Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 73506 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 294(@250wpm)___ 245(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73506 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 294(@250wpm)___ 245(@300wpm)
“The plan was to use him to frame you, get you put in jail or killed, whichever was easier. Faking his death was simple. We told him we’d keep him under protection in exchange for you. He was hiding from the fucking cartel. The cartel doesn't even fucking know he’s alive. No one does except you, apparently. If the cartel knew he was fucking the local boss’s wife, they’d kill him.”
So he did the job first. He put his wife and daughter on the line like a goddamn pussy.
It doesn’t matter why they wanted me. Every fucking officer in Boston wants me and my whole family behind bars. It’s easy to frame us for crimes—the ones we’ve committed and the ones we haven’t.
We've been there before.
“That’s all I know.”
I look at Dani. “He’s lying.”
Dani flinches, but stares at the two of us.
"Where is my daughter?”
She holds the scissors and looks about ready to stab him. Good girl. Mama bear means business, and she won't take shit from anyone.
"Fuck if I know," he says. I take the scissors, opening and closing them ominously near his ear so he can hear them. He begins to shiver. "I don't know, I don't fucking know."
"You're lying." I open the scissors and press the metal against his thigh.
“Fine, okay! I'll tell you. Jesus."
"Let's hear it."
"He's going up to the Canadian border,” Sullivan says in a rush of words. “He's going to take Emmy with him and meet up with her. He's not in his right mind, he's high as a fucking kite on meth. He kept saying stuff about wanting his daughter back, wanting to start a family, wanting to start over. A new identity, a new life."
Dani shakes her head, trembling.
"Canadian border?"
"Yeah. He’s probably halfway there. He took her a couple hours ago."
Dani buries her face in her hands and takes a deep breath.
I reach for her shoulder and give her a gentle squeeze. "We've got this."
Turning back to Sullivan, I tell him, "I'm gonna let you go now. You're gonna have a nice, hefty sum in your bank account. This conversation never happened. Do you understand that you owe me a favor because of this?"
"Yes, yes," he cries, probably thankful he still has his balls intact.
"Excellent. Because none of this happened. In fact, while we were having this conversation, what actually happened was that you committed a federal offense. If you do anything, and I mean any fucking thing, to push back against my family, what happened today is going to put you in jail for the rest of your life, if you make it that far. Do you understand me?"
"Yes," he sobs. The fucking pussy.
I look to Dani. "We're going to the Canadian border. Let's go."
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
TRAP
Dani
Ricco actually closes the border.
I may have some doubts about my relationship with Ricco, but I have zero doubts that I called the right person to find my daughter.
I won't forget what he said when he was questioning that cop.
I love this woman. And I love her daughter as if she were my own. My God, I'll never forget that. No matter what happens.
With a series of phone calls, Ricco and Sergio make sure that no planes leave from local airports on the way to Canada and that no cars cross the Canadian border, from New York all the way to Maine. It is not an easy task, as it involves multiple phone calls, lots of what Ricco might call negotiation, and a ton of bribery.
"I can't believe I'm going to say this," I tell Ricco as we get in the car to wait for Timeo to give us Nick’s location.
"What is it?" he says, obviously reserved. And I know then, he doesn't want to push anything. I asked him for space, and he respects that. He said that he loved me, and he said that he loved Emmy, but that doesn't mean that he's going to force the situation.
I lick my lips, and swallow. I bite my lip. "I wish that you had actually killed him."
“Sullivan?”
“No,” I say with a sigh. “Nick. I wish that what we thought was true actually was.”
"Me, too,” he says grimly. "I mean, I already had it in my mind that the fucker was dead, and now that he's done this to you? And to Emmy?" He shakes his head. I'd like to say that he stays dead.
"Exactly. I hope she’s okay. God, Ricco, if he hurt her—“
"She's going to be okay. I know it. And if she isn't, Dani…"
"I don't need you to finish that sentence, because if he hurts her in any way, I'll finish the job myself."
He grins, and I wish I could be immune to the effect it has on my heart. That flash of white against his full lips, that dark skin and those eyes, so full of life and intelligence and intensity. "Atta girl," he says approvingly.