Page 66 of Mob Bride

“Daddy, can we stay like this forever? Do we really have to let the rest of the world find us? Can’t we just continue as we are?”

“I want that too,cailín. We can stay like this as long as you want. Nobody’s getting in here that I don’t let in. I have men already stationed around the house, and they’re ready the moment they need to act, but I don’t believe it’ll come to that.”

“I hope you’re right.” Her voice isn’t as calm as it was a moment ago. “Shane, I’ve got to call into the office and find out what happened to Angela and Steve. I can’t go without knowing. I’ll panic if I don’t find out, and it’s my duty to make sure our supervisors know something went wrong. Thank God it hasn’t been as long as I thought. Nearly three hours isn’t too unreasonable. Hell, it’s plausible it took me that long to get somewhere safe.”

She doesn’t get off my lap as she dials another number. I see her finger hover over the speaker button before she taps it. I don’t envy the position she’s in right now. I wouldn’t wish it upon anyone.

“This is Special Agent Carys Pritchard. I need to speak to Supervisory Special Agent Phil Hammond.”

“Agent Pritchard, we’ve been expecting your call. Hang on.”

The line goes quiet for a moment, and I can tell we’re on speakerphone too.

“Agent Pritchard, where are you? Angela and Steve already reported to us. We know you’ve been made.”

“I’m somewhere safe outside the city. I’ll stay here until I’m sure I can get back into Manhattan without anyone finding me.”

“Where are you? We’ll come to you. You know wherever you are isn’t a designated safe house unless you’re in Pittsburgh.”

“Sir, I’m fine where I am for now. Until I know what’s going on and exactly how they made me, I’m better off staying put exactly where I am.”

“That’s not acceptable, Carys. You will follow this order.”

“And if I die in the process, Phil, then what? I haven’t given my last report. I’m not doing it over the phone.”

“You know this is a secured line.”

“Maybe, but not absolutely. I will give my report in person, but not yet. Deal with the Nowakowski brothers and put them in jail, and I’ll consider going back.”

“What exactly are we supposed to arrest them for?”

This is a second voice. He sounds snide and arrogant.

“Steve, you know as well as I do, there’s plenty to arrest them for. You’ve got probable cause up the yin-yang and back, and if nothing else, you can pin attempted murder on at least Jacek. You have the photos from what he did. There’s no way he wasn’t trying to kill me when he attacked me. At the very least, you have assault on a federal agent. We have plenty of other evidence already to indict both brothers on drug trafficking. The only reason we haven’t brought them in is because we wanted the bratva more.”

“About that.” This is a woman’s voice, but she says nothing else. Carrie mouths “Angela.”

I can tell Carrie’s frustration is rising with how her handlers press her, but now she can breathe a little easier since they’re safe after all.

The woman’s voice comes back on the call. “Someone clued them in they’re under investigation. I wonder who that could be.”

“Are you suggesting I did it?” Carrie’s incredulous tone is genuine.

“We know you’ve been in contact with someone in another syndicate family. Tell us who, and we can make a move.”

She meets my gaze. “You know I have CIs all over the place. I’m cultivating a relationship with one right now, but it’s too soon to say anything about it.”

“Maybe to people outside this agency, but you can tell us.”

Angela presses her. I don’t like the bitch. It’s her tone, too. I rarely say shite like that about women, but I will about her.

“No, I told you I’m not saying anything else over the phone.”

“And you need to get your ass in here.”

Angela snaps at Carrie, and it makes me want to curl my hands into fists.

“You need to back down, Angela. I’m doing what I can. I’ll get to all of you when I can. It’s not safe for me to stay on the phone here. I need to go. I checked in to find out whether you and Steve were safe. You are. Now I gotta go.”

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