”
“Why do you sound sad about that?”
Reid licked his bottom lip. “He has a wife, and he’ll be a dad soon. I feel like it would be reckless for me to continue reaching out to him. If anything were to happen to him… I’d never forgive myself.”
“But all those guys have been put away. It’s been years. Surely you aren’t in danger anymore.”
He’d told her everything, so he might as well not stop now. And maybe if Allison knew the whole story, she’d understand his concern. “One of the guys. Screwy Louie.”
“I’ve heard of him. He messes with his victims’ minds before killing them.”
Reid nodded. “Yeah, like sending tongues.”
Allison’s eyes widened, and her hand flung out in front of her. “Wait. Do you think? No. That’s ridiculous. That’s crazy.”
“Is it? Is it that crazy to think that Louie got out, found me, and now he’s fucking with someone I know? Seems very fucking plausible to me.”
“But why me, Reid? Until tonight, we were frenemies at best.”
He lifted his eyebrow. “Frenemies?”
“Yes, so why would Screwy Louie come after me?”
“I don’t know, but until I do, we need to be very careful. Louie is not someone you dismiss. Once you’re on his radar…” He couldn’t finish the thought. To finish it would mean it was possible, and while he was always someone who was a straight shooter, he couldn’t say this out loud. Not when Allison was in front of him in nothing but his shirt, the feel of her touch still lingering on his skin.
“I don’t think it’s Louie. I think it’s all a coincidence.”
“That’s because you don’t know Louie.”
“And you know him too well.”
“Which is why I know what the hell I’m talking about.”
“It’s why you don’t.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’ve finally figured you out. You are driven by fear.”
“I’m not in the mood for reporter games, Allison.”
“This isn’t a game, Reid. Your entire life since you left Boston, you have been living in fear, just waiting for someone to find you.”
“That’s not living in fear. It’s knowing my fate.”
“Bullshit. Angel was a part of the takedown. He isn’t hiding. He’s married, about to be a father.”
“He wasn’t the son of the biggest fucking crime ring leader who took him and all of his associates down.”
“Fine, I’ll give you that. Angel wasn’t. But still, if they wanted revenge, wouldn’t they have gone after anyone they could? Use Angel to lure you out. It’s been fifteen years, and no one has tried a damn thing, yet here you are dead bolting your door in Willow fucking Cove. One of the most boring towns on the east coast and trust me, I know. I report on it every day.”
Frustration itched at his palms and he thrust his hand into his hair. He grabbed a pair of sweatpants and yanked them on before heading to the kitchen.
“Are you really walking away from me?” Allison called from behind him.
He ripped open the cabinet where he kept his whisky and took the bottle down. He was tempted to drink straight from the bottle, but he didn’t want Allison to psychoanalyze him.
