I remembered Maureen telling me about it when I was over once. I’d asked her about a picture on her wall, and when she moved it, there was a window-sized square behind it with a handle. Maureen told me that she was afraid Connolly would try to go down it someday, maybe to hide, and it would lead her outside, so she hid it behind the painting.
I needed to call someone—anyone—to come, but I’d forgotten my phone in the car when I’d tried to call Harrison on the way over. I’d load the kids up and get them to safety, and then call Rocco to have the men walk us in. He’d given me his number and told me to call if I hadanyproblems. I wasn’t taking a chance with these children again. One of the menwouldwalk us in.
“Kee,” Connolly said, starting to cry harder. She tried to talk to me, but she kept tripping over her words. She was trying to tell me who had knocked on her door after Martin.
“I don’t understand, baby,” I said, helping her hold on to Ryan, who was still crying some, but she didn’t want to give him up. “Who knocked at your door? Who was the other man?”
Her eyes grew wide, and she plastered herself against the building even tighter. Before I could even turn around, she held Ryan with one arm and pointed the other behind me. “Him!”
It took me only a second to turn, to put my body in front of theirs, but before the first blow landed to my skull, I screamed, “Run!”
34
Cash
Ifelt it when her lips kissed mine, felt her tears sliding down my face, but the Doc had me so doped up on meds that I thought I was floating in heaven.
Until I tried to move.
He’d stitched me up like I was made of stuffing and he had to stop all of it from spilling out. Every part of me demanded to move, but I was hardwired with sutures. Never mind the fucking needles in my arms.
Tito Sala was known for making his patients comfortable during, but after, he’d make life hell on earth. Some say he did it so you wouldn’t forget. I said he did it because deep down, the old man was playing payback for the many nights he had to put bastards like me back together. A bunch of Humpty Fucking Dumpties.
Two women came into the room. It was dim—someone had turned the lights low—but I could hear the monitors in the background, and their voices.
When the women came closer, I recognized one of them. Clara was a nurse, and her old man had been connected to an Irish family at one time. I’d known her since she was a kid.
The second woman, the doctor, took me a minute longer to place. Alisha Carter. I couldn’t remember how she fit, though. Maybe she dated or was married to a Fausti, or someone else connected to the life.
If Dr. Carter was in this room, though, the Faustis trusted her—to whatever degree they could trust.
This was one of their most elaborate setups, as far as emergency rooms went. I’d been in a few of them before. I must’ve been close to death. If the pain in my neck and shoulder was any indication, the old bitch almost turned me into worm food.
“How close was I this time?” I said, my voice sort of floating.
Clara fiddled with something next to me. “Close enough that Father Flanagan came to check on you.” She flicked me on the shoulder. “Your old man would’ve been pissed that you let it get that close.”
“Yeah.” I cleared my throat. “The feeling’s mutual right now.”
“Father Flanagan left, though, so that must mean he feels all’s right in your heart.” She smiled down at me. “In case you decide to die later.”
I didn’t have the strength to lift my mouth and grin. Besides, my wife might accuse me of flirting and gouge my eyes out, like she’d threatened to do before. When I said she’d go psycho, sinking her claws in, I didn’t only mean in the bedroom. “Where’s my wife?”The woman who’d set my soul at ease.
“Umm.” Clara looked at Dr. Carter. “Have you seen her?”
Dr. Carter shook her head. “Not since she was in here earlier. She went to the private room after, but she said she was coming back.”
“How long?” I said.
“Concerned with time, Kelly?” A smug grin came to Clara’s face.
“I am, in fact,” I said, sitting up some. They didn’t even try to stop me. They knew it was useless. My head spun, but I played it off. “Where’s my phone?”
“She’s in the other room, Kelly,” Clara said, about to leave with Dr. Carter. “Not in another country. She’ll be in. She’s probably tired. She’s been upset, worrying aboutyou.” She slapped my leg, but it was light. “I don’t know why any woman would fall in love with any of you. You’re all too much trouble.”
“Too hard on the heart,” Dr. Carter said before they left me alone.
Alone in the silence to think. To remember. My hands curled around the fucking blankets they’d put over me, like some kid who needed to keep warm, and a pulse beat in my ear. If Tito Sala hadn’t stitched me up right, I might blow one.
