Page 71 of Surprise Baby for the Enemy

I’ve been inside Cooper’s before, as a cop sniffing around for mafia activity- back before I started taking bribes from said mafia. It smells worse in here than I remember, but it’s also… much quieter.

“Hello, are we early?” Raleigh asks, looking around at the empty tables and bar. There’s not even someone manning it.

“This is bad,” Iris says softly, already pulling her handgun from its strap at her thigh. I follow suit, my finger hovering over the trigger. At all times, the two of us are staying a step in front of Raleigh. “We should call in the others now.”

“No, wait,” Raleigh whispers. “Let’s search the building first. This could be a bluff.”

She would know, considering she marched in here last time accompanied by no one and armed with nothing but piss and vinegar.

Iris hesitates only a moment before nodding. Together, we step cautiously down the hall that leads to the bathroom and the employee entrance to the kitchen, guns pointed at the creaking floor and ready to be raised at a moment’s notice. I never thought I’d be searching a potentially active building with Iris Agostinelli at my side, but I suppose I couldn’t ask for a more perceptive and able partner. And every second, I know we’re both keeping one eye on our surroundings and one eye on Raleigh, who sticks close behind us like she should.

When Iris pushes open the bathroom door for me, I put my gun up and peek inside. There’s only the one square room lit a dingy yellow, and while it stinks, it’s also empty.

We move to the kitchen next, and it’s just as abandoned. We even check storage closets and pantries, but find no one.

“The oven’s not even hot,” Iris observes. “The staff didn’t come in this morning. Someone just turned on the lights.”

I nod in agreement. “This isn’t likely to be an ambush. Silver’s setting the stage.”

“Then it’d be a shame to be late to the show,” Raleigh says, her smile tight.

There’s one place we’ve yet to check. The private room at the back of the main seating area, where all mafia meetings take place. Silver is undoubtedly there, waiting and smirking over how he made us squirm.

Raleigh meets my eyes, and I nod my readiness. “Let’s go.”

Iris and I plant ourselves on either side of the door leading into the meeting room. Raleigh puts herself beside me, close enough I can feel her body heat. I’m nearer the doorknob, so I twist it and let the door creak loudly open. Iris peeks in, gun up, and I follow suit.

There’s the pool table, planted in the middle of the room and lit with a pathetically weak bulb. Standing to the side of it so his full body is visible, near the far wall, is Silver and his two bodyguards. Since I can see his hands resting at his sides, and his goons’ as well, I know immediately that whatever weapons they’re carrying are still sheathed. Iris and I straighten and reholster our weapons, and at that wordless signal, Raleigh steps around us into the room.

“You’re learning,” Silver rasps in greeting, sounding condescendingly pleased.

“It takes me longer than most people, but I always do eventually,” Raleigh says, not rising to that bait. “Hi ho, Silver. You’re familiar with Miss Iris Agostinelli?”

Silver nods appreciatively. “Most people in our line of work are. It’s an honor, ma’am.”

“The honor isnotmutual,” Iris says coolly.

“And, of course…” Raleigh gestures to me with a flick of her wrist, like a woman on a gameshow. She’s showing off, and I can’t help but be equal parts thrilled and vexed.

Silver chuckles. “Our dear sheriff,” he crows. “Since he’s part of your retinue, I’m guessing this isn’t going to be the friendly handoff I wanted?”

“Nope,” Raleigh says, popping thep. “Sorry. I’m here because you ignored my oh so friendly warning last time. You’re still operating in Warwick territory, and you’re still not paying tithe. No matter what, that changes today. You can start coughing up our share, or you can die.”

Silver shakes his hooded head. “You keep making demands without promising anything in return. Let me show you a real equal exchange. You give me the sheriff, and I start paying tithe.”

“I give you the sheriff that didn’t actually kill your daddy?” Raleigh asks, tilting her head. “You’re really hung up on him, you know.”

“Yeah, well,” Silver shrugs. “I’ve already explained it to you. It’s a matter of pride, Miss Warwick. He took credit for the kill. If you ask me, the fact that he did without even firing the shot makes it even more insulting. It’s the optics of it. The fucking principles.”

Raleigh’s eyes narrow. “Yeah… you really do care about the optics,” she says slowly.

I know that tone. She’s considering something that hasn’t actually been said. I look Silver over again, trying to determine what’s caught her attention, but come up with nothing. His face mask, his hood, the militant way he stands- it all seems normal.

“Either way, you’re out of luck,” Raleigh goes on. “I’m not handing over Derrick. Not now, not ever.”

The silence stretches, filling the room like fog. Slowly, Silver shakes his head. “Why hold on to such an untrustworthy ally? He betrayed your people once, what’s to keep him from doing it again? Give him to me, and we’ll both be rid of a spineless loose end.”

“Ouch,” I mumble, and Iris snorts.

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