Page 189 of The Woman Left Behind

She knew where he was coming from, and the wrath he sensed in her wasn’t aimed at Harry.

She was pissed at her son not only for being stupid, but also for getting caught doing it, and further because she knew if he’d stayed in the family fold and did what he was told, he likely wouldn’t be where he was.

The same thing happened to her other boy who decided to start a side gig apart from the family by cooking meth.

“He should have come forward,” Harry said quietly.

“I’ve never been able to control that boy,” she replied frustratedly.

And with that, Harry knew with certainty what he suspected. The ongoing cons weren’t her idea. That was all Willie. He’d gone maverick. And now he was fucked.

Harry sat back again. “No matter his age, a man should listen to the wisdom of his momma.”

She opened her mouth, but Polly was there again.

“Harry, Rus…” Polly’s eyes darted to Rita, but Harry was already strung tight by the voltage he saw in them.

“Rita, if you’ll excuse us,” Harry said urgently.

She got up and gave Harry even more to chew on about how he felt about her, knowing who she was, the gang she ran that she’d birthed herself, and still thinking there was some inherent good in her.

She did this by reading the room and not wasting any time in leaving.

Polly slammed the door on her and rushed to the desk.

She didn’t make them wait.

“Michelle Dietrich is here.”

Harry only took the time to share a glance with Rus.

Then they were both charging toward the door.

FORTY-SIX

Consequences

Harry

Harry had no idea where Special Agents Fatima Bakshi and Joseph Patterson were.

But he was pleased as fuck they swung into his station just over an hour after Harry phoned them about Michelle Dietrich.

The observation room was packed with Harry, Wade, Sean, Karen, several other deputies, along with Cade, Jason and Jesse Bohannan.

Rus was in the interrogation room with Mrs. Dietrich and the two FBI agents.

And Michelle Dietrich looked as if she’d just left her salon after a hairstyle and a makeup touchup.

As far as Harry knew, she did.

“Let’s start at the beginning, Mrs. Dietrich,” Bakshi began.

“I want protection for me and my husband,” Dietrich retorted.

“We can talk about that later, now—” Bakshi tried.

“And immunity,” Dietrich cut her off. “Protection and immunity.”

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