Page 90 of Ready to Cash Out

“You were going to hold me prisoner?”

“I was going to strongly suggest that you stay.”

“That’s the same thing!” Trev groaned.

“Well?” Jimmy prompted with his hands on his hips, eyeing Cold. “Come on. We know you already have some great, super intricate plan that you haven’t told anyone about except maybe Jules?—”

“I know too!” a new voice shouted from the hallway.

“Shut up, Lorre!” Rowena barked.

“—and so why don’t we just skip to the part where you show us that you’re smarter than everyone and tell us what’s really going on?” Jimmy concluded, dramatically crossing his arms over his chest.

Cold sighed, a sound of long and extended suffering as he glared at Jimmy and Rowena. “I am not going to tell you?—”

“Trev, start packing.”

“Listen to me.” Cold gritted his teeth. “I have it under very good authority that Mr. Prospero has left the Luchesi family, all right?”

“Left?” Trev echoed. “What do you mean, left?”

“As in, renounced any and all rights he had as a potential heir and has fled Perry City.” Cold made a face. “So, it will do you no good to return there to find him because he is not there.”

“But he’s alive?”

“Yes.”

Trev frowned and had to consciously force his hands down to his sides so he wouldn’t be tempted to touch the collar. He wasn’t sure what to feel. He should be happy that Jupiter had been able to get away, but he felt strangely hollow.

They were supposed to leave together, but…

No, it was better this way.

Trev would figure this out without him.

“Morning, gents!” A man with a British accent, platinum blond hair, and a bright smile joined Cold at the door. “How are we?” His eyes fell on Trev. “Ah! Mr. Usher. Nice to see you!”

“Who the fuck are you?” Trev drawled.

“Charlie Eastwick,” the man said as he offered his hand. He winked. “Friend of the family.”

“Right.” Trev shook his hand but still made a face. “I’m going to need you all to start wearing name tags or something.”

“All right to speak freely?” Charlie asked Cold, glancing over the others. “It does pertain to Mr. Usher here.”

“Then uh, yeah, speak freely. Right now,” Trev demanded.

Cold appeared thoughtful for a moment and then said, “Go on.”

“I confirmed through my old contacts that the Luchesi family does indeed have federal intel. It’s how they knew about the raid and I believe how they were able to locate Mr. Usher,” Charlie replied. “Now, I can’t say for sure who it is, but I’d put money on Mr. Cham?—”

“Wait, wait.” Trev held up his hands. “Back up. They used the feds to find me? As in, the FBI?”

“Afraid so, mate.” Charlie grimaced. “Apparently your mother was going to enter witness protection but was rejected from the program when the Justice Department declined to prosecute the case she was going to testify for.”

“What case?” Cold asked.

“Give me some more time and I might be able to find out.”

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