“Could be better. You?”
“Eh, not too bad. Bouncing back and forth between here and Garrity. Inherited my mom’s place, you know. Fixin’ it up when I can. When I am motivated.”
So probably never. That was Tony—always had big ideas, and little follow through. No matter how many times Dom had tried to help him find a different path. “So I heard. I’m sorry. I know she was a good lady.”
Who had been heartbroken by the loss of potential her only son had.
“That lady cop came to the funeral. Zoe-weee. Damn, is she anice-lookinglady. I appreciated it. Didn’t appreciate the a-hole trailing after her, though. Peckerhead gave me a ticket once.”
“That peckerhead is her husband now. She leads him around by the…nose all the damned time. She’s why I am here. Or…partially. I’m hoping you can help me.” Dom knew Tony had had a bit of athingfor Zoey Daviess, before she’d become Zoey Lake. Zoey had known Tony’s mother when she’d been the sheriff of Garrity County and had kept an eye on the older woman when she could. Tony had appreciated that—he’d told Dom that before.
“Whazzup, then?”
“Zoey has an aunt, Tony. She’s in trouble now. She’s only three years older than Zoey is. Looks just like her, too—except evenhotter. The lady has two little girls, three-year-old and the baby is just six months old. Their mama was abducted six hours ago. Along with Zoey’s good friend, Powell Barratt. You know anything about that?’
Tony was quiet for a moment. “That the house lady that’s always advertising everywhere?”
“That’s her.” A very pretty lady whose face was on billboards all over the city. Powell Barratt was memorable. And his buddy Gunnar loved her very much. If they didn’t get that woman back, Gunnar would be utterly destroyed. Dom couldn’t stand the thought of that happening to his friend.
“Shit, man. I ain’t getting involved in that.” There was real fear in the man’s faded eyes now.
“Why not?”
“There are some bad ass people out there, man. Bad ass people. I ain’t getting involved in that. Rumors about that houselady been going around for weeks. Good money in snatching her, I heard. I ain’t touching that.”
“Where would someone want to go…if they did want to get involved with that?”
“Hell, it’s all the rich boys’ games in this town. Heard there was lots of good green there in Hughes Heights. People will pay you to do anythin’ out of that place. Heard it called Satan’s den before, man. It’s bad there.”
Well, that just circled him right back to where he’d begun. “They were taken from Hughes Heights, Tony. I need all you can give me so we can get those women back to their families. Get those little girls’ mommy back to them where she belongs.”
He pulled out his phone. He had recent photos of both women right there. “Here they are. The one on the left—just found out she is pregnant. It’s her first. My buddy is the father. He’s terrified right now. He’s a widower. First wife—died in a car accident. She was pregnant, too.”
Tony had asoftside. Especially when kids were concerned. It was one of the guy’s few redeeming qualities. That, and he’d really loved his mother. Who hadn’t had many friends later in life—but Heather’s niece Zoey had been one of the few she’d had. Dom just hoped that meant something. “What would your mother want you to do, Tony? What would she want you to do? Help me help Zoey’s aunt, or not?”
“Man, all I can say is…there is a lot of shit going on in Hughes Heights, and there always is.”
“There’s security in Hughes Heights.” And Dom had his theories about that.
“So? Everyone can be bought, Acardi. Everyone.”
And that was exactly what Dom was counting on.
They talked a few more minutes. Then…Tony looked at him.
“Can I see the photos again? Them are some really pretty ladies.”
“They are. Good women, too. They help people.” Dom pulled up a photo—this one had been given to him by Heather’s twin personally. Heather was there, holding her newborn in one arm and her preschooler in the other. She was beautiful. No denying that.
Tony stared at the photos for a moment. A long one. Dom just stayed quiet. He could see the cogs working. Tony was debating with himself right now. The little rat knew more than what he was letting out there. Tonyalwaysdid. “Look, man. I consider you…a friend, right? We’re friends.”
Dom just nodded. He wouldn’t sayfriendswas the right word.
“Look, man. I hear things. There is shit going on in this town. And a man doesn’t know who he can trust. I just know…there are guys out there. Old dudes. Older than you, that’s for sure. Old. Been around this town for a long, long time. Sitting up in Hughes Heights all cozy for decades, man. Decades. May even some cops, even. I ain’t sayin’ I know any names, but…”
Old cops living in Hughes Heights. Well, Dom seriously doubted that there were many Hughes Heights residents that made that particular list. At least it was a place to start.
“What about them? Tell me about these old guys who have been in Finley Creek for a long time.” There were indications that there was a crime ring going on right beneath their noses. Jarrod and Heather had been working that angle before what had happened with Kimball.
