“Do desperate things,” Dante agrees.
“Fuck my life,” Broadway mutters. “I’ve done a lot of shit for you, but never grave robbing.”
“First time’s a wild thrill,” Rookie chuckles. “Make sure you wear gloves and a mask. Dead bodies reek.”
“How about instead of patiently waiting for Hailey to remember, you—”
“Don’t,” I clip, glaring at Broadway. I know where he’s going with this and for his sake, it’ll be better if he backtracks immediately. “Don’t even fucking suggest it.”
“I’m not suggesting anything drastic, Boss. It’s been almost two months. She’s fine now, so how about the truth? Tell her who you are. Tell her who Alex was. Tell her about Aalyiah. There’s no risk of brain damage if you start pushing.”
My hands clench into fists but, before I snap, Dante shakes his head. “If he tells her who he is, he’ll lose her trust. There’s no telling how fragile her memories are. If he starts pushing and she jams up—”
“She’ll forget,” Broadway finishes for him in a resigned tone. “That’s a good thing, though. Isn’t it? The evidence won’t ever see the light of day.”
“That’s if it’s in that bank,” Jackson says, handing my phone back before opening a cigar drawer. “We havenothingthat confirms it. I can poke around their firewalls but I doubt they’d still be operational if anyone could hack into their system.”
I’ve run every possibility through my head while I’ve been at Lakeside, and it looks like everyone else has been doing the same.
“If the evidence is there and Hailey never remembers how to access it, it doesn’t mean it’s safe,” I say. “Vaughn was the one who sent Alex undercover. Heknowsthere’s evidence, so we can’t be the only ones looking.”
Dante nods slowly, surrounding himself with a cloud of smoke. “He’ll move heaven and earth for a warrant. The guy’s smart. It might take time, but he’ll get it and the bank will have to comply.”
“So what?” Broadway, leans forward, resting both elbows on his knees. “Back to patiently waiting and hoping Hailey will remember? How long before that’s no longer an option?”
“Not long,” Jackson says, jutting his chin toward the file. “There’s more there.”
I run a hand down my face, tired of this game. There are too many things I don’t know. Too many lies flying around every which way, and too many unavailable options for revealing the truth.
My involvement with Hailey has closed another door. Broadway has a point, pushing her would be easiest. There’s little risk to her mind, butlittleisn’t none.
She’s mine. I protect her. I don’t fucking hurt her.
A picture of a man I know all too well slips out of the file. The surroundings are blurred, but Noretto’s face is clear, a phone to his ear, cigarette hanging from his lips.
“Nowthisis why I called you here.” Dante juts his chin at the picture. “The word about Alex infiltrating your father’s organization got out. It’s all rumors for now, but I told Rhett to vet his people. Looks like there’s a rat in his ranks.”
That’s a problem.
Abigproblem.
Whenever someone in our world gets investigated, all their acquaintances are on edge. You never know what the feds will dig up, what connection they’ll make, and how many will go down with the main suspect. My father doesn’t have allies like Dante does. He has people he does business with. Ruthless people all over America. People lacking a code of honor. Small fish aspiring for the big pond.
“Sooner or later, someone will connect the dots, Carter. Someone will try to put their hands on the evidence to ensure their safety and maybe bury your father.” Dante takes a purposeful pause, staring me down.
I know what he’s thinking. What he’s implying... Hailey’s the easiest route to the evidence.
“I doubt anyone yet realizes Hailey’s mixed into this,” he continues. “But Vaughn’s drawing attention by running around like a headless chicken.”
I snatch the picture off the table, pinching the corner between my fingers. “Noretto has the most to lose, the most to gain, and an added flavor of revenge as the cherry on top.”
With the word about Alex spreading, finding the evidence will turn into a rat race... and I bit my own fucking legs off when I gave in to Hailey.
I won’t hurt her.
I won’t jeopardize her memories, health, or safety.
I won’t risk losing her.
