by JB Lynn
“Thank you,” I whispered to Benny. “Watch over her.”
“Okay, okay, okay!” he agreed.
I had to admire how much the little rodent had blossomed since the first time I’d met him when he’d been a quivering mass of fear.
Grudgingly, I climbed out of the car and glared at my aunt and her husband.
“Let her sleep for a little while,” Susan suggested.
“Walk with me, Maggie,” Griswald said. It wasn’t an invitation, more like an order.
My spine stiffened and I curled my hands into fists.
Piss wandered out of the barn and looked at me curiously with her good eye. “Everything okay, sugar?”
I couldn’t answer her, but I motioned for her to join Griswald and me for what I assumed would be a debriefing.
He pecked Susan on the cheek and began to stroll up the driveway toward the road. I fell into step beside him, so angry that my heart hammered in my ears.
“You’re upset,” he began.
“You lied to me.”
He glanced sideways at me and shrugged. “Not about everything. Phillip was keeping Alicia from her mother.”
We walked on for a few more steps.
“Who goes there?” a voice screeched at us.
“It’s just us, Percy.” I spotted the blind peacock who patrolled the grounds at night standing not far away.
“Be brave. Be well,” the big bird squawked before marching off into the shadows.
“That thing startles me every night,” Griswald admitted. “That sound…” He began to walk again.
“You used me.” My voice cracked as I made the accusation.
“Don’t do anything foolish, like hit him, sugar,” Piss purred, winding herself between my legs, as though preparing to trip me to protect him from a physical attack.
Griswald stopped and turned to face me.
I stopped but wouldn’t look at him. “You used me,” I repeated.
He sighed. “I did.”
I swallowed hard, willing myself not to cry. “Why?”
“Because I needed your help,” he explained. “But I needed you to do it without being emotionally involved.”
I shook my head. “That’s stupid. And bringing Aunt Susan into it was stupid and dangerous.”
He shrugged. “I only filled her in on what was happening tonight, so you can’t be too mad at her.”
I turned to meet his gaze. “Who else knew? Leslie? Armani?”
He shook his head.
“Well, good, at least I don’t have to be pissed off at them, too.”
“You don’t have to be angry at anyone,” he countered. “I understand that you’re upset—”
“Why didn’t you use a female agent to get close to him?” I interrupted. “Why me?”
He offered me a patient smile. “Because this wasn’t a U.S. Marshal mission.” He waited, letting that sink in.
“But…” I protested. “But he was arrested...that’s what Susan told me.”
“Yes, and he’s being extradited. But I wasn’t the one who arrested him. I just let the proper authorities know where he’d be.”
Shining headlights bounced down the driveway toward us. We quickly stepped off to the side.
“That’s Doc’s car,” I said as it pulled closer.
Doc stopped and rolled down his window. “Hey.”
“Hey,” I said. I like Marlene’s boyfriend, but I wasn’t thrilled that he was interrupting my conversation with Griswald.
“We ready?” he asked.
I looked at him, confused. “Ready for what?”
“Almost ready,” Griswald interjected quietly. “But I haven’t finished explaining.”
The passenger door of Doc’s car opened, and Marlene got out. She looked tense, like her time away hadn’t helped at all. I remembered Susan telling me about the letter my sister had received from a lawyer.
“Are you in trouble?” I asked her.
She shook her head and shot Griswald a nervous look.
I rounded on him furiously. “Did you get her involved in this mess, too?”
He held up his hands defensively. “I understand you’re upset and confused,” he said in the same condescending tone the staff at my mom’s loony bin use on her.
It enraged me further. I couldn’t believe I’d ever liked him, let alone trusted him.
“I involved him,” Marlene said softly.
I spun back to face her. “What?”
“I involved him.” She walked around the car, approaching me like I was a rabid dog. “I asked him for his help.”
“Help with what?” I asked, unable to track the direction of the conversation.
She looked down at the ground, twisting her pinky finger like she had when she was a little kid and had done something wrong. “You know I did some things I’m not proud of when I was away.”
She made it sound like she’d been to prison instead of having been a prostitute.
“I don’t judge you for that,” I hurriedly assured her.
She looked up, her eyes shiny with tears. “I know and I love you for that.”
And then I remembered what Phillip had said about Alicia’s biological mother, “the whore.”
The possibility stole my breath. “Oh. Oh my,” I stammered. “Are you…?”
She nodded. “I’m Alicia’s mother.”
25
“I did not see that one coming,” Piss murmured.
“You’re sure?” I asked Marlene.
“DNA tested and everything,” she said with a weak smile as Doc got out of the car and stood behind her. She looked at me expectantly. Waiting.
I didn’t know what she wanted from me. The realization that Alicia was my niece hit me like a kick delivered to the solar plexus. I almost passed out. I wanted to be sick. I swayed weakly.
Griswald wrapped a supportive arm around my shoulders to keep me from falling over. “This is why I couldn’t tell you, Maggie. If you’d known, you would have been too emotional to do the job.”
Marlene was staring at me wide-eyed, still waiting for something.
“So you had me work undercover to help return my own niece to her mother?” I asked slowly, trying to make sure I understood correctly.
“Yes. With the hope that would put you in the position to introduce them,” he elaborated.
I shuddered weakly. Now I knew what Marlene was waiting for. She wanted me to introduce her to Alicia.
“I don’t know my own daughter, Maggie. She doesn’t know me.”
The pain in her voice tore at me and I closed the distance between us to hug her tightly.
“We thought…” she gasped. “We thought…”
“We thought that if you could gain the child’s trust, it would make her transition into the family easier,” Doc supplied.
“That’s why we needed you,” Griswald said from behind me. “You were the only one who could do it.”
“No pressure or anything,” I muttered.
Holding my softly sobbing sister, I turned my head to look at my boss. He’d misled me for the best possible reason and instead of trusting him, I’d turned on him. I was ashamed. “I’m sorry,” I mouthed at him.
He shook his head and mouthed back, “Don’t be.”
“Dry those tears,” I told Marlene with more confidence than I felt. “Let’s do this.” Grabbing her hand, I dragged her along with me toward the barn, not giving either of us a moment to hesitate about what we were going to do.
26
There are a lot of things I screw up, but I’m kind of getting the knack of introducing family members to each other. I’ve done it with Herschel, Ian, and now Alicia.
Instead of being overwhelmed by her newfound family, the little girl seemed to relax, lapping up the extra attention.
While I did my part, Piss darted around filling in the animals about the latest addition.
After getting Alicia settled in the living room with everyone, including Katie, who was exci
ted to have another playmate, I stepped outside to get some fresh air. It had been a long day and I was feeling drained.
“I need your help,” Templeton stage whispered when I’d been outside for just a few seconds.
I turned to find that he was lurking in the shadows.
I let out a tired sigh. “With what?”
“A game,” he began. “The—”
Suddenly, God began singing as loudly as he could to the tune of Ave Maria. “What are you do-oo-ing? Donnnnn’t you know you’re still mic’d up? Griswald can hear every word you say-ay. Have you lawawawst your mind?”
I held up my finger to my lips to silence Templeton, then pointed to my ear and pulled down the neckline of my dress to show him the tip of the listening device. I’m pretty sure I looked slutty and not sexy.
He nodded his understanding. Mimed for me to call him and walked off.
I wanted to rip the mic off, but I was already on shaky ground with the U.S. Marshal and didn’t relish the idea of making things worse by damaging his equipment. I retreated to my bedroom, to remove it with care.
I took the mic and handbag and went in search of someone to give my props to. I found Aunt Susan and Griswald canoodling in the kitchen. I guess a successful undercover mission was an aphrodisiac.
Looking away, I cleared my throat.
“Margaret!” Susan gasped.
Without looking at her, I held out the items I needed to return.
“Keep it,” she murmured. “I could never use it knowing you’d carted a rodent around in it. Why would you ever do such a thing?”
“He’s my emotional support animal,” I drawled drily, turning to face her.
“Right,” God griped from my bra. “Because I’m the equivalent of a rabbit’s foot.”
I took pleasure in the pained look that spread over her face at his squeaking. “I’m going out,” I told them. “I need some space.”
Aunt Susan looked like she was going to protest, but Griswald stepped forward and took her arm. “Understandable, Maggie.”
I gave him a nod of appreciation and walked back out, tossing over my shoulder, “Back to your canoodling.”
Susan, again, gasped with dismay, but Griswald chuckled.
I got into my car and began to drive with no particular destination in mind. God hauled himself up to the dashboard.
“I didn’t know you could sing,” I told him. “That was a good save.”
“That was a great save,” he corrected. “To everyone else it would have sounded like massive interference.”
I glanced at him, wondering if that was his way of admitting he knows that he squeaks.
“You could have gotten yourself and Templeton into a lot of trouble.”
“I know. I have to call him. See what he needs help with.”
“You know it’s going to be the big poker game,” God lectured.
“Probably.”
“What are you going to tell him?”
“I don’t know. It’s not like I can say, ‘Sorry, I’d love to help you, but I’ve got plans at that exact time to walk into a mousetrap.’ What do you think I should tell him?”
“Say you’ll think about it. Buy yourself some time.”
I nodded and dialed Templeton’s number.
“Were you wearing a wire?” he asked the moment he picked up the phone.
“Yup.”
“Why?”
“It had to do with Alicia,” I told him. “You needed something?”
“I need you to play in a poker game,” he said. “Tomorrow night.”
“Where?” I asked, pretending not to know what was going on.
“A car will pick you up.”
“I don’t think so,” I said. “I don’t hustle cards anymore.”
“You have to,” Templeton begged. “You’re a better player than me, and besides, I’m pretty sure my opponent knows my tells. He trounced me in a practice run.”
I could have told him he holds his cards tighter when he really needs something to be dealt, but I didn’t think he needed that kind of information now. Instead, I tried to shore up his confidence. “Maybe the hands were fixed.”
“I know when I’m beaten, and I’m a dead man if I walk into that game.”
I swallowed hard, wondering if he meant that literally. After all, he was working for Delveccio and I’d hate to think what the mob boss might do to him if he couldn’t effectively repay that favor he owed by winning back the stupid Skee-Ball…or whatever it was that was at stake. “I’ll think about it,” I told him. “No promises.”
“Thanks, Maggie,” the relief in his voice was evident. “You’re the best.”
He disconnected the call and I pulled into the nearest parking lot because I thought I might be sick to my stomach. I opened my window and greedily gulped in air. The idea of having to go to battle with the Delveccios to save a member of my family scared the hell out of me.
“Breathe,” God coached. “You’ll figure this out.”
A car skidded to a stop beside mine, scaring me even more. I didn’t even bother to close my door, I just stomped on the gas.
Which didn’t do anything but rev the engine since it was in park.
“You gonna puke?” a familiar voice asked.
I looked up to see Gino, sitting in the other car, watching me with concern. “Maybe,” I admitted.
“What I have to tell you probably isn’t going to help,” he warned.
“Breathe,” God reminded me.
I sucked in air and nodded at Gino, signaling I was ready to hear the new problem.
“It’s about Angel,” he began carefully. “Get in.”
I scooped up God, closed up my car, and made my way to the passenger seat of Gino’s on leaden legs. I might not be a psychic like Armani, but I had a bad feeling about this conversation.
“Templeton wants me to play in his place,” I blurted out before Gino could begin talking.
“Yeah, I know. He told the boss about it this evening.”
“This evening? But I didn’t talk to him about it until just now.”
Gino shrugged. “He probably knew you’d be a soft touch and agree to do it.” He ran an assessing gaze over me. “You really a card shark?”
I shook my head. “I hustled a bit with my dad when I was a kid, that’s it. I haven’t played in a real game in years.”
Gino hung his head. “And the hits just keep on coming.”
I frowned, worried by his defeated posture. “What does that mean?”
He looked up at me. “It means that you, an amateur, are going up against a Great White, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. The odds against you are impossibly high.”
“And they would be?” I prompted.
Gino turned away and glared out the window, obviously upset.
I put a hand on his shoulder. “I’ve pulled off impossible things before.”
He looked at where my hand rested against him. “Don’t do that.”
I snatched my hand back.
He stared into my eyes for a long moment. “You look scared.”
“Yeah, well, you’re freaking me out a little.”
“You should be scared of me.”
I shook my head. “I’m not. I’m just worried about the game.”
He grabbed my chin and held it firmly. “You’re not listening, Maggie. You should be scared of me.”
I gulped nervously. His tone was ominous, his expression serious. Cold fear tickled its way down my back. But I’d been down this road with him before. “Is this one of those times where you’re winding me up to laugh at me again?” I asked hopefully.
He closed his eyes and released my face. He took a deep, shuddering breath. “You’re playing for Angel’s future.”
He let the words hang between us as he leaned back in his seat. He opened his eyes and searched my face, looking to see if I understood his meaning.
I knew then he was trying to warn me. The poker game wasn’t going to just be about en
suring Templeton’s safety. If I didn’t win...
I shivered, more frightened than I’d been in a while.
I swallowed hard. Twice. Then, I raised my chin before asking, “What’s this have to do with Angel?”
Admiration glimmered in Gino’s eyes and he nodded approvingly, seemingly glad I hadn’t collapsed into a puddle at the revelation that our bosses would pit us against each other if I lost the poker game. “The cops want the District Attorney to charge him.”
“With what?” I asked, wondering if this had to do with the heart-stealing fiasco.
“He witnessed a fender bender in a parking lot. Being Mr. White Knight, he couldn’t just mind his own business. He went over to help.”
“It wasn’t at The Corset, was it?” I interjected worriedly.
“What? No,” Gino replied impatiently. “He got into it with the guy who was at fault. Guy happened to be a cop.”
“Whoops,” I muttered.
Gino rolled his eyes. “Now, they’re dangling an assault against a police officer over him. You look at how buff Angel is in comparison to this beat cop and they manage to bring in his family name; there’s not a judge around who won’t gladly lock him up.”
“I’m still not following. What’s the point of the poker game?”
“Taking down the cop, O’Leary. Saving Angel. Saving…” he trailed off.
I knew he meant saving myself.
“O’Leary’s looking to bankroll a bar he wants to open. And he’s a damn good card player from what I understand. He’s putting every dime he has or has been able to beg, borrow, or steal into this game. Betting it all.”
I nodded slowly. “So I’ve got to win it all.”
“Yeah and, just as importantly, it’s got to be Delveccio, or in this case you, wiping him out. Not the D.A.’s guy.”
I let out a tense huff. “But I’m still not following, why does the District Attorney care so much? Why lure Delveccio into the game with the stupid Skee-Ball stunt?”
Gino sighed. “The DA wants to drop the charges against Angel but he can’t do that without pissing off the cops who aren’t on the boss’s payroll. But if O’Leary drops the charges…”
“Because he loses the poker game?” I guessed.
Gino nodded.
“Delveccio gives O’Leary back his money so that he can open his dumbass cop bar. He lets Angel off the hook.”
