Speak Easy (Speak Easy 1)

I nodded, the tears returning. Is he wearing his gun? Will he pull it on me? Glancing toward the open door, I wondered how long it would take someone to find my body in here.

“I want to know who hijacked me and where they took the load. I want to know how you knew about it and who pulled the raid alarm at the club.”

I gaped at him. “The raid wasn’t real?”

“No, it was merely a distraction.” He paused. “Almost as good as the one you presented me with.”

“That wasn’t a distraction! I mean, I didn’t plan that! You’re the one who had the idea to go upstairs.”

“Just answer my questions.”

“I…I can’t.” Naming names meant certain death—for me, for Joey, for everyone.

“I don’t want to threaten you, but you’re not giving me a choice here.” Enzo unbuttoned his coat and reached inside.

I threw both hands out toward him. “No, wait! Please—no gun. I’ll tell you…what I know.”

He waited, the arm still inside his coat. “I’m listening.”

“The load went to Chicago,” I blurted. That wasn’t really giving up a name, was it?

“And who took it there?”

“I—I’m not sure…”

“Goddammit. Listen to me, Tiny.” He came at me, but instead of pulling his gun, he wrapped his hands around my skull and squeezed. Hard, as if he could crush the words from my brain. “I don’t want to hurt you. But you’re making me fucking crazy, day and night. Tell me what you know.” In the silence that followed I heard birds chirping outside the door, and the sound was so incongruous I thought maybe I was delirious.

Should I give up Sam’s name? Enzo already suspected he was behind the heist, as did the cops. And my loyalty was to Joey, not Sam. “Sam Scarfone bought the hearses from me. I needed the money to make the first payment to your father.” I spit out the words quickly, breathing deeply afterward but feeling as if I couldn’t get enough air, like it was my lungs he was compressing instead of my head.

Enzo nodded. “How did he know about the load? Did you tell him?”

“No! I don’t know how he found out.” That was the truth, at least.

“No one but family and a few trusted men knew when it was coming. That means there’s a leak, Tiny. And I want to know who it is. You’re going to find out.”

Just like that, I thought of another name I didn’t mind giving up. “Wait, I think I know who it was—your brother.”

“What? Raymond?” His brow wrinkled in confusion.

“Yes.” No need to mention I’d played a role in the relaying of information. “He’s jealous of you. He told me at the bar last night he was going to make his move. I guess this was it.”

Enzo released my head from his hands. “Raymond. That idiot.” He looked away from me, staring at the floor. “What the fuck is he thinking?”

“I don’t know. He didn’t tell me much.” I glanced toward the door again—I wanted to get out of here. Molly was probably sick with worry, and I n

eeded to get Bridget, Mary Grace and the boys out of her apartment. “Are you going to remove the dynamite from the store?”

He looked at me again. “There’s nothing there. Yet. But my father is unpredictable. I asked him to wait before doing anything, and he gave me this afternoon to speak with you, but that’s it.” Then he took out his wallet and handed me three hundred-dollar bills. “Take this, give it to your sisters and tell them to leave town. They aren’t safe.”

I reached for it automatically, shaking my throbbing head back and forth. He was helping me again? “Why are you doing this? I don’t understand you at all—you kidnap my father, you come on to me, you steal business from me, you…do what you did to me, you lie and threaten me, and now this!” I held up the money. “It makes no sense!”

He put his hands on my shoulders and pulled me toward him. “Like I said, you drive me fucking crazy.” Before I could protest, he kissed me hard on the lips. Then he let me go and turned toward the whisky. “Now let’s get these bottles into my trunk.”

#

As soon as Enzo dropped me off, I ran into the house and up the stairs. I found Molly cowering on the floor in her closet, arms wrapped around her legs. When I pulled her up, she burst into tears and threw her arms around me. “I was so scared,” she sobbed. “What’s going on?”

“Shhhhh.” I held her, patting her back and stroking her hair. “It’s all right. I’m here, and I won’t let anything happen to you.” After a moment she stilled, and I sat her down on the bed next to me. “Good girl. Now I need your help.” Taking her hands, I told her that Daddy had gotten in over his head at the tables, and I was helping him cover the debt. “But until I pay these men, they’ll keep threatening us.”