Page 96 of Forbidden Bond

“You boys should order food, we could be here a while.”

She didn’t take enough time to read and reflect. Hadn’t she been looking for inspiration for her features? Good old Alderman McLeod kept on giving. She’d make sure the city would never forget him.

THIRTY-ONE

PICTURES, STORIES, drawings from when the McLeod kids were young. The floor was covered with folders, paper, photographs. Oh, yeah, and pizza boxes, half eaten sides, and a bunch of empty cups too. Three fully grown men, as ripped as her guards, needed nourishment to get them through. Gotta keep up, all night long.

No, ah, laying unfair requests on them would be, well, unfair. Snuff’s third yawn reminded her of the time.

“Shit,” she said, stuffing things back into a transparent pocket. “I’m sorry, guys.”

Daly hunkered down next to her to pick up a photograph. “Sorry for what?”

“It’s late, you’ve been with me all day.”

“It’s almost two a.m.,” Hock said. “Doesn’t mean nothing when you never go anywhere before noon.”

When the boss was in her bed, sure.

“We’re here as long as you need us.”

“Does anyone live close by? We can drop you off. I want to go to the club. Anyone know if Conn’s still there?”

Standing up, Daly took his phone from his pocket. “He’s still there.”

The mess stretched far, putting everything back in its place took a while.

“Do you think someone could pick this up and take it to the mansion?” she asked. “I don’t want it to get lost in the shuffle of everything when we clear the place out.” And Conn may appreciate one or two of the pictures, like the one still in Daly’shand. “Hey.” She snatched it from him. “What are you doing with this?”

“Something to stick on the noticeboard for the guys,” Daly said without hiding his amusement.

“Yeah, the boss would love that.”

A high school picture? Yes, she wore the uniform like a good little girl. Had it really been that revealing? She didn’t remember now, but it seemed a little risqué for homeroom. Hock and Snuff bumped her while peering over to get a good look at it.

“Nice.”

“You three go drool somewhere else,” she said, giving each of them a shove to break up the huddle and slipping the picture into her purse.

“We’ll get guys to pick the chest up,” Daly said. “It’s in safe hands.”

Of that she had no doubt. McDades were thorough, and careful, and aware how their leader would respond if they showed her any disrespect.

“Ask them to look around for a key too. It would be good to keep everything secure.”

“We don’t find it, we’ll replace the lock.”

Though who would care to steal the sentimental stash? She’d have to reach out to Lupe, thank her for the prompt to check it out. And to ensure her grandfather’s former housekeeper was enjoying her new role with the McDades. She hadn’t followed up since Conn made the suggestion. The woman was her grandfather’s significant other in the last years of his life, she was practically family.

On the way out, the couch stalled her. That, the desk, the room… she swallowed disgust, anger, terror, it couldn’t happen again, and she didn’t want any reminders.

“Bluebell?” Hock asked.

“Have a bonfire.”

“A bonfire?”

“The couch, the desk, the drapes, anything in this room that burns, I want it gone. Permanently gone.” Her stern eyes met Daly’s. “You understand?”

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