drug-dealing college boy murderer.”
“That about covers it.”
“Did the girlfriend know?”
“She denies that she did.”
“She just sent him after her pussy.”
Fitz nodded, fought a smile. Then he looked over at Cady and that hint of a smile faded away. He didn’t have to fight it anymore.
King followed the direction of the other man’s gaze, seeing his stowaway in a whole new light, one that left him fighting an uncomfortable emotional battle of his own.
She’d been minding her own business when one wrong road taken, one bad decision made, had put her on a collision course with another man’s crime.
Her life had been turned upside down, the direction of her future taken out of her hands. An innocent, she’d been sentenced to eight years of looking over her shoulder.
The only difference between their situations was that he’d spent his time behind bars, a guest of the State of Louisiana, one who should never have been locked up at all.
He’d long since quit believing punishments ever fit the crime. Tuzzi should’ve been strung up by his balls.
“So, Tuzzi and his bunch take a trip to New Jersey to recover this cat. Combs is first through the door, itchy to get back his product, and bites it.”
“Best we can make out, Kevin Kowalski was sleeping on the couch in the living room when Combs busted the pane out of the front door’s window.”
“He woke. They fought. He won that round, lost the next.”
“Tuzzi wasn’t leaving without the cat. Even if that meant going through Kowalski.”
“What a fucked-up mess.”
“That’s putting it mildly.”
“So rather than blaming Cady’s friend who stole the statue in the first place, he decides to make Cady’s life a living hell because her brother thwarted the recovery.” King paused as another thought began to form. “Tuzzi was put away for the murder, but he didn’t go down for the drugs?”
“If I’d been involved then, he would have.”
“That’s what you want to happen now, isn’t it? You don’t care about what’s happening to Cady. You’re only here because she hit that radar, and you need her.” King didn’t even bother to tone down the accusation. It was all cards on the table or nothing.
Fitz responded just as bluntly. “It’s what I do. It’s how I work.”
And King had always thought himself cold. “What do you want with her? Besides to make her life even more miserable than it already is?”
“I don’t want to make her miserable. I do want her to let Malling follow her, and do whatever it is Tuzzi wants. That flow of information will get me to the drugs.”
King laughed so hard and so loud that Cady got up from where she was sitting and made her way back across the room. She took her seat again at King’s side and asked, “What’s so funny?”
King did his best to knock the snot out of the other man with nothing but a poisonous look. “Fitzwilliam here was just explaining how he wants to put you in a world of danger so he can get him some Tuzzi.”
But it was King who was poleaxed when Cady said, “If it’ll make this nightmare go away, I’m in.”
Fifteen
“O ne room?” Cady asked, when King offered her the single card key to open the door. Not that she minded sharing again. In fact, being alone was the last thing she wanted.
And since her choices for company were limited—King on one hand, an anonymous afternoon crowd at a suburban shopping mall or city park or business district on the other, she preferred sticking with who she knew.
King would keep her safe.
“I can get Fitz to pony up for another,” he said, taking a step in reverse, his expression torn, as if he didn’t want to let her out of his sight, but neither did he want to be more of a burden than a help.
She shook her head, took the key, and opened the door. “This will be fine.”
It would be more than fine. She wouldn’t have it any other way—but that she kept to herself. Just as she did her plans for spending the
“That about covers it.”
“Did the girlfriend know?”
“She denies that she did.”
“She just sent him after her pussy.”
Fitz nodded, fought a smile. Then he looked over at Cady and that hint of a smile faded away. He didn’t have to fight it anymore.
King followed the direction of the other man’s gaze, seeing his stowaway in a whole new light, one that left him fighting an uncomfortable emotional battle of his own.
She’d been minding her own business when one wrong road taken, one bad decision made, had put her on a collision course with another man’s crime.
Her life had been turned upside down, the direction of her future taken out of her hands. An innocent, she’d been sentenced to eight years of looking over her shoulder.
The only difference between their situations was that he’d spent his time behind bars, a guest of the State of Louisiana, one who should never have been locked up at all.
He’d long since quit believing punishments ever fit the crime. Tuzzi should’ve been strung up by his balls.
“So, Tuzzi and his bunch take a trip to New Jersey to recover this cat. Combs is first through the door, itchy to get back his product, and bites it.”
“Best we can make out, Kevin Kowalski was sleeping on the couch in the living room when Combs busted the pane out of the front door’s window.”
“He woke. They fought. He won that round, lost the next.”
“Tuzzi wasn’t leaving without the cat. Even if that meant going through Kowalski.”
“What a fucked-up mess.”
“That’s putting it mildly.”
“So rather than blaming Cady’s friend who stole the statue in the first place, he decides to make Cady’s life a living hell because her brother thwarted the recovery.” King paused as another thought began to form. “Tuzzi was put away for the murder, but he didn’t go down for the drugs?”
“If I’d been involved then, he would have.”
“That’s what you want to happen now, isn’t it? You don’t care about what’s happening to Cady. You’re only here because she hit that radar, and you need her.” King didn’t even bother to tone down the accusation. It was all cards on the table or nothing.
Fitz responded just as bluntly. “It’s what I do. It’s how I work.”
And King had always thought himself cold. “What do you want with her? Besides to make her life even more miserable than it already is?”
“I don’t want to make her miserable. I do want her to let Malling follow her, and do whatever it is Tuzzi wants. That flow of information will get me to the drugs.”
King laughed so hard and so loud that Cady got up from where she was sitting and made her way back across the room. She took her seat again at King’s side and asked, “What’s so funny?”
King did his best to knock the snot out of the other man with nothing but a poisonous look. “Fitzwilliam here was just explaining how he wants to put you in a world of danger so he can get him some Tuzzi.”
But it was King who was poleaxed when Cady said, “If it’ll make this nightmare go away, I’m in.”
Fifteen
“O ne room?” Cady asked, when King offered her the single card key to open the door. Not that she minded sharing again. In fact, being alone was the last thing she wanted.
And since her choices for company were limited—King on one hand, an anonymous afternoon crowd at a suburban shopping mall or city park or business district on the other, she preferred sticking with who she knew.
King would keep her safe.
“I can get Fitz to pony up for another,” he said, taking a step in reverse, his expression torn, as if he didn’t want to let her out of his sight, but neither did he want to be more of a burden than a help.
She shook her head, took the key, and opened the door. “This will be fine.”
It would be more than fine. She wouldn’t have it any other way—but that she kept to herself. Just as she did her plans for spending the
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