“From Caden. Caden and Don worked for him. He was into a lot of bad things, like guns and drugs, and was the one who started their little operation,” she told them.
“So you met him before and were present during some of these things?” he asked, feeling like this questioning was going to put his woman in connection with criminal activity that could get her arrested and charged. He ran his hands through his hair.
“I didn’t do anything or help in any way. It was years ago that I met Cornero, when I' first met Caden and we started seeing one another. When I got pregnant with Kenny and Caden was pissed off at me, Cornero offered to help me.”
“And you accepted his help?” Evan asked. She shook her head.
“Never.”
“Did you ever see him again?”
“Only one other time.”
“When was that?”
She was silent a moment.
“Damn it, Lois, when the fuck was it and why? If you did something wrong, then we need to have our stories straight so you don’t wind up behind fucking bars. This guy killed cops, agents, and even soldiers.”
“I was protecting my family,” she said as the tears filled her eyes and she stared right at him.
* * * *
Lois was shaking. She couldn’t believe this was coming back to haunt her. She’d only delivered money to him. She didn’t deliver guns or drugs, but she did hide the stash to get back at Caden for making her do the money exchange with Cornero. She couldn’t tell her men that Cornero had a thing for her and wanted her. What would they think? That she was a tease, or that she gained the interest of drug dealers and military men gone bad? They would look at her like she was trash, all because of Caden and what he forced her to do. Caden had threatened to kill Val and Kenny. What choice did she have? Even now, after Caden was dead, he was still ruining her life, her future, every small bit of happiness she had.
“You tell us right now exactly what went down. Cornero is after these drugs and money that disappeared. Apparently the guns have serial numbers on them that were never removed and could connect Cornero with confiscated guns from other crimes and raids. Tell me what the hell went down and what you know,” Ford demanded, standing there with his hand on his hip and looking at her like she was a criminal.
She felt tears roll down her cheeks.
“I did what I had to do to protect my family and it still nearly cost all our lives. You’re telling me now, after months, almost a year of putting this stuff behind me, that it’s not over?”
“Apparently not, because they think Caden told you where the guns and drugs they’re looking for are stashed. What do you mean you did what you had to do to protect your family?” he added.
“I hadn’t seen Caden in a year. He had no contact with Kenny and me once Kenny was born. He would show up at the bakery when I got off work and he would threaten me and tell me he wanted me back, but he didn’t want a kid.” She swallowed before trying to continue.
“Asshole,” Laverty whispered.
“He showed up the night before the attack and threatened me again. This time he asked me to do a delivery for him. He showed me pictures of Valentina at work and Kenny at the nursery school.”
“A delivery? What the fuck, Lois? You delivered drugs, guns, what?” Ford raised his voice.
“He was going to kill Valentina at work. One sniper shot to her head. And he threatened to kill Kenny on the playground, so don’t you dare stand there and question my train of thought. He was not right in the head. I was scared of him and knew he would do it. I couldn’t let that happen. Valentina and Kenny were all I had,” she cried.
Evan patted her hand and Ford exhaled. “What the fuck did you deliver?” he asked her firmly.
“Money.” He
squinted at her. “It was a small envelope of money from Caden to Cornero.”
“Not the drugs and the guns?” he asked. She shook her head.
“I knew where Caden kept them and I was so pissed off that he threatened me the way he did. I was angry with him still having this control over me and I…
“What? You did what?” Ford asked.
“I went and moved the drugs and guns. The stash was in a delivery truck parked in a parking garage. I moved it and then figured he would think it was one of his other guys who backstabbed him, or maybe even Cornero, and that they would kill one another or focus on that instead of my family and me. When I got to my apartment and I saw his car there, I couldn’t understand why. Then I heard Kenny crying and got inside only for Caden and Don to start hitting me. Caden was so pissed off. He was the one that had sent me to deliver the money.”
“He found out about the drugs and guns missing?” Ghost asked.