“Same with the Russos.”
“Fuck that. I’m outta here.”
“Let’s go.”
Two car doors slam, an engine starts, lights come on, and they’re gone.
Celeste and I make our way past the building and through the dark field we came from. About a quarter mile away is our vehicle. We both get in and sit in silence for a minute.
“Murphy and Duffy. Son of a bitch,” I mutter.
“Sounds like Duffy won’t want any part of it,” Celeste says.
“Maybe, but Murphy seems to be recruiting allies. That means he’s likely talking to the Kellys, the Walshes, and the MacNamaras.”
“What’s Murphy’s beef?” she asks.
I look over to her. “He’s Nicole’s father.”
She flinches. “The one who beat her mother so badly she nearly died?”
I nod.
“Well, that’s one hell of a clusterfuck.”
“He found her a couple months back. Made it known when Cage and Sera were at a charity function and two of his goons were eyeballing them to the point Sera was wigging out,” I tell her.
“If Sera wigs…”
“Yeah. We’re going to have to amp up security and talk to Nicole and Ben.”
“The kids…” Celeste adds.
I nod. “They won’t get to them. No way Gio allows it, and since I’m a betting man, I’ll bet Salvatore Manzini throws in with us and finds a couple more, too.”
“You think?”
I nod.
“Irish against Italian,” she lets out a low whistle.
I turn on the car. “Let’s get back and figure out who all of them are. Then we need to see the Boss man.”
“Which one?”
“Both.”
Celeste nods. “Murphy is so fucked.”
“But arrogant enough not to realize it.”
Dumbass.
40
LINC
It’s two weeks later, and I feel pretty good. Still the occasional twinge in my scapula and ribs, but even my casted hand doesn’t hurt.
