Stone Cold - Ashby Crime Family

I reached for the stool Ma kept hidden behind the weeping ficus beside her desk. It belonged to our father, and other than a few of his guns, the only thing that remained of him.

“Has reinforced rings at the sides. Secure and uncomfortable.”

“Perfect. Thanks,” he growled and shoved Savannah onto the bronze colored metal stool. “Stay still and you’ll be fine.”

She nodded, her gaze moving around the room trying to identify everyone.

“Are you all right,” Sadie asked. “Fed? Hydrated?”

Savannah nodded.

“Good.” Sadie nodded and turned to look out the big window that overlooked a wild herb garden. Her eyes locked in a cold stare, when she slowly pivoted to our captive. “Why did Ronan choose Glitz?”

“Why should I answer you?” Savannah said with a little too much attitude.

Jasper crossed the room and knelt down in front of her chair. He cleared his throat, and I knew he was about to go off on her for disrespecting Ma.

“Savannah, it behooves you to answer the questions. The sooner you answer, the sooner you can get out of here.”

He said it with so much power in his voice, I almost choked. I couldn’t tell if he was threatening her life or trying to fuck her.

She sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. With her eyes fixed on Jasper, she said, “Daddy said because it was far away from Boston, where we lived when my mom died. Anything else?” Savannah kept her fear intact but she couldn’t hide it completely. She was outnumbered in this moment by her worst fucking enemies.

Sadie turned to Savannah and gestured for Jasper to move. The air was thick, intense. “Yes. With Brendan out of the picture, will you be running things soon?”

Surprised flashed in her eyes but only for a moment. “It should be me, but it’ll be Brendan. If Daddy ever steps down.”

“Haven’t you heard?” Sadie did her best impression of a sympathetic woman, leaning against the front of her desk with one hand to her chest.

“Your brother was in that crack house that exploded.” She sat back and waited for tears or anger, some kind of reaction.

None ever came. “He’s not dead,” Savannah said with certainty.

My gaze slid to Virgil’s, reminding him of the conversation we had not that long ago.

“If he were, Daddy would have burned this place to the ground. Sorry to disappoint,” Savannah said with a smirk that said she wasn’t sorry at all.

Sadie pushed off the desk and towered over Savannah. “Then you better hope the medical examiner identifies his body before I get sick of having another mouth to feed.”

She nodded to Lance, who quickly stepped forward, removing the cuffs from the stool and back to her wrists, standing her up and marching Savannah out of the room.

“She makes an excellent point,” Ma said.

“Then it might have been Brendan I saw before the Feds butted in.” I didn’t have to say it, but it needed to be said.

Jasper nodded reluctantly, the only acknowledgment he was wrong. It was fine. For now.

“We need to find out. Right away.” He pulled out his phone. “Emmett? Jasper. Listen, I need you to scour the city for Brendan Rhymer. Yeah, I know but facts have changed. From the top to the underworld, got me? Good.”

“What now?” Kat ambled in her signature slinky stroll to the bar, pouring whiskey for everyone. “Do we just wait?”

“Fuck no,” Jasper growled. “Ma, tell Lance to keep her alive until we have confirmation on Brendan. Calvin, keep Bonnie close and dig as deep as you can into any properties owned by any of the Rhymers or related companies. Let’s see where he’s got to hide if he is alive.” He nodded, deep in his element. “Kat, keep an eye on those rooms. I want to know who and when as soon as you know. Virgil, do what you’ve been doing.”

Everyone had their orders and no one dared question them.

Chapter Seventeen

Bonnie

“Ms. Byrne your resume is just what we’re looking for, both in terms of experience and salary range.” Sally Conyers gave a feminine laugh over the phone and I sat up tall, heart pounding in my chest at the prospect of a job. A real job, here in Glitz. “But we are an organization that relies heavily on charity and in this business, reputation is everything and yours is, well what it is currently.”

And just like that, all hope fled. “Of course. I understand. But you do realize I’ve been officially cleared?”

It didn’t matter, a lesson I’d been forced to learn over and over again. The arrest might as well have been a conviction as far as the outside world was concerned.

“Yes, I understand that, but we, well…we really don’t need the drama. You know with the press and reporters. I hope you understand.”

I could hear the sympathy in her voice, but I didn’t need sympathy. I needed a job. “Thank you for letting me know.”