Return to Poughkeepsie (10 page)

While setting up security for her father, Eve had tapped Midian, a little spitfire down at the courthouse, for some inside info. Mouse had trusted her, and she had ways of finding every slippery bastard in the business. Shark was an easy find for the woman, and turns out Mr. Dax Aaron was not the most trustworthy. Shocking. He seemed to have worked a little bit for everyone, with no real loyalty anywhere. With Midian’s help, it was all coming back to her now. She’d never done business with him without Mouse, but now she didn’t have much of a choice. This whole situation sucked.

Leaving the car running, Eve got out and left her door open. She wasn’t even armed—well, not with weapons anyway. Her father’s condition had rattled her, and she had to acknowledge it. Brutal honesty was the only way to live through this encounter.

“Evening, ma’am.” Shark gave her an I’ve-got-you-where-I-want-you shit-eating grin.

She didn’t look at him. Watching the choppy Hudson River, she waited until her silence became awkward for him.

“You called me, in case you don’t remember.” Shark leaned against the low brick wall by the boat launch.

“Why are the Vitullos in Poughkeepsie?” She still wouldn’t look at him.

“I think we need a little tit for tat. Last I checked I sought you out. Now I’m here at your beck and call. What have you done for me lately?” He pushed away from the wall and approached her.

Every nerve in her body sprang to high alert, and she monitored him using only her peripheral vision and hearing.

He wrapped her ponytail around his fist, leaning close to her ear. “I’m never opposed to sexual favors as payment.”

“I’m too exhausted to kick your ass. Drop my hair. You know better.” Eve waited for him to release it.

“Maybe you’ve gotten soft these last few years. I might want to try my luck.” He turned her head with her hair so she looked him full in his handsome face.

As soon as her gaze was level with his, she replied. “I think Mackenzie is a beautiful name. Ten is such a fun age.”

Shark let go of her hair like he’d been burned. His eyes widened before his stare sharpened. “Bitch.”

Eve just shrugged and resumed looking at the river like she hadn’t just threatened to kill this man’s little girl. He couldn’t know she’d never hurt a kid—never in a million years. But her stop at the storage unit where Mouse had kept some encoded files had given Eve the edge she needed on this particular contact, once she had his real name.

Shark prided himself on his anonymity. He wanted you off guard. If he appeared in your bedroom, he wanted you scared shitless and not sure if he was hired to kill you or help you. How Mouse had found that tidbit about Mackenzie, Eve didn’t know, but it had worked.

“You tell me what I want to know and what you need me for. I don’t have time to see how much bigger my dick is than yours.” Eve pulled out her phone and saw an update from the security she’d hired for her dad’s hospital room door. He was doing fine, sleeping.

“All right. The Vitullos are in weapons, and they’ve been based in New York for years. My job is from Mary Ellen, the daughter, which is new. She seems to have big plans for this area, maybe wants to squeeze out some other players. She’s gathering info at this point—the hard way when she has to. Apparently it’s personal. That’s all I know.” Shark seemed on edge now, lighting up a cigarette with a fidgety hand.

“And from me you need…?” She pulled his smoke from his fingers and tossed it in the river. It barely sizzled before floating.

“Well, Sunday night they’re having an audition for new girls. I need one of them to know this same information I’m giving you.” Shark pulled another smoke out and lit it, this time keeping it far away from Eve.

She nodded.

“They want classy chicks. Ones that don’t actually slut it up.” He took a quick drag from the side of his mouth. “You’ve got four days to get ready.”

Eve raised her eyebrows. “That’s it?”

“Yeah. That’s it.” He pulled out a twenty with an address written on it.

“Eight o’clock is the time. Dress sharp. Your name is still January. Find Micki and tell her everything I just told you.” He used his lighter to ignite the bill.

“I never said I wanted to get into a weapons ring.” Eve watched as her breath turned to mist.

“You want to be there. Trust me.” Shark headed for his car.

“I don’t trust anyone. Give Micki the message yourself.” Eve turned toward her car as well.

He stopped her door from closing, and she allowed it. He looked panicked. “They’re looking for Beckett.”

She gave him a look that clearly said she didn’t care. “Killed him. Doesn’t matter.”

“They’re looking for anyone with the same tattoo he had.” Shark gave her a knowing look before slamming her door shut.

She waited until he’d pulled away before pounding her steering wheel. “Shit!”

She’d be damned if anyone was going to punish the people she considered family. Shark knew about the brothers, and this Vitullo woman knew about the brothers. Granted, they weren’t the biggest damn secret, but why now, after five years? She’d hoped they were long off the radar. And that no one would fuck with Beckett. Ever.

7

Nourishment

B
LAKE
L
IKED
T
HE
C
RUNCH
O
F
F
RESH
S
NOW
under his boots, and little clouds of his breath led the way. The trees were barren fingers pointing at the gray sky. He could smell more snow in the February air.
Perfect.
And she was with him, so snow or no snow, the afternoon was a grace. A blessing.

Emme stuck her mittened hand in his big warm one with barely a glance. Instinct, maybe. She liked to hum while she walked, but she did it quietly, barely alerting the wildlife. Blake liked to tease her that she was like Snow White, just to watch her stomp her foot.
“Daddy, that princess was a wuss,”
she’d say
. “I woulda fought that bad witch. And you don’t take food from strangers. Everybody knows that.”
Walking in the wintery woods with his daughter was a simple pleasure. He loved to hear what she said in the quiet, just him and her.

“Wait, baby, let’s sit for a minute.” He took another glance at the sky. It was just about time, if he was gauging correctly. She climbed into his lap, and he wrapped his arms around her middle, loving this puffed up, dressed-for-cold-weather version of his little girl.

“I’m not a baby. I’m a big girl, Daddy.” She rested her hooded head under his chin.

Blake wanted to protest. He wanted to show her he could still toss her high to hear her laugh. But he respected her independence. “Of course. You’re huge. Gigantic. You, little girl, are a giant.”

Emme’s laugh finally did scare a skinny squirrel, sending it scampering up the trunk of a nearby oak.

“Daddy, why does Kellan cry so much?” She tilted her head back so her solemn green eyes could watch his face while he answered her.

Stunning. She was absolutely breathtaking. Blake gave her the smile he’d felt on his face since the first time he held her. He had expected to be nervous. He had anticipated all the fears he’d have as a new father. But as the nurse laid a freshly wrapped Emme in his arms, the world connected to his heart. Her tiny baby face had soothed him. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her.
“Hello, little girl. Welcome to the world. I’ve been waiting for you.”
Livia gently teased him because Emme had wrapped herself so quickly around his soul.

“Kellan cries because he’s brand new. You cried just as much, and maybe a little more.” He kissed the soft skin of her forehead. She smelled like angel’s wings and Livia.

Emme bit her lip and seemed to think for a moment. “I love you, Daddy.”

She always said it. She would stop in the middle of playing to get up and cuddle him around the neck.

“I love you too.” And he did. So big was his love for his little girl, it nearly overwhelmed him. It should have had him fretting for her future, especially now, but she made it all so much easier. Her small voice brought him peace.

“Ready?” he asked. He motioned for her to look to the sky.

She’d been on enough long walks with her father to know it was time to open her mind. Their times in nature usually held a secret surprise. It could be anything, really—a rainbow touching the snow or heart-shaped shade cast by a pair of trees. Anything. Today, the gift was being outside the second it started to snow.

“Ooh, Daddy! Look, it’s like a salt shaker!” She stuck her tongue out for the newborn snowflakes.

Blake followed her lead. Snow tasted sweeter with Emme around.

She hopped up from his lap and twirled in the misting of crystal rain. He tried to take a picture with his senses: Emme’s snow boots squeaking in the snow at her feet, her hood falling off her head, her laughter making it hard to keep her tongue out.

When she was full from the experience, Blake put her on his shoulders so they could get home quickly. In half the time it had taken them to get to their spot in the woods, they’d returned and unlocked the door to John’s house.
Our house
, he amended mentally. He was still trying to make the adjustment. Livia’s father had sold them the house for an obscenely low price, claiming he and his new bride, Kathy, didn’t need all that space for themselves.
“I hate yard work, son. You’re doing me a favor, not the other way around.”
He and Kathy were now settled in a condo about ten minutes away.

As they entered, Livia looked up from her rocking chair. Kellan was blissfully asleep, evidently having passed out while nursing.

“Our boy’s eating
again?”
Blake smiled at the sight of them.

Livia nodded and raised her eyebrows. “Shh…”

Blake looked in the hallway mirror to see what Livia was indicating. Sure enough his long, steady steps had lulled Emme to sleep. She had her arms crisscrossed on his hair with her eyes shut.

Livia maneuvered Kellan to his playpen and slowly laid him on his back. After his limbs twitched with complaint at the loss of her warmth, he settled into a deep nap, mouth still moving, clicking on occasion, soothing himself with the memory of his feeding.

Livia held up one finger and disappeared. Blake waited, knowing what was next. She reappeared and took a quick slew of pictures with their camera. He smiled for her, and then pretended to be asleep while standing. Finally, Livia reached up to remove Emme from her perch. Blake stretched his neck. Supporting her that way was getting tougher, as she was almost five years old now.

Livia efficiently removed Emme’s snow clothes and tucked a Mouse-knitted afghan around her on the couch.

Blake watched his wife as he removed his own coat and boots. Livia got on her knees and warmed Emme’s cold cheeks with her hands. He tiptoed over and held out his hand to help Livia up. She glanced at both her children, then snuggled into his arms.

He tilted her face toward his as he walked her back to the living room, letting her see his pride. It almost choked him at times, there was so much of it.
His
house,
his
woman,
his
babies, all of it was everything.

She shook her head and whispered into his shirt, muffled. “I can’t kiss you. I haven’t brushed my teeth.”

He kissed the top of her head. She often forgot to take care of even the most basic things for herself. For Livia, being a mother was a calling. She said it was instinct, but he knew better. She revolved around her children. Whether it was folding the children’s laundry and stacking it in drawers, or yanking her knotted hair into a ponytail instead of styling it so she could hold Kellan sooner, he knew she worked constantly at the job of motherhood.

She spoke into his shirt again. “I didn’t take anything out for dinner.”

He whispered in her ear, “I’ll handle it.”

“No, I’ve got it. I have to pick up first.” Livia stepped away from him and bent down to straighten the toys.

Blake placed a hand on her back. “Hey, gorgeous, can you come with me for a minute?”

She sighed and looked at the strewn things. He could tell she really wanted an organized living room, but she followed him upstairs anyway. He left her in their bedroom and went into the bathroom to turn on the shower.

“It’s ready for you,” he announced as he returned. She opened her mouth as if to speak, but instead just nodded gratefully as she closed the bathroom door.