Page 26 of His Lair

“Nothing,” Carlo says. “I’m not sure I really want to. It’s not like I’m going to give her back.”

“Every child deserves a mother,” I remind him.

“Not one who leaves them in a fucking casino with a complete stranger,” he grunts. Jazzy was left with a note claiming that she was Carlo’s daughter. He has no idea who her mother is, though.

My phone buzzes in my pocket. I pull it out and see a message from one of our soldiers.

George: Found him. He’s Marciano’s guy.

Me: Chain him up like the fucking dog he is.

“They found him. Marciano’s man,” I tell Carlo.

“Marciano? What the fuck is that old fucker up to?” he curses under his breath.

“No idea.” I shrug before standing and making my way towards the door. “I’ll catch you later. I’m going to go see Louie.”

When I get to the hospital, Emmanuel is seated on one of the plastic chairs in the waiting room. “You moving to town or something?” I ask him.

“Or something,” he answers.

“We found the shooter. Marciano’s man,” I grunt as I lower myself into the empty chair beside him.

“Good. Gut him like the snake he is.”

“He in there?” I nod towards Charlotte’s hospital room.

“Yeah.” E glances up before returning his attention to his phone screen.

“Good chat,” I tell him and head to the door, knocking once then opening it. “Bossman, you got a minute?”

“Yeah.” Louie looks like absolute shit. Then again, his wife did just get shot.

“We got him in the basement.”

“Keep him there. I can’t leave until she’s released,” he says.

“Will do.” I nod.

Louie’s gaze falls on to Emmanuel. “Do me a favor. Keep an eye on him. I think Evie has thrown him for a loop and I don’t know what he’s going to do.”

“She does look eerily like her.” I stare through the window at Charlotte’s friend. “I mean, it’s got to be like looking at a ghost. Unless…”

No, she couldn’t be.I shake my head.

“Unless what?”

“You think she’s her?” I ask. We all thought Emmanuel had killed his childhood girlfriend. She disappeared one day, neverto be found again. And whenever anyone brings her up, the crazy fucker starts swinging.

“She’s not Laura,” Louie says, keeping his voice low. “Evie has been friends with Charlotte since they were kids.”

“Right, doppelgänger then.” I shrug. “I’m heading home. You need anything?”

“Nah, I’m good,” Louie replies as he pushes back into the hospital room.

“How’s your girl?” Emmanuel asks when I approach him again.

“I don’t have a girl,” I tell him.