Page 49 of Shackled By the Mafia Boss

Taylor comes over when I finally make it to my seat and exhale the breath I’d been holding. His hands are planted on his waist, his eyes skimming my face. “Are you okay?”

I don’t look at him. I’m afraid another tear will slip through if I dare show any weakness. “Why wouldn’t I be?” I croak. Shit, I’m on the edge of losing all my composure.

“What did the Chief say?”

“Nothing serious,” I reply with a shrug of my shoulders. “Says it’s better I’m off the case.”

“Dammit.” Taylor sits on the chair across my desk and leans over. “You don’t believe that bullshit, do you?”

I remove the casefile from my tote bag and pass it to him. “What can I do? If the Chief says I’m off the case, then I’m off.”

Taylor is quiet for a second. “I know you, Jane. I know you won’t just sit around and watch. What are you going to do now?”

Continue and see if this has anything to do with my father’s death.

I didn’t think of it this way before, but now I believe it’s not impossible that the Chief is hiding something—a truth he doesn’t want me to uncover.

No, I’m being paranoid. There’s no way the Chief has anything to do with my father’s death or the Hell’s Kitchen’s murders.

“Don’t mind me. I don’t want you getting in trouble because of me.”

“Okay.” He nods. “But I’ll always be here to help if you need me.” He stands up to leave, then something flashes through my mind.

“Detective Taylor?”

He turns back to face me. “Do you need something?”

“Can you help me get a file from twelve years ago?”’

Taylor raises a brow. “You can get it yourself. Why do you need my help?”

I peer around to make sure no one’s listening in on our conversation. “Well, you see—there’s this case I’ve been looking to reopen, but I don’t want anyone else to know I’m looking into it. I think it’s a good idea for me to check it now that I’m off the Hell’s Kitchen’s murder cases.”

“What file?”

My heartbeat climbs up to my throat. Letting Taylor know about my father’s case is a big risk. He’ll know who I am the minute I mention the case, but I’ve known Taylor for years. I know he won’t betray me or blab about this to the Chief. He’s the only person I can trust.

“George Sullivan’s murder case.”

“George Sullivan,” he repeats, taping his temple with his finger. When it hits him, his eyes widen. “I know it’s crazy that I’m asking, but are you…”

“It’s exactly what you’re thinking.”

“No way.” His Adam’s apple moves as he swallows. “I’ll try and get it for you, but I can’t promise anything.”

I smile. “Thank you.”

Taylor shoves his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket. “Save the thanks for later.”

My gaze follows him as he returns to his desk. Luckily, he didn’t question me on what I needed my father’s case file for. I’m not certain I could have told him.

But I suspect he already knows.

I spend the rest of my day seething and thinking of a way out of my situation with Chief Smith and by the time I come to the conclusion there is nothing I can do, I realize I haven’t had breakfast, lunch or dinner yet.

Taylor was the first to sign out for the day. Josh must have made a pact with the devil to torture me because it’s eightp.m. and the handsome, blue-eyed monster is still glued to his seat.

“Hey, Sullivan.”

---