Oh my God.
I watched TV.I knew what that meant.
“A confidential informant?”I asked to confirm.
“Yeah.Keepin’ him on the inside, they’regonnafind some loophole or technicality to let his ass go.He returns to what’s left of Bounty.Bounty, from all reports, regardless thatshit has already got their ass in a sling and their charter is in danger ofgetting yanked because of it, is returning to working whatever they’re working,including Valenzuela.Since that’s apparentlygonnahappen inevitably, while it happens, Throttle digs as deep as he can get and hegives them everything he’s finding.”
“Holy crap,” I whispered.
Snapper nodded.“It’s dangerous as fuck.And baby, warning,the degrees a snitch can be a snitch are many, none of them popular, and that’sthe highest degree you can get.If he’s about atoning, that motherfucker is allin.”
That was when I took a pull from my brew.
A long one.
“He also promised to keep Bounty off you.”
I nearly choked on Blue Moon.
I swallowed with difficulty and Snap kept going.
“It’s covered, as I explained, but he’s added insurance.And, babe, before you let this sink in too deep and it messes with your head,there is no doubt from that phone call he’sdoin’this for you, but he’s also getting immunity and if the shit he gets onValenzuela is good enough, WITSEC.”
“Witness protection?”I breathed.
Snap nodded.“Valenzuela is not only a big fish, he’s linkedto bigger fish.This operation could go on months, maybe longer, and crack alot of shit wide open.Throttle offers up something juicy, he’ll have totestify against them, and he’ll get protection.”
“How protective is witness protection?”I inquired and Snapgrinned.
“I read a lot, Rosie, but not sure I’ve read any stats onhow many bad guys turned snitch got hunted down for vengeance.Though, I knowthey don’t offer that shit random and definitely not generously.If they giveit, they intend for it to do what it’s supposed to do.So he’ll slide right offthe grid in a way it’ll take some doing for anyone to find him.”
I drew in a big breath, then let it out.
“You need to know something.”
The way Snapper said that didn’t do anything to my finallycalming frame of mind.
“What?”I asked.
“This was our plan all along.”
I stared at him.
“Chaos wanted him to turn,” he explained.
Oh God.
“You knew that?”I queried.
Slowly, he nodded.
“You told me that it was about shutting down the shipments,”I reminded him.“Messing with Valenzuela’s distribution.Showing Bounty theworst of it and pulling them back to the right side.”
“Rosie, baby, if you’ll remember, I did share that we wantedthose boys in the joint so pressure could be put on them to do the right thing,and having one of Bounty turn and work with the cops would definitely be theright thing.That said, Tack always wanted more pressure put on Throttlebecause he figured the man would do what he could to keep you, absolutely keepclose to you and not take semi-permanent residence in the clink.He just neededthe right incentive to get his head out of his ass and do it.Obviously, allthis was supposed to go down without Throttle knowing you helped put his ass ina cell.But that was our ultimate goal.”
I turned my head to look out the window but didn’t seeanything, considering I was taking another deep pull of my beer and not likingthe thoughts barreling in my brain.
“Rosie,” he called, his tone searching and sweet.
