Page 43 of Cosmo

Liam nodded along as he spoke, then agreed, “This is true. I, uh, got busted so another guy could get out of trouble. I’m sure that’s one reason I got this far with you.”

“It is, most definitely. You know what it’s like, but the double edge to this sword is, you know he got off by ratting on you. Maybe you’d follow his example.”

“I could, yeah. So, I guess you have to get me going on something that only I could get busted for. I mean, yeah, I couldstill snitch, but it would be hearsay. I’ve never seen you commit a crime.”

Murphy smiled and pointed a finger at him. “You’re fucking smart, kid. I like guys who are smart. Those men are the ones to think quickly if shit goes sideways.”

“I’m your guy then. I’m smart enough to know that you likely have a lot of friends in low places, and to snitch on you, even if that wasn’t against every belief I have, would be a death sentence.”

After giving him a wink, Murphy said, “Again…smart. So, what you need to do for me tomorrow night is steal two cars.”

“Two? You don’t want much, huh?”

“Call it an on-the-job interview. If you don’t pull it off, then we’ll talk. If you do, then we’ll start planning your part of the next job. Deal?”

“Got it. And what are you going to do with these two cars?”

As Murphy stood, and as he was about to leave, he said, “I’ll give you an address.”

The moment he was gone, Daiq jumped onto the bed next to Liam. “He’s gonna create some kind of obstacle for me. He’s seen too many movies.”

As Daiq purred and crawled up to nuzzle his jaw, Liam laughed at the cat but continued petting him.

“You’re not gonna let me bitch at all? Are you just gonna make me smile all the time?”

A loud and firm meow came from the cat that had Liam blinking in surprise and a little fear.

“Don’t do that. If I think you understand me, it’s gonna scare the piss outta me!”

The coffee place was nearly full when he arrived, but he saw Taran sitting at a booth off toward the big bank of windows in the back. He waved Liam over, and Liam’s stomach did a couple of flips as he walked over to the booth.

“Hi,” he said before he sat.

“Hey. I’m…I’m always early.”

“Probably a good thing,” Liam said as he looked around. “We might not have found a table.”

“My weird promptness is good sometimes.”

There was no smile on his lips, and his eyes looked far off, like he had troubling thoughts plaguing him, prompting Liam to ask, “What’s up?”

“Can we get out of here and go for a drive?”

Meeting the guy only a couple times, he wasn’t exactly thrilled at going for a drive, but there was something in Taran’s demeanor that made him nod and rise from the chair.

Once outside, Taran whispered, “Walk. Maybe we should walk.”

“What’s going on, Taran? You look like you’re ready to freak out.”

Taran grabbed Liam’s arm and pulled him along the sidewalk. “Just walk. I…goddamn it, Liam, I can’t fucking do this, and I’m gonna get fired.”

Liam stopped cold and pulled from Taran. “How the fuck do you know my real name?”

Taran had stopped, but didn’t face him. As others walked by them, Liam didn’t feel like he could move.

Heart thrumming like a thrash metal drummer was inside him, playing a fifty-minute solo, Liam waited, but all he saw was the guy shaking his head. Finally, when the people had stopped, and they were mostly alone in their little part of the world in front of a catering business, Taran finally turned his cerulean blues on him, though Liam could tell it was hard for him to meet Liam’s eyes.

“I’m a cop. An…an agent, actually. FBI. I’m supposed to be undercover, getting to know you so you’ll get into the shit withMurphy, and I can use that to get you to turn state’s evidence on them.”

---