Page 23 of Starting Over

“I don’t know. I wasn’t there when it happened. All my father said was that they killed her.”

“How old were you?”

“Seventeen.”

I smiled again. “She got to see you grow up. Do you have any siblings? Did she have more children? Kara always wanted a big family.”

“No. She said she wouldn’t bring any more children into the life we lived. She said it was bad enough they had to raise me that way.”

“I’m so sorry.” I placed my hand on his arm. “Your father was an asshole.”

The corner of his mouth hitched. “Yea, he was.”

“Enough of this shit.”

“Why are you such an asshole?” I asked the sheriff, turning in my seat to glare at him.

“Woman, I want to know why the fuck you are in my town.”

King turned to his brother. “Your town?”

“Yes, my fucking town,” he barked.

“Keep telling yourself that,” King mumbled. “Maureen, why are you here?”

“My husband died last—”

“Murdered. Your husband was murdered.”

I narrowed my eyes at the sheriff. I felt the anger rising in me. Every antagonizing word he said to me caused my blood to boil.

“My husband wasmurderedlast year. I waited the year I was required, and then I left.”

“You don’t leave the Mob.”

“No,mendon’t leave the Mob. Women are dispensable. There are rules, and the rule is a widow can buy her way out and leave. That’s what I did.”

“So Sal doesn’t know you’re here?” Justin asked.

“No. I didn’t tell anyone where I was headed. Not even my daughter.”

“Why?” King asked. “If you are free to leave, why not tell them?”

“I didn’t tell my daughter because I wanted to be settled first. I couldn’t risk her letting it slip and Sal knowing where I was going.”

“Why? Why can’t Sal know?” the sheriff questioned.

I took a heavy breath. I didn’t want to tell them what I suspected. That Sal was the reason my husband was dead. I had to tell them something, so I gave them a half truth, and hoped it would be enough.

“When a made man is married and he dies, the widow is given three options. She can stay on, collecting half her husband’s pay, she can remarry to another made man, or she can buy her way out and leave Boston. I chose option three. Sal wasn’t happy about that. He wanted me to stay and marry him.”

“FUCK!”

The sheriff punched the wall behind him, and the door to the room flew open.

Beck stood there.

“What the fuck? Micah, I told you to contain him.” She rushed to her father and grabbed his hand as she glared at him. “Are you trying to break it?”

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