“Where is all this stuff?”
“Safety deposit boxes.”
“Here in San Diego?”
“No. Far away from here. I figure I might have a chance of bargaining with it if I get caught and that might keep me alive a little longer if they need to find out where those things are.”
“Holy shit, Ally.”
“Yeah.”
“I still think you should talk to Jude, tell him everything, and go from there.”
“Don’t you think I would love to do that? Jude has demonstrated repeatedly for the past few weeks that he’s capable of picking up messes for me, but this mess? This mess could get people killed.”
She shakes her head and puts the car into park. We’re at work.
“So what now, then?” she asks.
She doesn’t understand. She just doesn’t. It could get him killed. Carly killed.
I blow out a long breath. “I’ll have to see.”
“I think you’ve made your mind up already, haven’t you? You’re going to Japan.”
“No,” I lie. “But if that does, for some reason happen, can you foster Georgie and Ralphie for me until they can get adopted?”
She growls at me and then we go inside.
30
Jude
I wake up to four missed calls from Aiden. I take a leak, then call him just before putting my toothbrush in my mouth.
“I’m running late. Talk while I brush my teeth.”
“I did you a favor,” he says. “Carly took Ally to work this morning, right? So, they took my ride, and I left a recording device in there. I’ve got it, I’ve listened to it, and you want this information, man.”
I spit toothpaste out. “Keep talkin’.”
“Not a professional like you, but I’m guessin’ almost all of what you should need to know. She spilled big time to my wife.”
“You gonna catch shit for this from Carly if it comes out where this intel came from?” I ask.
“Between you ‘n me, she told me she couldn’t tell me anything, but invited me to get creative in eavesdropping on her today on a ride to work with just her and Ally in my car. So, Carly won’t get shit from Ally, but I might. And based on what I just listened to, I am more than willing to catch shit. Carly knew shit was big, wanted you involved, and so we made sure you have what you need to get started on getting Pinky free ‘n clear.”
“I’ve got an early meeting with a big client, but I want that information,” I tell him.
“Yeah man, you do. Sooner the better. In fact, you might wanna cancel your day once you hear this. Swing by the office for it?”
“Okay, brother.”
“Jude?”
“Yeah?”
“Listen to it immediately and let me know if I can help in any way.”
“Fuck. That bad?”
“Yeah. Brace.”
“Gimme the gist now.”
“Stole a big bag of money from some criminals. She’s just an accidental thief. Two criminals, one she was dating and his brother was obsessed with her. Shit got hot, so she took off with money that fell in her lap when finding out she was in bed with a criminal. The one obsessed is psycho and she’s thinking she’ll get raped and murdered if she gets caught as well as people she cares about getting hurt. The bag of money also had a gun in it and there’s a dirty cop involved who chased her. You need to listen to the tape but that’s the nutshell version.”
***
I’m leaving the Carmichael Consulting parking lot, gripping my steering wheel tight enough that my hands cramp.
I just sat with Aiden and listened before taking the recorder with me. Since she lets it slip about the guy being named Jonah, I’m left wondering who Wade is.
And things have escalated to the degree that I’m not holding back any longer on this, regardless of what she’s asked me to do.
Because clearly, shit is even more amped than I suspected.
I get on the phone with a buddy of mine who does what I do in Pittsburgh and ask him to dig to find out if there’s anyone reliable who knows the players in Columbus, particularly one named Jonah with brothers, one with a name starting with letters “Th” who could have cops in their pocket.
And then I stop by my place after canceling the rest of my day so I can pick up a gun.
31
Ally
At lunchtime I’ve made an excuse to Carly to avoid lunch together by telling her I need to run home to check on Georgie. She wants to come, meet the cat, but I need to make a private phone call to Tori, so I duck out early and text her.
Me: Sorry. Ran out a little early with extra errand. You can meet Georgia later. xxoo
Carly: Do you promise you’re not on the way to the airport?
Me: I promise.
Not yet, anyway.
Georgie-girl is lounging on the kitchen counter, flat on her back with her paws up in the air, and she’s torn apart a roll of toilet paper in the bathroom but seems otherwise content when I get in.