“Why didn’t they kill me? What was the point of all of this?”
“I don’t think they wanted you. Just Mickey.”
“Maybe they’re not done with me,” Francis guessed. “And why did they have to take the rosary? It didn’t mean shit to them!”
Speed mouthed a silent curse. The FBI wouldn’t care about the rosary. “Bragging rights?” Speed suggested. “Someone wanted to say they were there when Mickey was wheeled out or when he came into the hospital. Or someone just found a rosary in the parking lot or the hallway of a hospital and thought it was a sign to keep praying. Who knows?”
“I’m getting that rosary back. Mickey wouldn’t want some cop or a stranger to have it. He’d wantmeto have it so I’d know he was still with me.”
There was a burn at the back of Speed’s throat and he felt nauseous. “Yes he would,” he agreed neutrally but his lip curled. He’d rather die than give up his mother’s rosary. Not to someone who believed Mickey was worth mourning. “I’ve been asking around and no one’s claimed they’ve got it or tried to sell it. And I can’t find that fucking agent. I’ve thrown around good money but you’d think he fell off the planet or never even existed.”
“You won’t find him. Turns out he’s married to a fucking hacker but the FBI looks the other way because he’s filthy fucking rich and connected.”
“Son of a bitch!” Speed knew that Reginald wasn’t a secret within the bureau but he didn’t want Francis looking too closely at those connections.
“How the fuck did you miss that?” Francis asked quietly.
“I didn’t. That’s why I trusted him. We’ve worked together before and I didn’t think he was taking orders from the FBI. I thought his husband was running things and that they wouldn’t give a fuck about the Feds.”
“Maybe the husband wanted Mickey and was behind this?”
That’s not good.“Nah. He was in diapers and in England when Mickey was running around. He wouldn’t give a shit about anything that happened in New York in the 80s and 90s. If I had to guess, they were looking for a big move within the FBI and I gave it to them.”
“I bet that’s worth a promotion,” Francis muttered.
“Could get you on the list for director,” Speed speculated, adding fuel to Francis’s theory that it was an inside job within the bureau.
“It makes sense but…why leave me behind to cause trouble?”
“Maybe they aren’t done with you yet,” Speed said, infusing his words with paranoia and concern. “What if you’re playing right into their hands by pressuring your contacts? I think you need to lay low and let this blow over or they’re going to pin this on you and send you away. What do you think is going to happen to you on the inside if they think you sold Mickey out?”
“They won’t find me, Speed. The only way they could is if they traced this phone and I know how to get around that. You’d be surprised at the places I’ve been since I sent Mickey home.”
“Oh?” Speed didn’t like the sound of that or the way Francis laughed.
“I saw Maggie O’Reilly while I was in New York. I knew she’d let me borrow her car for a few days so I could run some errands but it sounds like some agent had been by to see her. She says she didn’t tell him anything but old news and I believe her. I passed through Georgetown too and got a good look at that agent’s place.”
“Fuck, Francis!” Speed dragged a hand down his face. “You’re gonna get caught! Your ass should be in Canada or… I don’t know. Pick a fucking place and I’ll have a ticket and a new identity waiting,” he offered but Francis laughed.
“Why? So I can spend the rest of my life hiding and hating myself for running out on Mickeyandmy family? And what if they’re after you too?”
“You know I can take care of myself. I’ll settle the score with the FBI, I promise. Just don’t make their jobs easier by breaking into a federal fucking agent’s house, Francis. What the hell am I going to do if they send you away?”
“They won’t send me away. Take care of yourself and I’ll check in soon.”
The line went silent but Speed jumped as if a door had been slammed.
“Everything’s cool,” Speed told himself. He’d steered Francis back toward the FBI and convinced him it was the bureau cleaning house and that an agent was looking for the fast track to the director’s seat. Reginald’s security system would have picked up the breach at the house in Georgetown but Speed would make sure they were taking extra precautions. “Fuck. Lavender isn’t going to like this,” he predicted but Speed switched phones again and settled in for a long lecture.
ChapterNine
“Do me a favor and grab some one-inch brushes while you’re at the hardware store,” Sage said, stealing a quick kiss as Lavender was on his way out the front door.
“I think I can manage that.”
“Have fun with your errands and your creepy science project,” Sage teased. Lavender waved as the Mercedes parked in the driveway and paused when Lane got out.
“I need to run this across the street,” Lane called as he went around the car and retrieved a potted plant from the passenger seat. Lavender jogged down the front steps and followed Lane.