"They’ve been in the press recently," was all I said because I’d been keeping a watch over them.
I was pretty sure they weren’t involved in the Sparrows, but only time would tell.
"I went to the police and FBI. I mean, how could I not? Especially with that one being on trial for triple murder."
"Ryder. He was acquitted," I said slowly. "Isabelle is with them?"
"She was. The sad fact is she’s sick, mentally. She got that from my late wife. I’m convinced they’ve brainwashed her and are forcing her to… My worry is that she’s being…"
When he started to cry again, I didn’t know where to fucking look. Just to get out of there, I told him, "You don’t need to say another word. It’ll be my pleasure to untangle this situation for you."
"Thank you. You have no idea what this means."
I nodded. "Consider it done."
When we finished up, it was with relief that I got the hell out of there. But a favor owed was a favor owed, so I grabbed my cellphone.
"Cade?"
"Yes, boss."
His tone was always a combination of wary and eager—wary because he knew that I could send him out on a shitty job, eager because he still felt guilty about that mess back in Jersey.
Regular poker nights were making my crew adapt to me, but they were still cautious.
I couldn’t blame them. Not with the rep I’d earned since Da’s death.
Slice first, ask questions later.
That was goddamn MacMurray’s fault. Brennan’s too, come to think of it. He’d been the one bitching about having to get that fucker to jot down the answers to whatever questions Bren had given him.
Only in my world would that whole situation not be viewed as an incompetent mess. Instead, people were scared of me. Terrified I’d cuttheirtongues outfirst then worry about questions later.
They weren’t wrong—the best defense was offense.
"Got a job for you," I told my man as I headed into the elevator to get out of the clinic.
I hated hospitals, even fancy as fuck ones like this. Of course, when I saw Savannah waiting for me in the lobby in the glass elevator, the place got a damn sight better.
"Sure," he answered easily. "Where do you need me?"
"On a plane to LAX before the day’s out."