Page 59 of Devil's Thirst

After our meeting, I wait outside the AG’s Manhattan office until he leaves work, then follow him home. While state government offices are technically headquartered in Albany, most departments have branches here in the city. Learning Talbot works almost exclusively at the Manhattan office was easy enough.

I could have waited for him outside his apartment building, but I wanted to see him going about his daily life. I had no guarantee he was there today or that I’d manage to spot him, but luck was on my side. It helps that I can be very persistent when I need to be. Persistent enough that I’m still outside his building an hour later when Talbot takes his wife to dinner.

That’s right.His wife.

The fucker is married. Poor woman probably has no clue her husband is a rapist piece of shit. I reconsider my assumption after watching the pair through the restaurant window. Shemight turn a blind eye, but she knows on some level. The asshole has been so patronizing to their server that his wife’s embarrassment had her staring at her hands in her lap. I have no clue what he said, but the young server looked ready to burst into tears.

I get in a good hour of reconnaissance before they pay the check and stand to leave. Meanwhile, I’ve paid the valet enough money to convince him to take a ten-minute break while I fill in for him. When Talbot sees a man covered in tattoos standing at the valet station, he doesn’t stop to question the fact that I’m not even wearing a uniform.

I grab his car keys and head for the lot around the corner. Douche drives a Porsche. So fucking cliché. I bring the car around, making sure to wear gloves, and before I get out, I drop a single bullet in the cup holder with his initials carved into it.

He won’t know who it’s from or what it’s about—he certainly won’t have any reason to tie the threat to Amelie—but he’ll know someone’s coming for him.

Talbot’s going to know what it’s like to live in fear for a change. A little karmic retribution 101.

Let the lessons begin.

CHAPTER 28

AMELIE

“It’s notlike it’s the first time we’ve ever left her with someone, and all the other Byrne ladies swear this sitter is the best—they’ve done all kinds of background checks on her—but you know how anxious I get,” Lina says as we both watch the live stream feed from her hidden nanny cam on her phone.

“Rightfully so. She’s irreplaceable.” I lift my eyes and smile at my sweet sister. “You’re such an incredible mother.”

“Thanks, Mellie.” Her smile is full of gratitude. “We were lucky to have Gloria to teach us what love is. I can’t imagine where we’d be without her.”

“No kidding. And speaking of, is she okay? She said she couldn’t make it because of a doctor’s appointment, and I forgot to make sure nothing was wrong.”

“She’s fine. It’s her annual mammogram.”

“Oh, good. I’m so glad she’s taking care of herself and that we could help with that.” Some of Mom and Dad’s estate was put into a trust for me, but I made sure a chunk was set aside for Gloria as well. She deserved it as much as I did. Lina did too, but she refused to touch a penny of it.

Our server briefly interrupts to take our lunch order, and I use her departure to segue into a new topic. Sante told me thathe talked to Renzo and Oran. He assured me that none of the information was shared with Lina, per my request. Now that I’ve had a few days to process, however, I decided to tell her myself. I’ll be surprised if Oran hasn’t already since those two tell each other everything. But even so, she and I need to have the discussion regardless. Girls’ lunch ended up being the perfect opportunity with Gloria absent.

“There’s something I wanted to talk to you about.” I have trouble meeting her eyes and instead study the way my fingers are systematically folding the corners of my napkin.

“What’s up? Is everything okay?”

“I think so. I mean, yeah.” I try to offer her a reassuring smile. “I wasn’t sure if Oran already talked to you, but maybe not. Anyway, it’s kind of weird to bring up now after all these years … and I don’t want you to be upset with me. I know I should have said something from the beginning, but I was scared.” I stop my rambling when Lina’s hand covers mine.

“Mellie Bellie, whatever it is, you can tell me,” she reassures me with an ocean of love in her eyes.

I take a deep breath. “I saw the man I was supposed to be with that night, back when I ran away. Not just that—I recognized him. It was an election year, and my government teacher did a unit on the local offices up for grabs.”

Her face goes ghostly white. “You told me you ran before he got there.”

“I know,” I whisper. “And I’m so sorry I lied. I didn’t want to worry you and figured it would all go away if I kept my mouth shut. The problem is, he knows that I recognized him. I was in so much shock that I said his name. That’s when we argued. He threatened me, and I ran. And every so often, he still sends reminders to make sure I know that he hasn’t forgotten.”

“Reminders?” Lina hisses, her outrage flaring like a grease fire doused in water. “That man is still threatening you?”

“Not just me, Lina. He threatened you, too. He says he has a video of you … when you were raped, and that he’d post it online if I came after him. I was too scared to test him.” I can’t bring myself to explain everything, so I tell her what I can. “Sante convinced me to tell him the man’s name. He and Renzo and Oran have promised to handle the matter discreetly. I wanted you to hear about it from me, though. I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you when it happened. I hated to worry you when you’d already been through so much.”

“Oh, Mellie. You can always tell me anything.” She yanks me halfway out of my chair to give me a crushing hug. “I’m so sorry you’ve had to live with that worry. And to know a man capable of what he planned to do was out there. I know better than anyone how awful that feels.”

Tears sting my eyes. “I just wanted to protect you the way you’ve always watched out for me.”

She pulls back, her hands on my arms and eyes glassy with fierce determination. “One thing I know for certain is that Oran will keep me safe. You don’t have to carry that burden anymore. Okay?”

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