Page 74 of The Irish Redemption

Sarah suddenly stands and moves closer to the bed. “Evelyn. I want you to know that you are safe here, understand? There are cops all over the hospital and if you feel threatened in any way, you can tell me. I can help you. Do you understand?” Her brows lift slightly. “I can protect you from anyone. So if you feel like you’re in danger or that your mom is in danger, then I can help you with that.”

It clicks suddenly. She thinks I’m lying because Cormac is threatening me and she’s offering me help. I shake my head. “I’m fine, I promise. I don’t feel threatened at all. Why would I?”

“Cormac is a very dangerous man, Evelyn. The fact that he found you is incredibly concerning. More concerning is that you were in the car with him.”

“If he’s dangerous, shouldn’t you be watching him instead of questioning me? I don’t have anything to tell you and it sounds like the crash was an accident.”

Sarah straightens up and her lips press into a thin line. “He is dangerous. It’s in my nature to recognize people caught up in things they shouldn’t be.”

“Wait.” Something Sarah said suddenly resonates with me. “You said there are police all over the hospital?”

“That’s right.” She nods, then frowns. “Why?”

My defensiveness toward Sarah begins to thaw. I remember the conversation between Cormac and Saoirse back when I first met them. The whole reason I needed to plant those bugs was because Sarah couldn’t be bought, and they didn’t have many other cops they could trust. But other families did.

If Sarah can’t be bought, then maybe she can actually help.

“I read once that criminal organizations in the city often have cops on the inside,” I say as casually as possible, not breaking eye contact with Sarah.

“What are you?—”

“Is that true?” I stare harder. “Is it true that other families and organizations have plants within the police to give them information?”

“That’s just a rumor.” Sarah scoffs, but she’s nodding slowly.

“Cormac introduced me to an Irish Coffee once. Very strong. But then I wanted to go to the Italian across the street and he said no.” I shift against my pillows. “He said that the Italians were awful, that the food would get people killed.”

“What?” Despite Sarah’s nodding, she seems to be completely missing what I’m trying to warn her about, and frustration gets the better of me.

“Oh, my God,” I mutter. “The Irish aren’t the ones you need to worry about! If you don’t do everything you can to make sure Cormac is safe, then there’s going to be war between the Irish and the Italians all over the city, and we both know that the law won’t stand for anything once that spark ignites.”

Sarah’s eyes widen, then she cocks her hip slightly as she reaches for her phone. “He’s just a friend, huh?”

“That hardly matters right now, does it?” I hiss. “Look, you have to make sure you have good cops around him. All it takes is one wrong injection.”

Sarah’s busy on her phone, nodding quickly.

“The driver. Were they Italian?”

Sarah shrugs. “They’re still unconscious. No clue.”

“Please. Please, Sarah. You have to make sure Cormac is safe. Really safe, not just under cop protection safe.”

“Evelyn—”

“Please! Do you really think you and the rest of the cops like you will be able to stop what’s about to happen if something happens to Cormac?”

She seems to be debating quickly, then Sarah gets a reply ding on her phone. “Don’t go anywhere. You'd better answer all of my questions when I get back.”

“Sure,” is all I get a chance to say before she hurries from the room.

I slump back into my pillows with a groan. Did I say too much? I have no idea how people from these families are supposed to talk to the cops, but unlike Cormac, I have no way of helping anyone. Outside help from people more powerful than me is all I have.

The door has barely closed behind Sarah when it opens again and in walks Saoirse. She flashes me a tight smile as she approaches.

My heart punches into my throat. “Oh, God,” I gasp. “Are you going to kill me?”

Saoirse falters. “What? Why would I do that?”

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