Page 80 of Mob Knight

“I know, but it’s the best we have right now.”

“We’re working with what we have. It’s just not much.”

I turn my attention to Finn, who cocks an eyebrow at me as he asks the sixty-four-thousand-dollar question.

“Do you have any idea who?”

“Of course, I have some thoughts on who it might’ve been, but I have no proof it was actually them.”

“Does that mean you assume it was Pablo?”

“That’s certainly the first person who comes to mind, if not one of his fucknut relatives.”

“I know you’ve said Jocelyn was on his radar for a while, and he taunted you by saying she was involved with Javier. But that’s a pretty massive jump to make from suggesting she’s fecking the guy to actually having two of his guys approach her. Do you really think it’s come to that? Is he that pissed about us being in their neighborhoods? Is Jocelyn really of that kind of value to him?”

“I don’t know, Finn. I don’t have an answer to any of that, but I sure as hell plan to ask and find out.”

“And if it wasn’t him?”

Seamus quirks a brow just like Finn did. It’s one of those nature versus nurture things. We don’t even realize when we’re doing it. It’s an inherited paternal family trait, an expression we all share.

“Well, if it wasn’t Pablo or even Javier, who else do you think tops the list?” I sweep my gaze around the table as I look at the guys.

The list of candidates is so long, we could put each name on individual sheets of an entire roll of toilet paper, which is fitting because whoever did this is on my shitlist.

“Well, I suppose we won’t know unless we ask.” Dillan pulls out his phone as he speaks.

I listen to it ring as he holds it up, so we can see the name on the screen.

“What do you want,niño?”

“It’s a pleasure to hear your voice,cucho.” Old man.

“I’m in the middle of something. What do you want?”

“I can guess what you mean by that. I’d call back at another time if I could, but this is important. Why’d Pablo send guys after her?”

“Who?”

Enrique’s clearly not interested in playing guessing games. We all know that tone. We’ve known the guy since we were infants. Most of us can remember him since we were toddlers. He was the cool uncle who used to bring the unhealthy snacks to soccer games when he was filling in for his brother and sister-in-law.

However, once we each turned twelve and our parents gave us our own pocketknives—that’s a fucked-up tradition in all Four Families—things changed. He was no longer the cool uncle, but the guy who issued orders to have the shite beaten out of us by his psychotic, reprobate nephews.

“Get on with it, Dillan. Spit it out, whatever it is you want to know.”

“Why’d Pablo send men after Cormac’s girlfriend?”

There’s a long pause that unnerves me, and it takes a lot to do that. I look around the table, and all the guys shrug before I look down at Dillan’s phone where he put it on the table since he has the call on speaker. Just when I’m about to ask Enrique if he’s still there, he speaks up.

“Cormac, undoubtedly, you’re listening to this call as well. If you’re asking me whether it was Pablo or one of my other nephews who did this, then you don’t know her nearly well enough. I’d have a conversation with your little girlfriend and get a little more information about her family tree. Don’t look to mine as the scapegoats for this.”

“I’m not looking for a scapegoat. I’m looking for the perpetrator.”

“Well, you can look for whomever the hell you want. You just won’t find them in my family.”

“So, Port Richmond’s not still pissing off you and Pablo?”

“Pablo and I are definitely still pissed about that, but your girlfriend isn’t how we’ll get our retribution. Remember, our families are not the same.”

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