What Have You Done(73)

“Is she?”

“Yeah, she’s fine. And how about you, partner? How you doing?”

“I’m fine. Still nothing on Liam. All of Camden County has the BOLO by now.”

“Any idea where he might be? Is there somewhere in Jersey you think he’d go?”

“I can’t think of anything specific.”

“You talk to Vanessa? She hear anything?”

“Yeah, I spoke to her, but Liam hasn’t called. I told him to turn off his phone. I guess he listened.”

Don rose from the bed and began pacing the room. “So you calling to make me feel guilty about not calling you?”

Sean chuckled on the other end. “No. I need a favor.”

“Name it.”

“We need to find Liam. You and me. I know I’m supposed to stay away in light of the other victims, but this is my brother. I was hoping you could pick me up, and we could head over to Jersey and start poking around. I can’t keep sitting here on my hands waiting for something to happen. We have to find him. I gotta bring him in myself.”

“I don’t think that’s such a great idea. Phillips told you he wanted you to keep your distance on this for now.”

“I know, but I need to do something. Anything. Sitting around here is killing me. You watch my back; I watch yours. That’s the way it goes. Do me this favor. He’s my brother, and he’s like family to you too. Please.”

Don fell back onto the bed. What could he say? He had to keep his discovery to himself and act as natural as possible. If he was with his partner, he could at least control the situation, which would allow Liam access to Sean’s house to look for the proof they needed. And if he refused to go, Sean could suspect something. He had no choice. “Yeah, okay. I’m in.”

“I appreciate it, man. I owe you.”

“What time do you want me to come get you?”

Papers rustling. “Pick me up at my place at ten.”

“Go it. Ten o’clock.”

“You’ll be home by midnight. Promise.”

“That’s what you said about Sullivan’s the other night, and I didn’t get home until two.”

“I’ll see you later.” There was a slight pause. “I know I don’t have to say this out loud, but this is between us. No one knows about this. Corporate could bust your ass for helping me, and I could get thrown into a hole for disobeying an order from Phillips.”

“You’re right; you didn’t need to tell me that.”

“Bring the sedan. I don’t want to draw any attention with the Mustang.”

“Okay.”

Sean hung up. Don listened to the void of silence on the other end until a recorded message came on instructing him to disconnect. “Joyce!” he called. “Come up here a second!”

What could he do? He had to go so he wouldn’t raise suspicions. His gut told him this was a bad idea, but he could find no other alternative that would keep his secret under his own control for the time being.

“Yes?”

Joyce was standing in the doorway. She was so gorgeous with her mesmerizing eyes, her flawless dark skin, and her hair in braids falling to her toned shoulders. She was wearing an orange nightgown that accentuated her plump breasts. He suddenly wanted to make love to her but knew there was no time. “My African queen.”

Joyce smiled. “My king.”

“Did you speak to Vanessa today?”

“Yes. Poor thing. She’s beside herself. I just wanna hug her and tell her it’ll be all right, but what can I say that I would actually mean? Her husband is wanted for murder. I don’t think she’s fully grasped that yet. Hell, I don’t think I’ve fully grasped that yet.”

He grabbed the white envelope from the nightstand, licked the glue, and sealed it. “I need to talk to you a minute,” he said. “It’s important. Come sit.”





56

Liam was sitting at the kitchen table, slumped over a bowl of cereal, absently running his spoon around the edge of the bowl as the small television propped on the counter next to the stove replayed highlights from the previous night’s Phillies game.

“It’s your first day of high school. You better get your head out of your ass and finish that cereal before you faint from hunger during second period.”

Liam dropped his spoon and turned. A smile instantly appeared on his face, and his eyes lit up. “Sean! What’re you doing here? You have class.”

Sean closed the front door behind him, walked through the foyer and into the kitchen. He hugged his little brother as he ruffled his hair, then sat next to him at the table.

“Don’t worry about my classes,” he said. “It’s my brother’s first day of high school. That’s a big deal. No chance I would miss it.”

A sense of relief came over Liam. His shoulders loosened, and his brow relaxed. He took a spoonful of his cereal and then another.

“How you doing?” Sean asked.

“It’s weird here without you. Even after two years. It’s just weird.”

“You know I’m always a phone call away, and Temple is just on the north end of the city. Not that far.”

“I know. It’s just empty when you’re away.”