“Did he say how the envelope came into his possession?”
“One of the doormen brought it up. And before you ask, I checked with them while I was waiting for you. They said it arrived via a messenger wearing a motorcycle helmet.”
“I assume they log all deliveries.”
“They do.”
“I’ll check when we leave,” Dino said. “But I can all but guarantee that whatever company the messenger put down doesn’t exist.” He held up the Ziploc bag. “If it’s all right with you, I’ll take this with me.”
“I assumed you would. I do have a request, though. I’d very much like to keep this quiet. I’ve worked hard to create my new life. The last thing I want is for there to be a story in the paper about how Jack Coulter used to be Johnny Fratelli. People would come out of the woodwork wanting what I have. I also don’t want Hillary to have to deal with all the looks and questions she would get for having a husband who’s an ex-con.”
“I’ll do everything I can to keep the Fratelli angle private,” Dino said. “If something happens to change that, I’ll let you know.”
“That’s all I can ask.”
Sara stepped from the hallway, looking as if she hadn’t quite woken up. “Uncle Jack?”
All three men stood.
“Sara, dear, what are you doing up?” Jack asked.
“I was thirsty and was going to get some water. Sorry, I didn’t realize you had guests.”
“We’re the ones who should apologize,” Stone said. “We stopped by to make sure you and your uncle were doing okay.”
She smiled weakly. “That was very nice. Thank you.”
“Now that we have, we’ll get out of your hair.” Stone turned to Jack. “Unless there was something else?”
“No,” Jack said. “Thank you for coming.”
“Remember, if you need anything, don’t hesitate to call me or Ash.”
Sara stood straighter and ran a hand through her hair. “Is Ash still here?”
“I sent him home to get some rest,” Jack said.
The boost of energy she’d received drained away as fast as it had come. “That’s good. He was up all night. Mr. Barrington, thank you for sending him. I don’t know what I would have done if he hadn’t been there.”
“I’ll let him know,” Stone said.
“Please do.”
Chapter 26
After getting Sara settled backin her room, Jack locked himself in his study and crouched next to the credenza behind his desk.
He felt along the underside of the cabinet’s bottom trim until his finger found a shallow indentation. He pushed up, and the entire piece folded down, revealing a drawer that spanned the length of the credenza.
He slid it open.
Among the other things the drawer contained were two SIG Sauer P226 9mm pistols, four boxes of ammunition, two silencers, a collapsible steel baton, a blackjack, several never-before-used disposable phones, and a worn notebook with a black leather cover.
He retrieved one of the phones and the notebook, shut the drawer, and took a seat at his desk.
The notebook was a remnant of his old life and contained contact information for those who made their living in the world of crime.
Many of the entries were decades out-of-date. Some people had changed their contact information, and others could now only be contacted via a Ouija board. Plus, there werealso new contacts he’d collected since he’d been released from prison.
