Chapter Fifteen
The day after Charlie’sunexpected visit started out the same as every other, but Jimmy knew something was wrong the second Cold didn’t finish his coffee. The abandoned cup spoke volumes, and Jimmy was immediately nervous. Cold told him that he had important business to attend to and asked Jimmy not to disturb him for a while.
It wasn’t the request itself that bothered Jimmy. After all, he and Cold didn’t spend every second of every single day together. It was how Cold had asked, harsh and clipped, barely waiting for Jimmy to reply before leaving him at the table with the rest of his breakfast equally neglected.
Jimmy felt a tug in his gut, and he didn’t know what to do. He could feel in his bones that trouble was ahead. He obviously didn’t know all the details of what Cold was planning for Mr. Potolsky, but the circumstances were not good, obvious intent to commit homicide aside.
The Wynne Hotel was a bustling establishment right in the middle of downtown, and certainly not ideal for a covert assassination attempt. There was also the added danger of federal agents and members of the Luchesi family who wanted to see Cold dead or in prison.
Jimmy tried to reassure himself that Cold knew what he was doing. After all, Cold hadn’t stayed in power for so long by being foolish or sloppy. It was all going to work out just fine.
And by just fine, Jimmy realized, he was advocating for his husband to successfully murder someone.
Shit.
His own appetite now lost, he resigned himself to the living room with some of his textbooks to study. He turned the television on for noise, trying to focus on his reading. He still had a semester of school left in the spring before graduation and then the bar exam. After all of his years of struggling, he would finally be a lawyer.
But then what?
Jimmy set his book down with a frown. He had always wanted to become a lawyer to help his father and other innocent people who were being falsely accused. His brief time in court with Cold had been thrilling and exciting, and he had to admit that he had enjoyed it immensely. But Cold wasn’t an innocent client, far from it.
Cold was actively destroying the case against him for a crime that he was absolutely guilty of. Although Jimmy could sympathize with his motives, Cold had still broken the law, and he was going to keep breaking it to save himself from going back to prison.
Jimmy knew in his heart that Cold was a good person. He could be loving, passionate, loyal, and he always took care of those closest to him. But he was also a monster, a killer, and had little regard for human life outside of his chosen family. Jimmy was once again brought to a very uncomfortable crossroads.
How could he keep justifying Cold’s actions? Or did he even need to? Couldn’t he just keep blissfully ignoring the obvious moral dilemma and continue on happily as before?
Jimmy wasn’t sure, but trying to decide was making his head hurt. He knew that Mr. Potolsky was going to die, perhaps today, and having that knowledge and doing nothing to prevent it made him feel dirty.
He glanced up at the television, wondering if he would have to hear about Mr. Potolsky’s death on the news like he had with the others, the unnamed witness who died in prison and Mr. Waugh. Mr. Waugh was especially uncomfortable, and he tried to block out the vivid memories of his death and failed spectacularly.
So lost in thought, he jumped when his phone beeped. It was his father checking in, and Jimmy quickly tapped away a benign and mostly honest reply. Everything was great, he said via text, plans for the wedding were almost done and things were looking good for the case.
They exchanged a few more messages, and Jimmy was glad they weren’t actually on the phone speaking. He knew that his father would have been able to tell right away that something was wrong, and Jimmy really didn’t want to discuss his troubled thoughts.
As the texts dwindled, Jimmy got caught back up in reading again. He didn’t even realize how much time had passed until Jerry came to ask him what he would like for lunch. A simple ham sandwich was all he wanted, and he thanked Jerry before returning to his book once more.
When he heard the plate clink against the side table, Jimmy automatically said, “Thank you, Jerry.”
“Oh, you’re very welcome, mate,” Charlie’s voice replied with a snort.
Jimmy jerked his head up, hissing, “What are you doing here?”
“Business,” Charlie said shortly, “of the unofficial variety.” He held up his hands when Jimmy scowled, saying reassuringly, “I’ve already been searched and prodded all over so you’ve got nothing to worry about.”
“Whatever,” Jimmy mumbled, closing his book. “What are you doing here? Rod is upstairs.”
“Waiting to be summoned.” Charlie shrugged. “Figured I’d pop in. Have a little chat.”
“What could we possibly talk about?”
