Page 74 of Sinful King

The routes weren’t the interstate itself but what they did before and after. Moving safely down the pipeline was up to the sole discretion of whoever had control and whatever police connections he or she had to keep their merchandise untouched.

“If Constanzo’s routes are compromised then his hold on the state police is fractured,” my grandda said. “Someone is paying them more money. The Albanians, I presume.”

Blair spun around.

I’d never gotten the chance to take her to meet him.

“I figured the money part to be true,” she said, talking to him like they’d done this a million times before. “But Augusto swears the state police, troopers and highway patrol are still on his payroll. I’ve asked to dig deeper into that, just to be sure but he’s refused every time.”

My grandda nodded.

“And you are?” he asked, knowing exactly who she was.

“I’m Blair. Sean’s wife…” she hooked her thumb in my direction as if he had no idea who I was. “But also, I’ve been working with the Constanzo family since nineteen.”

“Suimiúil.”Interesting.

It was more than interesting now that we knew it all connected. That we were all connected.

Tá mé ag tosú a chreidiúint amhlaidh,” Blair replied, surprising me a little with how she’d perfected her Irish over the years.I’m starting to believe so.

“Seems there’s more to work out here,” grandda said, looking at each of us, stopping a little longer on a silent Violet. “Where do you need me?”

His gaze had met mine when he asked.

I refused to let him do anything too dangerous. He might be up to it, even at eighty but the last thing I needed on my conscious was something happening to him.

Blair looked back at me and I nodded.

“I heard you’re ordained,” she said with a smile. “I could use your help with something.”

He lifted an eyebrow in my direction and I shrugged. She had her plans and if he wanted to know he’d have to ask himself.

“I know we’re in the middle of figuring out if there’s a war brewing or already on our doorstep, but can I take my wife away now?” Finnegan asked, walking toward Violet. “Sorry about this, Moonlight.”

She shook her head.

“No apology necessary,” she whispered, touching his face. “I’m having fun.”

He smiled down at her.

“You two can go.”

Finn took Violet’s hand, ready to bolt but his wife had something to get off her chest first. And I wasn’t surprised.

“I hope you really stay after all this,” she said, eyes on my grandda. “You shouldn’t be alone anymore, especially when you have all these people who love you so much. And I never had a grandfather, so…” she shrugged and glanced at Blair. “He said yes, by the way. I’ll call you.”

“You two plottin’ now?” I asked after Finn and Violet left.

She shrugged.

“Not exactly. I want to see what she does… No,howshe does it.”

“Did she tell you what she does?” my grandda asked, curiosity getting the best of him.

Blair shook her head.

“She didn’t have to. I know a killer when I see one and Violet has a tell. Not many would notice the way she tugs her trigger finger absently, but I find it hard to ignore.”

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