Chapter 76
Fifteen minutes later, my eyes are on Cat in the courtroom, and I relax into what is about to be a huge success. The judge calls the court to order and asks Martha to report to the stand where she’s arrested for contempt of court. Martha stands up in a panic and starts to cry, pleading with the judge. The room is a crazy rumble of sound as observers react.
When she’s finally out of the room the judge addresses the jury, “To the jury,” he states, “I have proof that Ms. Banks lied under oath, the details of which will not be placed into evidence, but a lie under oath is a crime and will not be tolerated in my courtroom. We’re adjourning until eight am tomorrow. Ms. Banks will be back on the stand at that time.” He bangs his gavel. Milton glares at me, while I turn and share a look with Cat before heading for the door.
A few minutes later, I’ve arranged to have my team at the apartment at seven, and I’m in the SUV with my wife, my hand on her leg, pulling her close. “That went well,” she says.
“It certainly did,” I say. “And as much as I want to celebrate that with you alone, right now, I think we need to make sure Reid knows where we stand.”
“Royce is meeting you at your apartment,” Savage says. “He wants to talk about the recent developments.”
“That works,” I say, looking at Cat. “We need to try to get Reid to the house.” I pull my phone from my pocket and it rings with Reid’s number. “Speak of the devil himself.”
“That he is,” Cat agrees, as I answer the call.
“I heard what’s going on from Royce,” Reid says. “I’m coming to your place, and Gabe’s with me.”
“See you there,” I say and disconnect.
“Your brothers are on their way.”
“I swear those two haven’t been so attentive since I was a child.”
I squeeze her leg, aware that talking about her family stirs emotions over her brothers being assholes over her career, following a path they didn’t approve of. At least not at the time. I believe they’ve come around but not without a lot of damage to their relationships with Cat. Her phone rings and she talks with Lauren, and then Lori, just as Cole calls me for an update. Both Lori and Cole are out of the mix, dealing with a crisis with a client, but they want to be here for us. That’s what matters.
A few minutes later, we enter the apartment and we’ve barely had time to set our things down when Royce, Reid, and Gabe, join us, while Savage also sticks around. There are so many of us that we meet in the front living room. “This guy’s been following Cat for weeks?” Reid demands. “What the fuck. Where is he now?”
“We have eyes on him,” Royce says. “He’s hiding from his bookie in a Motel Six in Queens. He’s on leave from his job. He’s not going anywhere we don’t go with him.”
“I don’t like this,” Reid says, showing the most emotion I’ve seen that man show in all the years I’ve been around him. “And Debbie hasn’t returned my call and yet she called Reese and threatened him this morning.”
“This guy needs to be ended,” Gabe says, which is a very out of character statement for him, at least where I’m concerned, too. He looks at me. “Are you going to the police?”
“No,” Cat says. “That presses Debbie to talk which is fine, but I want us to try to negotiate out of this in the next few days.”
“I’m going to give my guy at the Feds a heads up,” Royce says. “This is blackmail and it falls under their umbrella and with Wilson’s gambling debt to a nasty bookie, with strong ties to a crime organization, that makes them all the more interested. I’ll let him know we’re concerned about the press. He will likely want to talk to all of you.” He looks at me and Cat. “Unless you two object.”
I eye Cat. “I think it’s smart.”
“Me too,” she says.
“Who’s the bookie?” Gabe asks. “I might have an insider who can give us something on this guy.”
“Guy’s name is Dimps McCoy,” Royce says.
“Negotiate,” Reid grumbles. “I’ll negotiate all right.” He starts walking toward the door and Cat races after him, planting herself in front of him, and Gabe and I both take up either side of them.
“What does that mean, Reid?” Cat demands.
“Don’t worry, little sis, I’m at my best when I’m angry and I might have hurt you, but no one else is going to.”
“Reid,” I say. “Can I see you alone?”
“No,” Reid says. “I need air. And for everyone to back up.”
Gabe backs away and Reid steps around him, and the interesting part of this is that Gabe says nothing. He just follows him toward the door.
Cat turns to me. “What are they going to do?”
“They?”
“Don’t let Gabe fool you. He is just like Reid, just as dangerous, aside from one hiding behind stone and the other behind humor.”
“They’re your brothers. As your husband, I know how easy it is to react to this, and want to hurt someone. Give them time to calm down and they’ll be back.”
“I hope you’re right. These are my brothers, Reese. They aren’t you.”
“I’ll handle it, Cat. I promise.” I kiss her. “Let’s finish up with Royce and we’ll figure it out. Okay?”
“Yes. Okay.”
My cellphone rings and it’s an insider I use at the jail. “Martha says she has information she’ll trade for immunity, but she wants to talk to you.”
“I’ll be right there.” I hang up and talk to the entire room. “Martha wants to make a deal but she’ll only talk to me.”
“She wants to find out what you know,” Cat says.
“Of course she does, but that isn’t going to work out for her.”
“I’ll go with you on this one,” Royce says.
“I’ll stay with Cat,” Savage says and once again I’m leaving my wife with another man.
I settle my hands on her shoulders. “Come with me.”
“You want me to come?”
“Yes, I do. You’re part of my legal team. I lean in and lower my lips to her ear, “and I really want you close, Cat.” I lean back to look at her.
Her eyes warm. “Yes. I’d love to come.”
Gabe and I step out of the elevator. “Let’s walk and talk.”
“Agreed,” Gabe says.
Once we’re on the street, away from anyone who might overhear or record us, I say, “We need to end this.”
“Agreed again. Let’s divide and conquer. I’ll take Wilson. You take Debbie.”
“Works for me,” Reid says.
“I’ll go first,” Gabe says, pulling out his phone and calling someone without identifying them. “I need a number for a bookie named Dimps McCoy. Text it to me.”
I don’t ask what he’s going to do. I know. A minute later his text beeps. Gabe motions me right and we walk about four blocks to one of the few payphones around this area. He grabs the phone, punches in the number and makes the call. “Dimps McCoy?” he says. “You don’t know me but I have a tip for you. Wilson Moore is hiding in a Motel Six in Queens. I got nothing more.” He hangs up and looks at me. “You’re up. Deal with Debbie.”