Page 53 of A Breath of Life
“Proceed cautiously. We’re watching youandyour little sidepiece. He’s cute. I forgot to mention. Ace has certain… predilections. Sometimes, he enjoys playing with his mice before snapping their brittle necks. You wouldn’t want Tallus to become one of his toys.”
Icy fingers tickled down my spine as his words unearthed unwanted memories from my past. I scanned the street, heart thundering as I peered into every idle car and examined every shadowed corner. Were they out there now? Was someone surveying the headquarters building? Me?
Did they have a man on the inside watching Tallus? A dirty cop?
My stomach curdled at the meaning behind his statement. I wanted to crawl down the phone line and strangle him with my bare hands. No one wouldevertouch Tallus in that way. Over my dead body.
A growl climbed my throat. “If you touch a single fucking hair—”
“You are in no position to threaten me, Mr. Krause. Don’t give Ace a reason to hurt your little mouse, and he won’t. Simple as that. Do your job. Find Clarence.”
The line went dead, and I spent another ten minutes picking apart the street, looking for watchful eyes, and debating how much Tallus would hate me if I went inside and planted myself at his desk to watch him work all day.
He’d kill me.
Poisonous bile stirred my gut, and I was glad I hadn’t eaten.
When I caught a glimpse of myself in the rearview mirror, I flinched. Jesus, I looked like hell. The bruising shone more prominently against my bloodless complexion, and I looked like a fucking ghost. No wonder Tallus wasn’t letting up about knowing the truth. If he had come home half as injured and haunted, I would have razed the fucking city to find the people who had done it.
I glanced at Echo, harnessed and buckled safely in the passenger seat. “Should we go?”
She chuffed and licked my hand, loyally agreeing to every suggestion. Some days, I wished she could offer sounder advice.
Another lick.
“If you’re asking for treats, I don’t have any.”
Another chuff, and she nuzzled my face.
Despite everything, I nuzzled back, my heart aching. “Yeah, yeah. I love you too. I don’t want to leave him here.”
She cocked her head as though listening.
Barging inside would shatter the fragile truce Tallus and I had found. Leaving soured my gut. I could sit in the Jeep and watch the building, but I’d never locate Clarence while idle, and my timeline had been cut short.
Could they have a dirty cop on the inside with eyes on my boyfriend? It made sense when I considered the Bishop. How big was this organization? Who were these people? How far did they reach?
I punched the steering wheel. “Fuck.”
Echo rested her paw on my thigh.
“I know. I’m sorry. It’s just… All right. I’m going.”
Reluctantly, I put the Jeep in gear and headed to the office. Every mile between Tallus and me pulled at something deep in my core.
The Consigliere’s newest threat surfaced ugly memories I’d long ago vaulted away. I couldn’t shake them, and they ate at me with every mile that separated me from Tallus.
The temptation to turn around was almost too strong to resist. If I didn’t believe Nana’s life was in danger as well, I’d have packed a bag, forced Tallus into the Jeep, and gone on the run. It sounded cowardly, but his well-being mattered more than my pride.
Another instinct wanted me to steer toward the nursing home, to disobey the rule about visiting Nana, but I’d been warned to keep a distance. No phone calls. No police. Nothing sneaky.
So I stayed my course, squeezed the steering wheel until my fingers ached, and tried not to throw up.
At the office, I filled Echo’s water bowl and gave her a few treats. She curled up in the cushy dog bed that lived beside the desk. It was some fancy memory foam bullshit that cost me eighty dollars, but she loved it. A chewy squeak toy entertained her for all of five minutes before she was fast asleep.
I opened the laptop, unsure where to begin. Tracking individuals was a common part of the job. Finding Clarence seemed like it wouldn’t be difficult, but I was naïve. If the man was easy to locate, these people wouldn’t have nabbed me off the street and threatened my loved ones.
“Ace has certain… predilections. Sometimes, he enjoys playing with his mice before snapping their necks.”
