“How should I know? The question is, why would Joey leave it for you? And what is all this money for?”
“Give me a second.” Putting my fingers to my forehead, I closed my eyes and racked my brain. But no amount of sifting through the events of the past week gave me any indication of who would gift me with that necklace. What is going on?
My sister’s voice cut through the confusion. “Tiny, you better tell me what this is or I’m taking all this to the police right now.”
“No, don’t!” I jumped to my feet and clutched her shoulders, clarity returning with a slap. I have to get them out of here. “All right, listen to me. Daddy’s in trouble.”
Her brow furrowed. “What kind of trouble?”
I hesitated—how should I put this? “He owes money to some…men who don’t take kindly to being owed.”
“What men?”
I shook my head. “Doesn’t matter. The important thing is that Joey helped me get the money together and we’re going to deliver it as soon as possible.” No need to tell her Joey had gone to Chicago with a load of stolen rum and opium.
“Where is Joey? Where the hell is Daddy, for that matter?” She knocked my hands from her shoulders. “Have you been lying to me this whole time about where he is? And why would Joey think you need a gun?”
“Bridget, please.” I grabbed her by one hand and tugged. “I’m sorry I lied. I thought I was doing the right thing by protecting you, but I haven’t done a very good job.” My eyes filled and I took a shaky breath. “Now you have to do what I say, please. Take Molly, Mary Grace, and the boys and get out of town for a few days. Go see your friend Helen in East Jordan, or take the kids to the beach and stay in a hotel. Use this.” I pulled Enzo’s hundreds from my skirt pocket and gave them to her.
Her eyes widened as she stared at the cash. “What on earth…” She looked at me. “Where are you guys getting all this money?”
“Just take it and go. You’re not safe here right now. They’ve made threats…to the store.”
She began to cry. “But this is my home, my store. I can’t just leave.”
“You can, and you must.” I went to her closet, pulled down a battered suitcase from the shelf and opened it on the bed. “Martin and I will take care of things here. Call me when you’re settled somewhere and stay there until you hear from me. It’ll only take a couple days.” I gathered up the cash and gun from Joey, shoving it back inside the package. There were a ton of bills, and I wondered if somehow Joey had gotten me all five grand.
Bridget stared at the money in her fingers and then looked at me with wet cheeks. “Maybe,” she began slowly, “I should call Vince’s family. They might be able to—”
“No! Trust me—we don’t need any more gangsters involved in this.” I laced my fingers together. “Please, I beg you. You’ll only make things worse for Daddy and me if you try to get involved. The kids need you to keep them safe.” I didn’t want to tell her about the explosives, but I would if I had to.
She chewed on her lower lip. “Does Molly know?”
I nodded. “As much as you do. She can help you with the kids.” A breeze blew in the open window, and I realized how sweaty I was. My cotton blouse was sticking to me. I need a bath. I need a drink. I need a new life. “Please, Bridget. Say you’ll go.”
She stared out the window a moment as the bells from nearby St. Ambrose tolled seven times. “All right. We’ll go.”
Chills of relief swept across my skin with the breeze. When I drew in a deep breath, I could’ve sworn I smelled my mother’s lilac scent, as if she were in the room. I closed my eyes. Thank you, Mama. “I can drive you to the station in your car if you want.”
She blinked. “Do we have to leave tonight?”
“Yes. You do.”
Understanding flitted across her face. “Help me, then. Get the boys’ suitcase from their closet and throw some things into it. Underwear, socks, anything clean you can find.” She began opening drawers, pulling out underclothes and stockings, and tossing them into her suitcase.
I was on my way out of her room when she spoke again. “Three days, Tiny. That’s what you have. Until Sunday. After that, I go to the police.”
“Deal.” It would all be over in two days, anyhow—one way or another.
#
By eight o?
??clock, we’d loaded the car and hugged goodbye. The kids were sad I couldn’t join them at the beach, but Bridget covered brilliantly, saying Martin would need me at the store in her absence. She turned down my offer to drive them to the station, and I watched her car chug down the alley and turn right, then lifted my eyes to the sky in gratitude.
Walking home on tired feet, carrying the envelope from Joey in both hands, I returned to the puzzling question of who had given me that necklace. The boy who delivered it had used my name, so I knew it wasn’t a case of mistaken identity, but why on earth would someone give me such an expensive piece of jewelry? I didn’t know anyone with that kind of money except Enzo, and he’d have mentioned it this afternoon. And why would he shower me with diamonds anyway? It’s not as if I was his girlfriend. Plus, he’d been so furious with me.
Letting myself in the front door, I realized there was another mystery—who’d pulled the raid alarm at Club 23, and why? Maybe the River Gang had done it somehow, or paid someone to do it, in order to keep the DiFiores occupied at the club. I locked the front door behind me and double-checked it was secure, wishing we had a deadbolt. Then I rushed up to my room and dumped the contents of Joey’s package on the bed next to the necklace. I ignored the gun momentarily while I gathered the cash and counted it.