Page 20 of The Woman at the Funeral (Costa Family #11)

“Blair’s been trying to get pregnant since they married. Wanted kids really bad. It never happened. She was devastated, thinking she couldn’t have them. Matt got snipped years ago.”

“Wow,” Emilio said, shaking his head.

“That’s just the tip of the iceberg with the shit he’s put her through. Trust me, she has no loyalty to him.”

“But the money…” Renzo suggested.

“Blair is wealthy in her own right.”

“Not that wealthy.”

“No,” I agreed. “But she’s also been targeted now. Three times.”

“What?” Lorenzo asked, stiffening.

“I wasn’t sure it was all connected until now. She was chased through the North Woods when she took a run. Then her apartment was broken into once before. And then the time with the safe recently.”

“But if she was in control of the documents—” Renzo started.

He was the ruthless boss of the Lombardi family. And sometimes, it was clear how he got that position.

“She wouldn’t have shown them to me,” I said.

No one could argue with that.

“I think we should all take a few minutes to read through as much of this as we can,” Lorenzo said. “Obviously, none of this leaves this house. And I want to know if anything is wrong, if there’s anything he never could have found out just by watching you…”

“You think he could have bugged us? Hacked us?” Miko asked.

“I’m not taking any chances.”

With that, he started in on his pile. So the rest of us followed suit.

We were still reading when I heard footsteps near the doorway.

Turning, I saw Blair standing there with a tray loaded with disposable coffee cups.

I was about to say something, but Zeno clocked her then, jumping up to take the tray from her. “It won’t be as good as your banana bread coffee, but how did you know I needed this?”

“Thanks, Blair,” Lorenzo said, giving her a smile before heading back into his paperwork.

I got up, following Blair back into the kitchen, where Goya was curled up near the back door.

“You okay?” I asked, making her jump and hiss. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you.”

“I’m just jumpy.”

“Understandably. I know that was intense.”

“They were actually a lot nicer than I prepared myself for.”

“They’re good men. A little intense at times, but good.”

“Is this really as bad as they are making it seem?”

“From what I can tell so far, yes. It gives exact details about our schedules so we can be followed and taken out. And it is everyone . Which is the main problem with trying to take on organized crime: it’s like a hydra. But they could, if they were motivated enough, pick us all off in one day.”

“God, Matthew,” she said, deflating. “Just when I think he can’t get any worse. I mean… how could he do that to you? You’ve done everything for him.”

“I’m more disgusted that he is willing to go after our children and women. That’s fucking evil.”

“Can you keep them safe?”

“It’s a little easier since it’s summer,” I told her. “We can kind of put them on lockdown. Or, if it gets that serious, we could send them away.”

“Away where?”

“Good question.”

I didn’t have an answer. I knew we had some safe houses.

But no safe house would be safe enough for the women and kids without guards.

I could see the husbands and fathers possibly shipping their kids off to allies.

Other Families—like the Morellis of Staten Island, the D’Onofrios of Queens.

Even maybe the Families in upstate New York or the Grassis in New Jersey.

We had places.

We had people.

It would just take a lot of finagling and a lot of grumbling on the parts of the women and kids.

“You sure you’re alright?” I asked as her hand went to her locket, her finger slipping across it.

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “But I’m okay for the moment. Don’t let me keep you from your… meeting.”

“Okay. Thanks for the coffee, honey. Oh, and Brio said you can keep the dog if you want.”

I managed to catch her glance toward the dog, the affection and hope, before I made my way back to the dining room.

Everyone was finishing up with their pages, and Lorenzo was talking in low tones to Emilio.

“She alright?”

“Processing, I think. She didn’t even know I was in the Family until today. It’s a lot.”

“Then we drag her in here like an interrogation,” Emilio said, looking regretful.

“She’s tough. She’ll be alright.”

“You said she was chased. Did she see the guy? Did he say anything?”

“No. He was average height and weight with a baseball cap shading his face. He grabbed her when she tripped, and she kicked him and got away. I was trying to convince myself it was random crime. But with all this, I’m not sure anymore.”

“Okay. In that case, what are your plans for her?” Lorenzo asked.

“My plans?”

“We’re all taking responsibility for our women,” he explained. “Some are heading out. Some are locking down. You need a plan for her.”

“She’s not…”

“Oh, come on,” Leo said, shaking his head.

“If you won’t take care of her, I can have her—” Zeno started.

“What? Come over and clean your place?” Leo shot back. “Nico will take care of her.”

“Yeah,” I agreed, feeling my heart swell. “I’ll take care of her.”

“Good. That’s settled. Now, it goes without saying that everyone needs to alter their schedules.

Take different routes. Be places at different times.

It’s also time to shore up security. Get your systems and alarms locked down tight.

Make sure your weapons are accessible. And that your women know how and are willing to use them, if they’re staying.

If you’ve been thinking about getting a dog, now’s the time.

This is all temporary. We are going to figure out if any of this has leaked. If not, this will all be destroyed.”

There were some questions then, discussions about whose women and kids were going where.

Then, eventually, everyone was antsy to get home to get to work on their protection plans.

Zeno hung back to get some instructions from Lorenzo.

“Can you do me a favor?” I asked Leo as he made his way toward the door.

“Keep an eye on Zen?”

“Fucking read my mind. I know he is capable of taking care of shit if it comes to that. I’m just worried that he won’t follow through on security because he gets distracted. Plus, that fucking nightclub is so loud, it could hide any noises.”

“I got him. Don’t worry about it. Ready?” he asked, looking past me to where Zeno was walking out.

“You coming with me?”

“I’m gonna shore your place up while you work.”

“Oh, cool. Cool. Tell the pretty lady I want to buy some of that syrup from her,” he told me on his way out.

I made my way back to the kitchen, finding Blair sitting at the table, leaned over to pet Goya’s belly.

“Sounds like things are dying down out there.”

“Yeah, everyone wants to get going to get their security plans in place.”

“Right. Okay. Well, that’s probably smart. I’m glad I have my system in place.”

“That’s the thing.”

“What’s the thing?” she asked, sitting back.

“We can’t go back to our homes.”

“Wait… what? Why? Where are we going?”

“So far, you’re the only one in confirmed danger. And as much as your place does have good security now, that doesn’t mean someone couldn’t get in if they wanted to.”

“Oh, right. I mean, of course. Should I go stay at a hotel?”

“I was thinking of taking you to my safe house.”

“You have a safe house?”

“The Family has a lot of them, actually. But my brothers and I have one we each chipped in for, just in case. No one has needed to use it yet. But it’s there, waiting.”

“For how long?”

“Hopefully just a few days. It will depend on what Zeno uncovers.”

“Can I work from there?”

“That’s something I’ll have to ask Zen. Tracking and shit like that.”

“Okay. Can I get some things at home first?”

“Of course. Gav is gonna give us a ride and keep watch while we’re inside. Then we’re taking a cab to the safe house.”

“Okay. I should probably get Goya back to Brio.”

“Uh, Brio left.”

“He left? What do you mean?”

“Brio has a way of… giving pets to people. He has a knack for it.”

“So… he’s mine now?”

“Well, for the night for sure. But yeah, for longer, if you want him.”

“Well, we’re going to have to get you some things, huh, buddy?” she asked, making Goya’s fluffy tail swish across the floor. “We can do that, right?”

“Might be best to place an order now,” I suggested. “Get it dropped off at our building before we head to the safe house. I don’t remember how close a pet store is.”

“I can do that,” she said, reaching for her phone.

“I’ll take him out back for a few,” I offered, reaching for Goya’s leash.

“Thanks,” she said, already distracted by the options.

Half an hour later, we were back at her place after quickly stopping at mine to pack a bag.

“Might as well get used to it here,” I told Goya as Blair rushed around to pack her things. “She’s already in love with you. You lucky fuck.”

“Okay. Um. I know it’s a lot. But I just… I didn’t know what I would need,” Blair said, coming out with a large rolling suitcase with another bag attached to the bag. And a weekender bag on her shoulder.

“Seems like a reasonable amount.”

“Should I worry about the food in my fridge?”

“If we’re away longer than expected, I can pop back and clean it out. You should grab your syrup, though.”

“Oh, good idea,” she said, grabbing the syrup, sticking it in a plastic bag, then shoving it into her weekender.

“You ready?”

“To go hide out in a safe house because criminals might want to kill me?” she asked, shaking her head. “Yeah, of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”

It wasn’t until we had all our shit shoved into a taxi trunk and were both sitting on either side of Goya in the backseat that I finally realized what was about to happen.

I was about to be in a small apartment with Blair.

For days on end.

With little to no privacy.

And my slippery grip on my self-control.

I couldn’t tell if I was worried, or fucking over the moon, about that.