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“I heard what’s going on from Royce,” Reid says. “I’m coming to your place, and Gabe’s with me.”
“See you there,” I say and disconnect.
“Your brothers are on their way.”
“I swear those two haven’t been so attentive since I was a child.”
I squeeze her leg, aware that talking about her family stirs emotions over her brothers being assholes over her career, following a path they didn’t approve of. At least not at the time. I believe they’ve come around but not without a lot of damage to their relationships with Cat. Her phone rings and she talks with Lauren, and then Lori, just as Cole calls me for an update. Both Lori and Cole are out of the mix, dealing with a crisis with a client, but they want to be here for us. That’s what matters.
A few minutes later, we enter the apartment and we’ve barely had time to set our things down when Royce, Reid, and Gabe, join us, while Savage also sticks around. There are so many of us that we meet in the front living room. “This guy’s been following Cat for weeks?” Reid demands. “What the fuck. Where is he now?”
“We have eyes on him,” Royce says. “He’s hiding from his bookie in a Motel Six in Queens. He’s on leave from his job. He’s not going anywhere we don’t go with him.”
“I don’t like this,” Reid says, showing the most emotion I’ve seen that man show in all the years I’ve been around him. “And Debbie hasn’t returned my call and yet she called Reese and threatened him this morning.”
“This guy needs to be ended,” Gabe says, which is a very out of character statement for him, at least where I’m concerned, too. He looks at me. “Are you going to the police?”
“No,” Cat says. “That presses Debbie to talk which is fine, but I want us to try to negotiate out of this in the next few days.”
“I’m going to give my guy at the Feds a heads up,” Royce says. “This is blackmail and it falls under their umbrella and with Wilson’s gambling debt to a nasty bookie, with strong ties to a crime organization, that makes them all the more interested. I’ll let him know we’re concerned about the press. He will likely want to talk to all of you.” He looks at me and Cat. “Unless you two object.”
I eye Cat. “I think it’s smart.”
“Me too,” she says.
“Who’s the bookie?” Gabe asks. “I might have an insider who can give us something on this guy.”
“Guy’s name is Dimps McCoy,” Royce says.
“Negotiate,” Reid grumbles. “I’ll negotiate all right.” He starts walking toward the door and Cat races after him, planting herself in front of him, and Gabe and I both take up either side of them.
“What does that mean, Reid?” Cat demands.
“Don’t worry, little sis, I’m at my best when I’m angry and I might have hurt you, but no one else is going to.”
“Reid,” I say. “Can I see you alone?”
“No,” Reid says. “I need air. And for everyone to back up.”
Gabe backs away and Reid steps around him, and the interesting part of this is that Gabe says nothing. He just follows him toward the door.
Cat turns to me. “What are they going to do?”
“They?”
“Don’t let Gabe fool you. He is just like Reid, just as dangerous, aside from one hiding behind stone and the other behind humor.”
“They’re your brothers. As your husband, I know how easy it is to react to this, and want to hurt someone. Give them time to calm down and they’ll be back.”
“I hope you’re right. These are my brothers, Reese. They aren’t you.”
“I’ll handle it, Cat. I promise.” I kiss her. “Let’s finish up with Royce and we’ll figure it out. Okay?”
“Yes. Okay.”
My cellphone rings and it’s an insider I use at the jail. “Martha says she has information she’ll trade for immunity, but she wants to talk to you.”
“I’ll be right there.” I hang up and talk to the entire room. “Martha wants to make a deal but she’ll only talk to me.”
