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There’s as much humor as there is menace in his voice, and it makes Sinead freeze. She recovers, but she seems on edge now. I stand and step behind her chair. I lay my hand on her shoulder, and she looks up at me. She misses Uncle Salvatore standing too, so when he speaks, she jumps.
“Good day, Ms. O’Malley. Gabriele, stop by the house.”
“Will do.”
“Wait.”
We all look at Sinead. Her brow’s furrowed.
“Someone needs to look at Duffy O’Toole’s emails or phone records. He knows enough to have printed that inflammatory article. He tried to influence this trial before it started, but making me look like a drug addict isn’t enough. The only reason he believed it would have an impact is because he has something he wants to follow up with. He has to be getting the info from someone. Find out who that is, and I bet it’ll lead to the cop who interfered.”
“The most obvious person is Detective Morris since he was there.”
“I know, and he was the lead detective on the Cohenour case, too. I really thought he was clean.”
Uncle Massimo’s jaw sets, and I know that look. Fuck whoever is about to be on the receiving end of what’s coming.
“Detective Philip Morris? I knew he was involved with this case, but I didn’t know he was on the Cohenour one, too.”
Sinead glances at me before looking at Uncle Massimo.
“Is that a problem?”
“It won’t be.”
Sinead stops herself from asking more. I wonder what he knows and whether he’ll tell me when I go to Uncle Salvatore’s later. We watch as my uncles of sorts leave. I sit in the chair next to Sinead’s and swivel it so I can see her. She does the same.
“Gabe, I won’t ask what’s going to happen. But will you be safe when it does? Will you be at that place?”
“Yes.”
“There’s a lot I want to know, but I won’t ask. That weekend you were gone, and I thought you were guarding someone, I know that’s where you were, but only because you let me know after the fact. You told me I couldn’t communicate with you while you’re there. I get why. You need to be untraceable. But could you saying something like— I don’t know —like you’re going to be working on the car? Something like that, so I know that you’re somewhere safe while you’re gone. I know your family won’t tell me anything.”
“They will. When this is over, and we don’t have to hide anything, people will see us together. I won’t lock you away in some gilded cage or refuse to do things with you in public. We aren’t a dirty secret to keep. But even before that, if something happens unexpectedly, and I have to be gone, my family will get you. You’ll go to one of my aunts. They won’t leave you wondering what happened. I’ll tell you when I can, but if I can’t, you won’t be alone. At least not yet. Not while it’s so new.”
“What do I do if we’re out together and something happens? Like you get arrested or get hurt? I can be your attorney, but there must be some chain of command to let your family know. What about if you need to go to the hospital?”
I smile at her and feather my thumb over her forehead, smoothing the creases. I turn us farther, so my legs bracket hers, and I’m holding her hands in her lap.
“I’ll put everyone’s numbers in your phone. You can call any of the men or send a group text. Someone will get you, and someone will come to me. Under no circumstances are you to act as my attorney, Sinead. I’m serious. I don’t want you there when they process my arrest. It will only draw you in. It’s one thing for you to represent me after they’ve charged me. But I don’t want you scooped up in their net. You get away from me as fast as you can. Go somewhere safe until my family can get you. Promise me.”
I’m demanding, and it makes her flinch. I’m scaring her.
“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be so harsh. I know you’ll want to protect me, and I— I appreciate it.”
Fuck. I almost said I love you for it.
“But it’ll also remove any question of impropriety, and you can’t defend either of us well if you’re locked up, too.”
“Fine. I don’t like it. I’ll promise as long as I believe it’s the right thing to do.”
“Sinead.”
“No, Gabriele. Protection goes both ways if we’re really partners. You cannot convince me otherwise. If I believe the best way to protect you is to get away, then I will. But if I believe staying will keep you safer, then you will not get me to leave. You can try.”
I see a tenacity in her that affirms she can take on the life I’m dragging her into. But it scares me she’ll try to do more than she can handle or that she’ll get herself entangled in something she doesn’t understand.
“Please, at least promise you’ll err on the side of caution. Me getting arrested will be because some other syndicate is involved. We make sure the police ignore us. When they don’t, it’s because someone else’s money is speaking louder.”
