Page 85 of A Favor Owed

“What’s going on, Agent Rivera?” I’m in no mood for his crap. I have a distinct feeling I know exactly what is going on. “The deal was that Brady brings me to you on a silver platter, and you get the district attorney to drop the forgery charges. He held up his end of the deal.”

“I’ve been up-front with Brady and Connor the whole time,” says Rivera. “The ADA doesn’t answer to me. She wants Paul’s and Oksana’s new namesand Con’s not giving them up.”

“I don’t have that information, either.” It’s true.

My driver Paul Centanni’s strip club girlfriend is actually a nineteen-year-old girl from Ukraine who thought she was coming to the United States to be an au pair before ending up drugged and beaten and forced to have sex with my father’s disgusting clients until Paul got her out. It was the picture Paul showed Conner Quinn of her bruised, tear-streaked face, and my promise to tip off the FBI about my dad, that had made Connor agree to make documents for all three of us. Now Paul and Oksana are key witnesses in a huge FBI operation. And if Connor isn’t going to help the Bureau, that leaves one last person who can give them Angelo Pini. The girl in love with Connor’s son.

“This is bullshit, Rivera,” I say, furious. But I’m mostly furious with myself. I let him see my weakness, and my weakness is Brady.

“This is a federal investigation, sweetheart, not Match dot com.”

I squeeze my phone, wishing it was Rivera’s balls. “What do you want?”

“Whatever you got.”

“I won’t sign anything. I won’t testify in court. And you or the ADA or whoever really holds the cards here lets Connor Quinn off before I leave your office.”

“Deal.”

“Send me a ticket for tomorrow,” I say. “I’ll be traveling as Angela Pines.”

I hang up the phone, and a heavy feeling of finality descends on me. Brady may have given me up for his dad, but I’m going to give up my dad for Brady.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Brady

“Mr. McDaniels?”

I look up. The professor asked me a question, but as is often the case these days, I haven’t been paying attention.

“What was the flaw in the contract, Mr. McDaniels?”

“InHamer v. Sidway?”

“No, Mr. McDaniels. We’ve moved on toKirksey v. Kirksey.”

“Oh, um…”Quick, idiot.“Lack of consideration.”

“Correct.”

Phew.Thankfully, the professor moves on to another student. I go back to searching the internet for Angela Pines. Of course, that yields absolutely nothing. All I have are the few pictures I’d taken of her and the memory of her smell. Citrus and coconut and tons of attitude.

I glance at my phone when a text from my dad lights up the screen.

Got some news. Meet me down at Broadway Bagel after class.

I let him know I’ll be there and try to pay attention to the rest of my Contracts class. It’s pretty much a lost cause.

As soon as class is over, I put on my Giants beanie, shove my hands in the pockets of my down jacket, and head toward Broadway. It’s a twenty-minute walk through slush-coated streets on a thirty-degree January afternoon, but I’ve always liked winter in the city. These days, I don’t so much like it as endure it.

Nothing feels the same since I returned to New York and started school at Columbia. I’m living at home, surrounded by my family until I get a place of my own. I can hang out with my friends whenever I want. I can get decent pizza on any block. But I feel removed from everyone and everything, like I’m not really home. I wonder if that feeling will ever go away.

I get to the bagel place and see my dad inside, sipping a coffee. His hair is grayer, but other than that he’s weathering the stress of having federal forgery charges hanging over his head. He’s still strong and unbowed, still our rock, and the one who’s always able to make us feel safe.

“Hey, Dad.”

To my surprise, he stands up and greets me with a strong, back-slapping hug. My dad never shies away from hugs, but he doesn’t usually dole them out in bagel places.

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