Page 29 of Sully
“I don’t want to seem rude, but you threw it out there.So, what happened with your sister?Because I know something did.”
“Supposedly, she died during childbirth.But it turned out her husband faked her death and the death of their child.”
“Oh my God.”I covered my mouth with my hand.“How horrible.”
“Long story, but the bottom line is, Dad had just lost a daughter.He’d lost Mom years before.So, in his mind, if Jen left on her own, there was less danger to her than being with us.”Tonio scrubbed a hand over his face.“To be honest, I understood where he was coming from.But I swear to God, I had no idea Jen was pregnant.I only found out by accident when a colleague found a match for my DNA in the system.”
“How would you have access to that kind of information?And how did they get my DNA in what system?”
“Another long story, but there is a place company called Argent Tech in Rockwell, Illinois.I contract things out to them on occasion.”
“I’ve heard of them.Technology company specializing in smart tech or something.”
“Yes.Anyway, once he realized he had a match, he started tracking you down.Which,” he admitted, “was damned hard.”
“I’m going to hazard a guess here and say it was because I didn’t use cell phones or debit cards.I have a driver’s license.That’s pretty much it.”
“You’re very astute.”Tonio raised his glass to me before taking a drink of the whiskey he’d been nursing.“Apparently, that was exactly his problem.Once he started, it took him the better part of six months to find you.”
“I remember you saying something like that the first day we met.”
“Yeah, well…” He scrubbed a hand over his neck.“You still have your license, but the rest of your information has basically been classified.”
I blinked.“Come again?”Tonio’s cheeks got the slightest tint to them.I narrowed my gaze at him.“What did you do?”
“If anyone goes looking into your background -- law enforcement, the IRS, FBI, anyone -- all they will get is your name and the last four of your social.Any other information is restricted.It’s the same level of protection Argent gives to me and my family.I won’t say we’re above the law, but anyone looking into your background will be directed to Giovanni Romano, and Giovanni will tell them it’s none of their Goddamned business who you are and to let you walk.”
“Right.”I raised an eyebrow.“No one does that.”
“They do when they are as powerful as Argent Tech.The only reason the government hasn’t tried to swallow them is because they’re afraid of Argent.The three men who own the company have an iron grip on everything.They have deep pockets and have toppled more than one administration on both state and national levels.”
I turned my attention to Sully.“Is he fuckin’ serious right now?Surely, he’s not serious.”
Sully grinned.“Sounds like a secret society, but it’s rich men with super large egos.”
“Okay, nowthatI believe.”
“That explains why Knight couldn’t find anything when he started looking for her,” Sully said.“He was frustrated to no end when he kept hitting roadblock after roadblock.”
“Why would you have him do that for me?I mean, I try to only use my powers for the lighter shades of gray, but a get-out-of-jail-free card?When you knew nothing about me?”
Tonio shrugged.“You’re my daughter.I wasn’t there to protect you when you were a kid, but I can damn well sure protect you now.”
I stared at him for a long time, needing to gauge his feelings.There was definite pain in his eyes, but I didn’t know this man or how good an actor he was.My instinct, however, was telling me he was on the up-and-up.
I sighed.“I didn’t have it all bad.Sure, things got off to a rocky start, but after Mom passed, I had some decent homes.Nothing personal and I never really connected with anyone, but I had a safe place to stay, enough food to eat.I only split when I was sixteen because I could.
“I started out doing real jobs like waitressing, working at a convenience store, that kind of thing.Until I figured out I could hustle or lift anything I needed.I was particular about who I took from, making sure I didn’t take too much or from someone who didn’t deserve it or couldn’t afford to lose it.But you know as well as I do, there’s always someone in a bar who’s an idiot and needs to lose his ass.”
Tonio snorted.“Can’t argue that.”
“Anyway, I took what I needed to have a place to sleep and something to eat.I didn’t go overboard or get greedy.Sometimes, when I passed through places like New Orleans, I’d take on seasonal work for cash.It’s a great way to see a city and make decent money too.”
Sully’s hand was heavy on my back.He rubbed up and down in a soothing rasp of his rough hands.This was all too much.I hadn’t really let myself feel much as I relayed the bare bones of everything to Tonio, but I was feeling the discomfort of emotions I wanted to keep locked away battling to get out.
“Look,” I said after a long moment.“If -- and that’s a big fuckin’ if -- we’re going to try this… father-daughter thing, I need you to understand something.”
Tonio nodded, waiting.
