Page 82 of Liberating Lily

“Jeez, brother, your game must be off if she has to ask whether you’re threatening her.”

“Seems that it is,” Harvey agreed. “I thought it was pretty clear that that was a threat.”

“Be a shame to lose that skill. You should try again. Practice makes perfect.”

“Indeed it does,” Harvey agreed. “Here it is again. I know what you did to Lily. I’m not just talking about the drugs. I’m talking about the way that you treated her. The way you talked to her. Hell. I’ve heard the way you talk to Clem. It’s disgusting. You’re a disgusting human being, and you are going to pay. Going to jail isn’t going to be enough. I want you to suffer. And the only way to make things easier for yourself right now is to tell me why you did it.”

For a moment, he thought she was going to cave. Her mouth was trembling, and he could see that she was breathing quickly.

Unfortunately, she rallied. “Get out now.” She pointed to the door, her finger shaking, and he wished he could pressure her into talking, but they’d taken it as far as they could at the moment.

So, he just smiled and nodded. “We’re going, but you can be assured that we will be back.”

Paddy was whistling as he followed him out, and they headed toward their cars.

“What did you think?” he asked Paddy.

“Desperate, isn’t she?”

“Yes, that’s what I thought too. Her messages to Lily have become increasingly irate and desperate.”

“I think she’s nervous as hell because she’s guilty. Everything that came out of her mouth was a lie. She definitely knew about the drugs that were given to Lily.”

That’s exactly what he’d thought too.

Unfortunately, though, they still didn’t have any straight answers from her or the doctor.

“Who are you going to talk to next? Rick the Dick?” Paddy asked.

That was the logical choice.

“Yeah, and I think I know where to find him at this time of day.”

They entered the country club. The man at the front desk nodded at Harvey.

“Mr. Harvey Gallagher, Mr. Paddy Gallagher, good to see you again. If you’re looking for your brother, I can track him down for you.”

Shit.

Ronan was here?

Not ideal, but they’d just have to do their best to avoid him.

“No thanks, Jeremy. We’re just going to go get a bite to eat. Tell me, have you seen Rick Sampson?” Harvey asked.

Jeremy’s face grew blank, a sure sign that he was trying to hide what he really thought of Rick. “Certainly. I think Mr. Sampson is on the terrace, enjoying lunch.”

“Thanks, Jeremy,” Harvey said, handing him a few bills while Paddy gave him a two-fingered salute.

They headed out to the terrace, walking out to find Rick with several of his friends. He said something to the waitress, and she shied back while he laughed loudly.

This prick, as his grandfather would say.

Rick didn’t even look their way. Could he not sense them walking toward him? The menace that they felt for him? This guy really had no sense of self-preservation, did he?

He had no idea that he was teetering close to the edge of total destruction.

And that all he needed was a slight push to fall over that cliff.