Page 16 of Junior Has a Secret
“Why thank you, Tic Tac.I do try.”
“Do I even have a job with Murphy gone now?”
“You work for me.Find out about Roberto.Oh, and Junior is back.I had a note handed off to me at the event.I’ll text you the message.I assume it has something to do with my father, but I can’t be certain.”
“Roberto and Junior.That’s too much at once.Why am I here again?To die?”
“You’re such a drama queen sometimes.I’m the one they want to kill and that works in your favor.”My brow dips.“But to your point, there’s no such thing as a coincidence.Maybe RobertoisJunior.”
“Because a kingpin likes to leave goofy notes here and there and all about?”
“Kingpins are people with stupid ideas, too.See what you can find out about Roberto and Junior.I have to go deal with my brother.”
“That’s why I called.He’s freaking out.He says something happened last night and your father has a broken finger.He wanted me to tell him what’s up.He doesn’t seem to get I know nothing.”
“I’ll handle my brother.You handle everything else.”I start to hang up and then add, “If you run, Tic Tac, I’ll chase you.”
“That’s so very stalkerish of you, Lilah.”
“It’s just love, Tic Tac.It’s love.”
“Why does that feel like hate most days?”
“There’s a fine line between love and hate.”
“Which brings me back to what happened to your father?”
“Later,” I say, and hang up, already back to the coincidence factor.Roberto and Junior are back.At the same time.There has to be a connection.
Chapter Fourteen
I’m halfway through my first cup of coffee when Jay enters the kitchen, holding up his phone.“For the love of all that is right in the world, talk to your brother.I snuck in forty-five minutes ago and he’s called me five times in that precious time I could have been resting.”
I sip my coffee.“Did you answer?”
“No.”
“Problem solved.Don’t.He’ll eventually show up downstairs and we’ll go to breakfast with him.Separately, did you know that if it rains in New York and Texas on the same day there’s a possible correlation?A large storm system could create both events.”
He halts at the island across front of me.“I haven’t slept enough to figure out what you’re saying to me.What does ignoring your brother’s call have to do with Texas and New York?”
I back up and fill a cup for Jay and set it in front of him.“Drink the blank stare away.”
“Thank you,” he says, sipping from his cup without complaint.For some reason, at least half the time, he doesn’t need creamer and sweetener.He’s freaky like that.“I’m not overly witty, wild, or willing today, Lilah,” he points out, as if today is different than other days.“That shit last night was life changing,” he adds.
“Oh really?”I lift my cup.“Kane let you go along for the ride?”I sip.
“No, but I stood downstairs for hours, making sure you didn’t have visitors, but I was certain there would be a drive-by at any minute.That shit was stressful.”
“That shit is life changing and stressful,” I repeat.“Do you even know the words that are coming out of your mouth?No one in the cartel would be stupid enough to do a drive-by here.”
“I figured as much, but Kane isn’t taking any chances with your safety and neither am I.That’s my job as your protector and your friend.Which is why I need to snap out of the tiredness and do my job.Explain Junior to me again.”
“That was a lot of words and a bit of whiplash but I’m not answering.You don’t need to know.I’m back to you being too good a person for the likes of us, Jay.”
“Don’t even start with me, Lilah.I’m too fucking tired.”
Fucking incredible that he’s pushing back and cursing.Maybe he’s hardening, but even as I have the thought, he walks to the fridge, retrieves my sugar cookie creamer and fills half his mug with it.So much for black and bitter.Kane and Kit would not drink sugar cookie creamer but, of course, I do.And it hasn’t stopped me from killing people, I remind myself.