Flawless (New York Confidential #1)(89)

There was a knock at the door before Craig had a chance to point out that for lots of people there was no such thing as rich enough. He excused himself and rose.

Eagan was outside. “We’ve got another dead man,” he said.

*

There was so much confusion on the street that Kieran found herself surprisingly impressed by Marty Salinger’s ability to keep her protected while officers spilled onto the sidewalk, sirens wailed and a half dozen witnesses talked at once.

“He was thrown out of the car.”

“No, man, it looked like he just kind of fell out of the car.”

“It had tinted windows.”

“It was like they wanted him found at this exact location.” In a matter of moments, chaos became order. The scene was blocked off with crime-scene tape, and officers smoothly separated the witnesses who needed to give statements from everyone who’d been drawn by the scent of blood.

Marty moved toward the group of witnesses, flashed his badge at the cops and explained that Kieran worked upstairs, was under his protection and had recognized the victim.

“You know this man?” an officer asked her.

“I don’t know him, but I’ve seen him,” she clarified. “He’s been in Finnegan’s on Broadway, the pub my family owns.” She hesitated. “He was there with the man who was killed in that shoot-out yesterday.”

The next thing she knew, she and Marty were sitting in the back of a police car, waiting for Detective Mayo.

“Great,” she muttered. “I couldn’t keep my mouth shut.”

“You were honest,” Marty said, smiling approvingly.

She leaned back, feeling a chill. The man had been thrown from a car in front of her office. The police were now looking for that car, of course, but not one of the witnesses she’d heard knew anything about the car except that it was dark and had tinted windows.

Naturally, with a body bleeding out on the sidewalk, no one was looking at a license plate.

He’d been dropped there as a warning to her. She was absolutely certain of it.

So both men who had been with Jimmy McManus were dead, and something on Jimmy’s phone had been a red flag to Craig.

“Not possible,” she murmured aloud.

“What’s not possible?”

“Jimmy is a really old customer,” she said. “He’s friendly, sure, always talking to strangers, but I can’t believe that he’s involved with this.”

The car door opened, and Kieran jumped.

It was Craig.

Relief rushed through her. She wanted to throw herself into his arms, but she reminded herself that Marty was there and managed to control herself.

“Get out,” Craig said. “I’m taking you home.”

“I would have done that, but the police want to talk to her some more,” Marty said, then turned to Kieran and explained, “We work in tandem with the police. We don’t take over cases—we offer our expertise, our manpower and all the resources of our agency to—”

“Marty, come on, get out of the car. You did the right thing, but now it’s time to get Kieran out of here. The police can talk to her later.”

“Oh, okay,” Marty said, obviously relieved.

As she got out of the car, Kieran couldn’t help but look toward the dead man again, though at least by now a screen had been put up to shield the body.

“Let’s go,” Craig said.

She could see Detective Mayo standing behind the body. He looked at the two of them and nodded.

“We’ve got Jimmy McManus,” Craig said as he led her away. “He was attacked.”

“Jimmy was attacked?” she asked. “Is he—”

“He’s alive,” Craig told her. “Let’s go.”

“Where?” she asked.

“I told you, I’m taking you home.”

She shook her head. “Craig, take me to Finnegan’s.”

“Don’t be crazy. Finnegan’s is much too connected to everything that’s going on. Bobby and Jimmy have both been attacked, and two men who frequented the place are dead. You need to be in your apartment, locks double-bolted, safe and secure.”

She looked at him and shook her head. “Craig, nothing has ever happened in Finnegan’s itself. I need to be with my brothers.”

He pulled her away from Marty, who started to follow, then saw Craig’s look and backed off. Craig set his hands on her shoulders and looked down into her eyes. “You’re the one in the most danger,” he told her. “I’m certain of it.”

“Right. Tell that to Bobby and Jimmy. And the dead men.”

“Kieran, you’ve got to go to your apartment. Marty will stay and watch you.”

“Craig, please, he can watch over me at Finnegan’s, and when you’re finished for the night, you can join us there.”

He looked so torn that she almost relented. God knew she did want to preserve her own life.

But her brothers were part of her life, and she knew that the three of them would be together at Finnegan’s, which meant she needed to be there with them.

Craig saw the determination in her eyes and sighed. “Marty!” he called.

“Yes, sir.”

“Marty, I’m begging you, stop the ‘sir’ stuff. Finnegan’s. Follow me there. And when you get there, watch over her—like a hawk.”