Page 119 of Mob Bride

They’ll try harder with Carrie. While they attempt to wait it out with Sean, they’ll keep her in there and try to scare her.

“I haven’t heard from him yet. All I know is they took her in a separate interrogation room like they did you and Sean. As best I know, Cormac’s still with her, even though they tried to separate Seamus and Sean.”

“I bet that didn’t go over so well.”

“No, I’d say it didn’t. Seamus started writing names and making phone calls.”

“Speaking of phone calls, where are our dads?”

“I don’t know. I left a message for mine, but I haven’t heard from him yet.”

That inspires no relief in me when they’re supposed to be pulling strings for us. I wonder if they’re getting to Judge Hartman finally, since he’s the one who signed that warrant to search my house.

He’s the one who’s always behind all of this. I’m curious to know what Phil or Hunt—I learned that’s Spencer’s first name—fed him to convince him to sign the warrant. It doesn’t take much, but even he knows he has to have some solid ground to stand on, or else he’ll lose the bench.

He’s been sitting comfortably for the past twenty years. He definitely doesn’t want to lose that position because the moment he does, he becomes a target to every syndicate. He knowswe can’t do much to him now. He’s banking on if he dies or disappears, it’ll all point back to us, since we’re the ones he goes after most frequently. It means we put up with him and thumb our noses at him every time he reaches a little too far.

Dillan and I watch Angela come into the room they took me to, so they could separate me from Sean and Carrie. We never left the DEA office, so Central Booking won’t be my hotel tonight. That’s certainly not somewhere I’d like to accumulate points because there’s no trading them in for an upgrade.

“Mr. O’Rourke, you’re free to go. We apologize for the inconvenience.”

“Inconvenience, my Great-Aunt Fanny.”

“Be that as it may, Mr. O’Rourke, we apologize for interrupting your day.”

I’ll take it, since it’s better than nothing. “What about Carys?”

“What about her? For someone who’s not involved with her, you seem awfully concerned about her.”

“Why wouldn’t I be? She’s done nothing but her job, and almost died for it several times. Now all of you turn on her. What’s being done to call off whatever Bartlomiej ordered?”

“He’s dead. Anything he put in place is gone.”

Dillan and I snort, but I won’t argue with her, since this room is likely bugged. I’m pretty certain it is, even though the red light in the corner went off when Dillan said he wanted to speak to his client privately, as opposed to his cousin. For people like us, the ears never go away. Admitting the hit will stick until Carrie’s dead or someone changes their next leader’s mind will only confirm we know more about the inner workings of syndicates than we’ll acknowledge. It only opens up more questions none of us wish to answer.

“What are you going to do to protect Carys until you’re certain the Poles won’t retaliate?”

“I’d think that would be your problem now.”

Problem?

“I thought you and Carys were friends.”

“We were, but I’m not friends with people who sleep with mobsters. She’s done that at least twice.”

I shoot her a disbelieving look. She laughs at me.

“You really believe she never fucked Bartlomiej in all that time? You really think her virgin act lasted? I never took you for a naive man, but apparently she has you just as pussy-whipped as she got Bartlomiej. There’s no way she did that without putting out.”

If I didn’t know Carrie as well as I feel I do, Angela’s words would create the doubt she’s trying to stir, but I don’t believe her. I don’t believe Carrie lied to me about this. I choose to believe she didn’t. More fool am I if I’m wrong, but I don’t believe so.

I think she would have admitted that long ago. I’ll tell her what Angela said, and I’ll read her reaction. My family trained me to sniff out a liar, any and everywhere. She’s been evasive. She’s bent the truth, but she hasn’t truly lied to me yet. I don’t believe she’d start now.

I wanted her to explain her comment, but now my expression is impassive. I won’t let her think she’s rattled me since she hasn’t. Let’s see what she goes back and reports to Stevie and Philly. Angie ranks about as high on my list of trustworthy people as they do. I get she has a job to do, but she doesn’t have to be so gleeful while selling Carrie out. She’s playing the game we all do when we interrogate someone, but her game isn’t as good as mine.

“Thank you for letting me know, Agent. I’ll be sure to remember you so graciously educated me on this.”

She can take my thanks however she wants. I said nothing verifiably threatening, so she’s shite out of luck trying to prove that. She nods and puts papers on the table in front of me andhands me a pen. You better believe I go through it with a fine-tooth comb, then hand it to Dillan, who takes twice as long as I do. Not because he needs to, but to make sure they understand we aren’t taking this matter lightly.

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