Page 11 of Mob Bride

I shake my head. “I don’t believe she stayed on that train. The more I see, the more I think she can’t help but lie. Who knows? Maybe she’s leading some double life.

“What do you think? She’s like some bigamist or something, and she’s got two families tucked away?”

“I don’t think she has any families if she’s using stock images of this guy to pose as a boyfriend she supposedly broke up with.” If she was leading a double life, she wouldn’t have any pics up either family could find.

“I don’t blame you for being curious, but what do you think Meredith will say when she finds out you’ve been digging into her daughter’s life?”

“Well, I guess that means Meredith just won’t find out. But part of me thinks I might be doing her a favor if something’s going on with Carys, and her daughter is in this much danger.”

My brother smirks at me. “You really think that’s how Meredith will take it? You really think she’s going to justsay thank you if you arrive with that CIA-level dossier with information her daughter’s been keeping from her? I highly doubt that’s the reaction Meredith will have.

“She is British. She’ll smile on the outside while she fumes on the inside.”

Sean smirks. “And you better believe that and remember it the next time she needs to give you stitches.”

We both groan. Meredith was far gentler with her daughter last night than she’s ever been with any of us. It’s not like she’s got ham hocks for hands, but she hardly has much sympathy for us and usually looks at us as though we got what we deserved.

I pick up my phone from where I left it on the table and pull up a contact, then tap it. It rings twice.

“Hey, boss.”

“Hey, David. How’s it going?”

“It’s going fine. Weather’s hotter than the devil’s balls in August, but other than that, it’s good.”

I chuckle. It’s certainly one way to put it. We’re having a heat wave, too.

“Hey, I need you to do me a favor. You have time to look somebody up for me?”

“Always. Shane, just let me know who and what you want me to do to them.”

“I don’t want you to do anything to this person. I just want you to check out where they live and see if they really do. I don’t want you poking around. I don’t want you going inside. I don’t even want you staking out the place more than to tell me whether it’s actually lived in.”

“I can do that. Who is he?”

I pause for a moment, but I dive right in. “It’s Carys Pritchard.”

“Pritchard. Isn’t that—is she related to Meredith?”

I hear surprise, and it doesn’t shock me. I’ve got to tread carefully on this one because David knows Meredith. He grew up with Uncle Donovan.

“They’re related, but something came up, and I just want to make sure she’s okay.”

“Is there somebody I should pick up and bring to you? You going to come out here for them?”

“No, nothing like that. I just want to make sure she lives in a decent place, and she’s safe wherever that is.”

“All right, I can do that. You want me to look in some windows, though? See if it’s got furniture in there, what kind of furniture it is, that sort of thing?”

“If you can, without getting caught.”

He chuckles. “Have I ever gotten caught?”

“Don’t tempt fate, David. There’s always a first time for everything.”

“True, true. I’m not looking to get put away, but I can do the job. I can go after nightfall and see what there is to see. Maybe she’ll do me a favor and leave some curtains or blinds open.”

“That’s fine. But we don’t want anyone thinking you’re skulking around in the dark, looking in a single woman’s windows. You really will get hauled in, and we’re too far away to get you out anytime soon.”

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