“He’ll lie.”
“I’m sure that’s not news to either of us. I really wish I could help you, but I like my arrangement with him. I’ve been doing well.”
Tolliver smiled and held out his arms for her to check out his dapper attire. Kennedy noted his new persona had taken a few years off his features that were once aged with stress lines and fatigue from years of hard work their first time meeting.
“You do look good, Tolli. Refreshed.”
He laughed. “I feel like it, so I can’t bite the hand that feeds me, Ms. Kennedy. I know you went through a lot to find me, so ask me a question, and I may be able to answer if it’s not about what he restricted me to speak on.”
“When did he tell you not to talk to me?”
“I always knew you were a smart woman. Earlier this week. Tuesday evening, I believe.”
Kennedy squeezed shut her eyes and laughed. Relic had gone to Tolliver the same day the detectives popped up at her salon. He knew they had come and figured she’d hop straight into finding a solution. She just had no damn clue why he wouldn’t want her to.
She exhaled before looking at Tolliver and inquiring, “Has he come to you again before then and for what?”
Tolliver scrubbed his chin like he was mulling over if that crossed a line, and Kennedy palmed her stomach as a knotformed there. She almost ran off because her gut was telling her that it was some shit she didn’t want to hear.
“About two weeks ago, he requested the names of the CI’s in his case.”
“Who were they?”
“No.”
“Tolliver, please.”
“I’ve given you more than enough, Ms. Kennedy. We shouldn’t even be seen talking in public. If I were you, I’d cut ties with that man while you’re ahead because you are, in fact, not that far ahead. Good luck.”
Tolliver strode away with that warning, and Kennedy breathed through the worry multiplying inside her. It was spreading like a virus because he had told her nothing but so much in the same instance. Relic had no reason to know who his informants were since he’d made it seem to her as if he weren’t fighting his case. He also knew the detectives had come to her salon but hadn’t mentioned it. The fact he had predicted her move before she made it jarred her most because he was too fucking good at doing that on a whim.
Kennedy was uncertain whether he was testing her or pulling those strings, that tethered them together, like she was a goddamn marionette doll. Relic had shown her time and time again; he was the ultimate puppet master when it came to persuading his pieces to move in the way most beneficial to him.
Her satin handbag, with all-over pearls, vibrating on her wrist yanked her out of her head before she opened it to retrieve her phone. The sight of Relic’s name across the screen wasn’t shocking.
“Your little birdie snitched that fast?” She skipped a greeting and cut to the chase.
“Which one are we referring to?” Relic retorted. “You know, I love the way you flexed being an authorized user on my card.You rubbed Taylor wrong, but that shit made my dick hard. Show me off, baby.”
“Oh, that bitch! That’s why she was acting like a salty hoe. She’s part of your stable.”
“I told you her name before, Kennedy, but you have a habit of moving too fast and thinking after you’ve reacted. Did it not cross your mind that since Tolliver told us about his desire to golf, I’d suggest my country club where there are eyes to watch him. Logan has never posted him on her page, but she suddenly has a picture of them and while at the club of all places? I’m getting worried, Larenn. You’re losing your focus.”
“Why did you need to know about the CI’s if you’re not going to fight?”
The silence she was met with after tossing that detail out put a smile on her face. Relic saying nothing told her every-fucking-thing.
“I’m sending you the address to Morrone’s office. Get here within the hour,” he ordered after finding his voice.
“I’m with the girls. It’s still our day out.”
“Day over, Larenn. We have business to finalize, and you clearly need to know everything before you fuck up my shit by digging for dirt that’ll bury us both. Get here.”
Relic ended the call, and Kennedy didn’t waste time stalking over to her crew. They all gave her looks between nosiness and concern, but she ignored them to pull Abiza aside.
“What’s going on? Everything good?” Abiza asked in a cautious tone. Kennedy nodded.
“Remember when I said that I’d need your service in the near future? That’s today. How much do you charge per hour?”
