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“I’ve got a great view right now. Crisp air, high in the hills. Couldn’t be nicer.”
“Good, because CJ is worried about your girl.” I get my ass moving at his words. “Della is depressed, she says.”
“I just spoke to Carter; he said the same thing.” The fact that my brother is telling me and not his wife, is worrying. “I’m on my way home soon. Got some more sightseeing to do first.” We won’t speak about the realities of the job over the phone, so I’m counting on him to read between the lines.
Malice never disappoints. “The sights will be there another time; this could be urgent.”
“I suppose Johnny and Nico will have to take more pictures for me.” Mal snorts. “Can you get to her today? I can’t leave until tomorrow at the earliest.” Code for: I need this taken care of before I come home. Della needs this taken care of.
“Yeah, we got her.” He hangs up before I can thank him. After hiking back down to my rental, I head towards where the boys' location appears stationary. A quick search of Google Maps shows them at a hospital.
Sean is visiting his son.
I’m shocked that he’s in a public health center rather than private or at home. With Smith’s wealth, he can afford whatever treatment his son needs wherever he wants it, which makes me wonder if his son isn’t worse off than what I’ve discovered or if there’s a rift in the family.
Driving through the city, I realize this is a place I’d love to bring Della. I think she’d like it here. Spotting the hospital sign ahead, I turn in to find my friends sitting in the ambulance bay, speaking to someone who appears to be a female nurse.
Parking alongside them, I get out, and Nico says, “Holy Sinclair, this is Nurse Camilla, and she was just explaining what’s going on with Tommy Smith.”
“Oh, yeah. How is our little friend?” I give her a charming smile to ease the stress around her eyes.
“He has an aggressive form of pancreatic cancer. I don’t see him leaving this hospital unless it’s in a body bag or there’s been some sort of miracle.” As I suspected.
“How long’s he been here?” I ask.
“I really shouldn’t be telling you guys this.” She bites her lip.
“Darling, he’s about to get everything he deserves for the women he’s hurt. Trust us, we aren’t about to snitch on you.” Nico’s charm surprises me, given how he’s been pining away for CJ Cavanaugh the last couple of years.
The nurse sighs and nods her head. “About six months.”
“Thanks, Camilla.” Pulling out my wallet, I hand her a few hundred-dollar bills, and when I realize she’s about to deny me, I stuff them in her pocket and spin her around with a little push, then I point at Nico and warn, “CJ finds you flirting like that, and she’s liable to bite your damn head off.”
“I bite back,” he grumbles with a deep-set frown. I know he’s already thinking of how pissed she’ll be despite the fact he doesn’t believe he’s worthy of the headstrong woman.
“Let's go see a man about a pancreas, shall we?” They share a look before following me inside the hospital and up to Tommy Smith’s floor. A stop at the nurses’ station points the way to his room, where I see Sean sitting next to the young man’s bed, head bent and mouth mumbling. Likely a prayer. “Wait out here,” I request.
Entering the room, I quietly close the door before drawing the curtain shut across the small window. “Sean Smith.” The gangster's head pops up, and he’s immediately pissed. Welcome to the fucking club, buddy. “Don’t,” I warn when he’s about to reach for his side, where I’m sure he’s got a gun waiting to put a bullet in my gut. “You won’t be faster.” Tapping my own against my thigh, I wait until he drops his hand.
“What the hell do you want?” He’s done well hiding his Irish accent, but I still detect it.
“Della O’Neill.” He freezes at her name. “You keep bugging Carter for her, and I can’t have that.”
“Who are you, the muscle?” His eyes wander down my body in assessment, and a corner of his mouth lifts with amusement. “I could kill you with my bare hands.”
“Name’s Holy Sinclair, and no, I’m not the hired muscle, I’m Della’s man.” I watch him swallow slowly as he absorbs my words.
“Jermaine’s boy?” I nod briefly. He curses under his breath.
“Now that we know who we are, how about we talk business.” He eyes me with caution as I pull up the available chair to the end of Tommy’s bed. “Since Tommy here isn’t going anywhere but to hell, I think it’s time you stop harassing Carter about my girl. In fact, I think it’s high time you forget she ever existed.”
“She can fucking heal him,” Sean seethes.
“No, she can’t. I’m not certain where you heard this information from, but Della has no such ability to heal a person.” He scoffs. My jovial mood drops, and I allow the deadly intent I have for his son to enter my voice and reflect in my eyes. “Sean, I am warning you this one time. If there is any kind of contact with Della and Carter after I leave here, not only will I come back and dispose of you and your son, but I’ll also go to Ireland. The castle in Kilkenny won’t survive my wrath.”
His jaw drops, and probably for the first time in his life, he can’t respond with another threat. “You wouldn’t kill children.” The horror in his tone relays that he believes I will, and that’s all I need.
“Test me, Sean.” Getting to my feet, I holster my gun at my back and fix my shirt to cover it. “I suggest you spend what time you have left with Tommy and then go home. You’re done with the O’Neill’s and Boston.”
