Page 51

“Long time. Decades, as far as I know. The Montreal Mafia controls most of the drugs coming into eastern Canada. I’m pretty sure the Bazzinis are based in Halifax.”

Brooklynn sucked in a breath through her teeth.

“I take it that helps,” Jon guessed.

“Yes. Yes, it helps very much.”

“Good. Let me know what else I can do. More importantly… Look, it sounds like what you’re researching is bigger than two people can take on themselves. Why don’t you come up to Coventry—both of you—where we can keep you safe until you get this sorted out? I can help you put your clues together.”

“I’ll bring Brooklynn to you,” Forbes said. “I want to get her out of the middle of this. We’ll leave here first thing in the morning.”

“Perfect. I’ll text my address. Let me know if you want me to meet you halfway.”

She felt like a child being passed between divorced parents. “I’m not leaving until this is over.”

Forbes grunted. “We’ll see.”

A chuckle sounded over the phone. “Good luck with that, man.” Jon sounded amused as he ended the call.

She glared at Forbes. “I’m not leaving.”

“This isn’t up for debate. This is my fight. It was my family that was killed. I’m not having you here to deal with the Canadian Mafia.”

“I’m not… They’re not coming. It’s not them, it’s?—”

“People who are hunting you down.” His voice was too loud in the small space. He lowered it. “It doesn’t matter who they are, small-time or big-time, their bullets will kill either way. It’s not safe. It was selfish of me to bring you here just because I crave your company.”

She refused to be swayed by his kind words. “Nobody knows where I am.”

“For now, but I need to figure out what’s going on, and that means I’m going to have to venture into town and start asking questions, ruffling feathers. As soon as I do that, this house will cease to be a safe haven.”

“But then you’ll be in danger. You can’t do that. You should come with me.”

“I’m not leaving until I know who killed my parents. I’m closer than I’ve ever been.”

“But Jon could help. He obviously knows what he’s doing.”

“I’m close now. You go, work with Jon if you want, but I’m not leaving until I’ve found the murderers.

“Forbes, it’s waited all these years. It can wait a little longer.”

“No.” Gone was his smile. Gone was any trace of the amusement and humor she’d seen since their kiss. The serious, brooding man she’d first met was back. “It has to be now. They could go to ground again. And maybe this time, they’ll never come out.”

The thought of leaving Forbes to deal with this by himself… The thought that someone might hurt him, or kill him, had adrenaline coursing through her veins as if enemies were closing in that very second.

She tried to come up with an argument that would convince him to go to Coventry with her.

Her memory snagged on something he’d told her a few days before.

“What if the anonymous tip that brought you here was intended to get you out into the open? What if…what if that’s exactly what they want, so they can take you out? ”

“Nobody knows I was in the house that night.”

“Your grandmother knew.”

“My grandmother would never?—”

“That detective knew. Maybe he trusted the wrong person. Maybe that person wants to eliminate you.”

The tiny wrinkles around Forbes’s eyes deepened as if he were considering her words, but then his stoic look returned. “It doesn’t matter.”

“It doesn’t matter? How can you say that? We’re talking about your life!”

“We’re talking about justice.”

“So you’d put yourself in danger?—”

“Yes! Anything to find out who killed them.”

The words felt like poison darts. He would get himself killed, and there was nothing she could do to stop him.

She stood to face him, reaching across the desk.

“You can’t save them, Forbes. They’re gone.

I think…I think you’re still trying to redeem that scared little boy, but he doesn’t need redemption.

He didn’t do anything wrong. He didn’t do anything to be ashamed of.

” When Forbes didn’t argue—and his expression gave no indication of what he was thinking—she pressed further.

“Let’s just take what we’ve learned to the state police and let them handle it. ”

He held her eye contact for a long moment, and she braced for an argument, a list of demands.

And then, he blinked. “I’ll think about it. But no matter what, you need to go.”

“Not without?—”

“Please.” The word sounded wrenched from deep inside. He moved around the desk and pulled her against his chest, wrapping her in his arms.

She was stunned by the sudden shift in his mood.

“Please, Brooklynn.” His breath was warm in her ear. “Please go where you’ll be safe. You mean so much to me, and I’ve already lost…so much. I can’t lose you too.”

Tears stung her eyes at all this man had gone through. “If you promise to consider my idea?—”

“I will. Either way, you’ll go to Coventry.” He leaned back so he could see into her eyes. “Okay?”

“Okay.” She wanted to convince him to come with her, but he’d agreed to think about it. For now, that was the best she would get.