"I thought you said he wasn't involved and that everyone knew that this Declan had practically disowned them," she said.
"He did, but the FBI pinned the hit against Winterstone on Frank and made it look like it was about money. The FBI seized what they could, but they didn't touch the money Frank left his mother and brother because those funds couldn't be tied directly to his criminal activities. But that won't stop some of Frank's enemies from going after Declan for whatever they think they can get out of him," he explained, making Keira grimace.
"A bit like taking candy from a baby from what I've heard about sweet Declan."
"He findsmeintimidating. Or, he did, but I believe we're friends now. I like him," Aiden said. She hummed and tapped a cheek.
"I think I see why you're so worried. Doeshelike Declan too?" She asked archly.
Aiden understood that she was talking about Lavender. He had replaced their father, but she wasn't bitter toward Lavender and didn't blame him for her trauma or her twisted psyche. Lavender had never withheld his love. But she did resent him for loving Aiden just a little more. Thankfully, she understood that much of that was due to her own actions and wasn't holding grudges. Anymore.
"He does," Aiden confirmed. "Declan Leary is one of us now and under his protection."
"You know what that means, and that's why you're worried."
That was why Aiden wanted to get away from Lake Cliff and why he had left Lane in the car. It was hard to have an honest conversation about Lavender without Lane becoming defensive. Lane felt responsible and complicit at times, but Aiden understood and often did as well. He had a feeling that was why Lane didn't mind leaving town either.
Aiden pushed out a hard breath, expelling some of the tightness in his chest. His stomach got sour again and he had to pace away from the glass until his limbs didn't feel itchy and jumpy. He got so restless whenever he wondered what Lavender would do.
"He'llmake sure everyone knows that Declan Leary is under his protection, even if he leaves Lake Cliff," Aiden predicted.
"Do you think he has a target already?" She asked, stirring up Aiden's anxiety again.
"I'm sure of it," he answered distantly and looked toward Chicago. "Reginald, Denver, and Toly have been monitoring Frank Leary's connections and enemies. And they've been watching New York and Chicago closely."
"Hasheleft for Chicago yet?" She asked. She was watching Aiden closely, seeing everything he was too afraid to admit.
"He left at the same time we did. We stopped by their place on the way out of town so Lane could loan Sage his new thermometer. It was expensive and it does something special that Sage was excited about." He threw his hands up cluelessly.
"Fascinating!" Keira declared and clapped, but he could tell by her tone and the way she snorted afterward that she was being facetious. "Let's go back to the victim. Did you get a look at any of the candidates?"
Aiden was antsy again as he nodded. "One of Coonan's old enforcers, Eddie Flanigan, landed in Chicago this morning. He came up with Frank, and they were sort of like partners, before Winterstone and Coonan turned on each other. Flanigan did time with Coonan, thanks to Mickey. Flanigan got out a decade ago and has been lying low, but according to everything we've learned, he was waiting for a chance to get even with Frank Leary."
"Very nice!" Keira gasped, her eyes sparkling as they carried her beyond the cell's window and off to the city with Lavender. It was disturbing how excited she was. But Aiden couldn't deny the awful truth, that he had already made his choice between Eddie Flanigan and Declan. Aiden had seen the pictures of Flanigan's victims and studied his record. He would take pleasure in torturing Declan before murdering him. Flanigan's MO was to torture, murder, then dismember his victims. After, he would dump their remains around the city's sewage treatment plants. "So we definitely knowwhoand where they're going to end up..." Keira continued, marching to her bed before swinging around to meet Aiden at the Plexiglas.
"Your therapist won't approve of me engaging in this kind of thinking exercise with you," he noted. Not that Aiden wanted to stop. It was oddly soothing, allowing Keira to voice his darkest fears. And desires. Aiden also appreciated the opportunity to see howhermind worked as she imagined herself at Lavender's side. "Flanigan's staying at the Waldorf Astoria."
"Oh!He'lldo it there!" She guessed giddily.
"Do you think so? There are a lot of people and cameras all over a hotel," Aiden observed, but she smirked back at him.
"That's why it's so perfect. It's a big building full of people who want nothing to do with each other. Think about how you move through a hotel. You do your best to believe that you're the only guest and have the place to yourself. The staff hateseverybodyin that place and wishes it was empty, so they stop seeing faces and their day becomes nothing but doors and room numbers. And nobodywantsto know what's going on. You hurry down corridors before you hear something gross or awkward. Most people only know how to get to their room from the lobby and barely see the rest of the hotel."
"True... A hotel like that is essentially hundreds of people cohabitating anonymously," he said, suddenly captivated by the concept of the hotel as a microcosm and how certain societal norms are shed or amplified within its boundaries. "That would be a far more ideal place to murder Flanigan," he concluded solemnly.
Keira hummed in agreement. "Eddie's practically begging for it.Heknows how to look like a bleary-eyed traveler or a businessman in a hurry. People expect to see that in a hotel like the Waldorf. How big of a boy is he?"
"Flanigan?" Aiden winced as he hunted for his stats but couldn't recall reading them. "He's a large man, but he's older. Seventy-two."
"Won't be a problem," she predicted. "The tricky part is getting the torso out, but a..." Keira's lips pursed and her head tilted. "A medium-sized suitcase and a roomy carry-on should work ifhepacks them right."
"Of course, he'd pack them right." Aiden gave her an irritated look. "He'd have to work fast and get out before housekeeping makes their rounds." His brows rose as he waited for her to fill in the blanks.
She nodded quickly, happy to play along. "I bet he'll drain the body first like he did with The Wrangler."
Aiden threw up a hand. "Hold on! How does he do it, though? Flanigan's older but still formidable.He's6'3'' and hangs out around 180 pounds. I'd guess that Flanigan's got at least a hundred pounds on him."
"Ha! I'd roofie Flanigan and let him take me to his room if it were me. It's easy peasy after that. Buthewon't need to do that. He'll just wait in the garage until Reginald sees that Flanigan's in bed and his vitals suggest that he's in REM sleep. Then,he'lluse a room service key to breeze right into the room like it's his, with his suitcase and carry-on."