Page 54 of Grift

“So what is it that you want me to do, exactly?”

“I want to find out who is behind this, and make sure that every single copy that’s ever been made is tracked down and destroyed. Or just give me the information on how and where to do it, and I can take it from there.”

She’s assessing me and her words bite. “Why? So someone doesn’t dig up another copy and what, hurt your little casino deal? Tarnish your reputation now that she’s a Carney?”

She’s baiting me. She’s good, because it’s pissing me off. But again, I can recognize that anger shouldn’t be directed at her.

“I want to make whoever did this pay. And I want every copy gone so that this is the last time any man has leverage over Jessica.”

It’s true.

“But then wouldn’t she leave you?” A straight shooter, this one. And she has no reason to be kind. Besides, she’s not wrong.

It hurts but I keep my face hard.

“Probably, but that’s her choice. Which it should have been all along. I want no man to have any leverage over her, including me. Understand?”

She stands up. “Fine, Patrick. I’ll help you. But for her, not for you. And it’s going to fucking cost you a mint.”

The sum she names is enough to make my eyes water, and Callan starts to speak but I cut him off. “Fine. You want cash I assume?”

She looks appalled. “No, dude. I pay my taxes.”

Of course she does.

“We’re doing this right. Both to protect Jessica and to protect my business, if I’m going to get anywhere near a project with a fucking potentially dirty Carney. No offense, but it is what it is. I will need to sign that NDA, and I’ll need a contract that specifies I’m working on a special project. I can email you both a standard NDA and contract to look over. Once those are signed, I’ll need payment in full, and I’ll give you my info for tax reporting. Then I’ll need whatever you’ve got. Any emails, any copies of the tape, anything.” She’s done this before. Something in me eases, knowing that this is finally in capable hands.

Bridget said she was in school, but she’s obviously killing it with a consulting business too.

“Who should I send this stuff to?” The only attorney that I’ve used in the past is the firm that’s been on retainer with my father for twenty years. I think fast. My sister Siobhan is dating a guy whose brother is a lawyer. They’re from a family with similar interests to ours, and he’ll understand the need for discretion. “Seamus Doyle. I’ll text you his information, but I need to call him first.”

“Patrick,” Callan cuts in, a warning tone, but I’m doing this deal my way. If it feels to Callan like he’s losing a little control, that’s good.

He is.

Doing it on my own, with my own money and resources. I don’t want my father anywhere near it. Or Callan, if he’s going to keep putting my father’s interest first and excusing these things.

“Fine. I’ll wait for your text. It’s going to take several days or maybe even a couple of weeks, but I’ll keep you in the loop. Is that everything?” She’s moving toward the door.

I stand. “Thank you, Lila.”

Clearly, we’ve taken enough of her time. I’m headed for the door when I realize Callan’s not behind me. Fuck.

“About that meeting we had,” he’s saying. “I didn’t handle it well.”

“No, you didn’t,” her voice is flat.

“I owe you an apology,” Callan runs a hand through his hair. He looks so uncomfortable. Am I that bad at communicating?

“For what you did or for what your father did?”

This woman pulls no punches. I love it. She’d make a great friend for Jessica. Maybe when this whole thing is behind us…but then I realize, we won’t be having dinner with friends once this is over. She’ll get on with her life and I’ll have to find a way get on with mine. Without her in it.

Callan looks to me. I’m not helping him out of this, not when he unhinged his jaw and shoved his whole foot into his damned mouth.

“Look, I didn’t know what your motives were and the timing was really bad,” he starts again, but she holds up a hand.

“That’s not an apology, Callan. Stop talking.”

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