Page 46 of Heartfelt Pain
I don’t miss the look between Dad and Uncle Dima.
“I thought,” Dad says, taking another bite, “she seemed rather concerned.”
My insides twist. The fire I’ve seen the last few days in Ren—she still cares about me.
“What exactly did she say?” I ask them.
They share another look.
“I’m not the fucking killer!” I repeat. “This information shouldn’t be classified.”
Dima scoops up the other half of Dad’s sandwich, making him frown at his brother. But Dad asks as he chews, “You really want to know about the ex-lovers?”
“I want to know how they died,” I clarify. However, I’ll take all the information I can get. “Gunshot?”
“Overdose, one gunshot, but mainly knife wounds. Though, they all come out looking like different MO’s,” Dima says.
“Knife wounds?” I frown.
“Why’d your head go to guns?” Dad asks.
“Because someone tried to shoot Ren last night.”
It’s hard to surprise Dad. He got to where he is by being five steps forward. It’s where Elijah got all his obsessivethinking from. But my words cause him to lift his brows and he pauses his eating.
“You want to share why you were with Ren last night?”
“I wasn’t.” I run a hand through my hair. I rushed out of my place so fast, I’m not sure what I look like. My phone barely works. Bits of the shattered glass are still on my garage floor.
“So this is second hand information?” Dad questions.
“No.” I sigh. “I went to her place last night. She and the British triggerman were accosted by someone right outside her apartment door.”
Dima makes a face. “Outside? Sounds shit at his job.”
“Yeah,” I agree. “He got overwhelmed quickly, fled the scene.”
Dad and Dima share another look.
“What?” I ask.
“Beyond the obvious—”Dima tears into his sandwich—“concern that you went to see Ren last night? I’m slightly suspicious as to why Callahan is suddenly finding herself under attack.”
“Did Aunt Macy ever?—”
“No one fucked with Aunt Macy,” Dad cuts me off. He’s finished his sandwich and tucks his hands into his pockets. He’s still wearing a tie and looks ten times more put together than Dima and me.
“Then what do you think is going on?” I ask.
Dima shrugs. “I’m not sure, but it’d be a good time for one to put their ear to the ground.”
“Is this you?” I ask my father and uncle.
They have the audacity to appear hurt I’d ask.
“You’ve fucked with Ren before,” I tell my dad.
“And you’ve fucked Ren,” he cooly replies. White heat simmers within me. “Why did you go to see her, son?”
