Page 39 of The Keeper

Miley pulled her cell phone from her vest and dialed Fitz.

“What the fuck is going on?” the Scotsman answered without niceties. “The feds are screaming bloody murder at King, Seth’s got the locals looking for his head on a platter, and Jimmy is dead.”

“All of which you can blame on Francesca Acosta with her father’s approval. Damon, the rest of the team, and I are all fine, thank you very much. Are you through shouting at me or would you like me to put my phone down and fool around with Damon in the back seat until you get it out of your system?”

There was a moment of silence before Fitz started to chuckle. “Sorry. In light of Jimmy’s death, laughing is completely inappropriate.”

“Actually, Jimmy loved to laugh and found humor in most situations,” said Miley gently. “I don’t think he’d want us singing sad songs. I think he’d want us to get who did it and get on with living our lives with as much love and laughter as we could muster.”

Miley possessed the best of all submissive traits—a truly kind, loving and nurturing nature. Damon knew she was hurting too, but she’d wanted to comfort Fitz, who she knew had to be hurting. Damon gave her a reassuring squeeze.

“So, I take it the two of you are together?” asked Fitz.

“We are and don’t press me for details as we are currently negotiating,” said Miley.

“Let me know how many people bet against you,” said Damon. “I told Seth I’d cover all their bets. But don’t worry, Fitz, I think we can work something out that we can all live with.”

“Does Miley get her own happily ever after?” Fitz asked in a serious tone.

“She does, indeed,” answered Damon.

“If you two are quite finished discussing my future, would you like to know the reason I called you in the first place?”

“Enlighten me, oh, sensual, submissive sniper,” answered Fitz.

“You know, boss, Damon would be just as happy if I left Cerberus and never handled a gun again.” Miley let that sink in before continuing. “Good. Now talk your buddy here out of this daft idea he has of confronting Acosta about how his daughter died.”

“I never used the word ‘confront.’ I just think he’d handle the news better coming from me in the morning than the cops. Seth was pretty sure he could bamboozle the cops for at least twenty-four hours. I want to go to Acosta, show him the video of Frannie deliberately driving off the cliff, and offer my condolences. I agree the odds aren’t good…”

“I think the odds of him pulling out a gun and shooting you are damn good,” said Fitz. “Miley? Do you agree with this harebrained idea?”

“Given that the only idea I think might work better is me lying in wait with a sniper rifle, and Goody Two Shoes here has already nixed that idea—something about Satan making a tasty snack out of my soul—I think if nothing else, it might buy us some time. He can’t very well do anything to us in broad daylight, can he?”

“Probably not,” agreed Fitz. “Especially if the feds are right outside. Maybe we can use the video as leverage.”

Damon nodded. “I hadn’t thought of that. But you’re right. The old man isn’t going to want it widely known she chose to kill herself, which might preclude her from being buried on holy ground.”

“The Church got rid of that law in…I believe 1980, but I do know there are some priests who are still reluctant to do it. Regardless of that, he isn’t going to want people to know his daughter died at her own hand and is going to Hell.”

“Maybe her one last, desperate act can provide some good from this situation,” said Miley. “Does Jimmy’s wife know?”

“King and Samantha are with her now. We’ll take care of her and the baby.”

“I’d like to offer my financial support,” said Damon. “Maybe help her buy a house and set up a scholarship fund for the baby.”

“Cerberus takes care of its own,” started Fitz.

“It’s not a contest, Fitz. I have more money than God, and he died keeping me and Miley safe at the hand, or at least the instigation, of my ex-fiancée.”

“He has a point, Fitz.”

“I know he does. You have to watch that one. He's scary smart.”

“Yes, and unlike some people I know, he’s not an overly controlling kind of Dom.”

“We haven’t finished negotiating. You don’t need to be weighed down by a lot of rules right now, and I don’t think you’d respond well to someone super rigid.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” she said, “there are rigid parts of you I like quite well.” Fitz, Damon and the two men up front all groaned. “Don’t look at me that way; you walked right into that one.”

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