JARED-1(Lane Brothers, Book 4)(24)
I take the plate with a huff and eat while he starts talking about the Hayeses and their weird lifestyle.
“They go to Dewey’s every Monday and Thursday and eat dinner with a man named Clyde Rydell, a friend of Andrew Huley’s.
“I’ll kill them.”
“Wait, there’s more. This Andrew guy has a brother, a cop, and it seems to me that he has something on them, because the last time they met I swear I saw old man Hayes piss his pants clear through his socks.”
“Yeah? You get any audio?”
“Nah. They met at the Hayeses’ house and I haven’t gotten in there yet to lay some ears but I will. Bronx is also following that Ronny chick, but from what I can see she’s been staying close to home. Bronx is all sorts of worked up because she seems scared or something, he says.”
That surprises me and I make a note to send Bronx in once he’s done with Pop and the boys.
“Rydell.”
That perks Case up and I smile at the excitement I see there. The man has had too much downtime lately and looks almost depressed at not being out in the field, so I reckon giving him a job might be a real favor at this point.
“Yeah?”
My smile increases and I feel my heartbeat pick up when I look over to see Paulie standing in the doorway watching us.
“Leave Clyde Rydell alone, Jared Lane. I need him alive for what I have planned, baby,” she says, marching over to sit in my lap. “Oh hi! I’m Paulie.”
Case grins and takes her hand at the sweet greeting, almost losing his life when he bends to kiss her hand and throws her a wink.
“Please tell me you’re single, gorgeous.” That gets a giggle and I growl, shoving him away with a scowl.
“She’s taken, idiot. Get your own girl.”
Case just grins and I look down at her with a frown.
“You got no plans for Rydell, Cupcake.”
Her nose scrunches up and she looks at me darkly.
“I beg to differ. See, I haven’t been syphoning off information for months only to lose my in when this all goes pear shaped on me.”
“Explain.”
Paulie smiles and accepts a glass of juice from Ma before looking up at me with a smile.
“You ready to hear it now, tough guy?”
“Paulette.”
“Fine, no jokes. Let’s see,” she says, tapping her chin contemplatively. “I got caught and had the hell beat out of me because I’ve been trying to collect evidence. I asked the wrong questions at the wrong time, it seems, and Cleo got suspicious. Cue me and this little concoction my brother-in-law made for me.”
Her smile is so smug, I feel my heart stop at the implications.
“You poisoned Cleo?”
She huffs and purses her lips.
“Not poisoned, just gave her a little vacation is all. I thought that if I could just get her out of the picture before she could bust me, I may have a chance, but it turns out she called Clyde before I got to her and my cover was blown,” she gripes, rolling her eyes.
“I hate Cleo, so much it burns my ass, but I would never kill another person, Jared. She’s just resting at the moment, and should wake up once the toxin is flushed out completely. Although I cannot promise she’ll be normal again, if she ever was.”
My head is spinning and I’m shocked and a little horrified, to tell the truth.
“What happened to my sweet, innocent Paulie?”
Her face goes hard and I see a side of my woman that I have never seen before.
“She took a vacation when those sick assholes threatened to kill her nephew and violate her sister.”
Case is laughing his ass off at my shock and Ma seems to have a permanent smile spread across her face as she rushes over to kiss Paulie and hug her to death.
“Evidence?” I push when Ma finally lets go and takes a seat beside Case.
Cupcake grins and bites her lip.
“Under my bed just beneath the floorboards closest to the wall. It’s got a few names and proof that the Patriots are planning an attack at one of the country’s biggest music festivals. We have time but we need to start moving if we want to stop them before those idiots start a race war.”
“I always wanted to see your bed, baby.”
Paulie wiggles closer and purrs against my lips, her own smile a thousand watts bright.
“You show me yours first, and I’ll show you mine.”
Any day, any time, I think, kissing her deeply as Ma and Case stand and leave to give us privacy.
“You have a checkup later in the afternoon,” I say, pushing her back when the need to plunder becomes too strong.
I need her to have the all clear before I unleash on her little body, and by God I can keep myself in check for a few more hours if it kills me.
She groans and wiggles closer, resting her head against my chest as I hold her against me.