Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 64362 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 322(@200wpm)___ 257(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64362 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 322(@200wpm)___ 257(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
“Brady, we’ve had an update,” a male voice interrupted him.
Turning back to look at the door, I recognized Tiernan, dressed much like he’d been on the day he helped abduct me. I’d not seen him since.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but this is urgent.” His fair skin was a splotchy red, as if he’d been running.
Brady’s normally amused expression was tense as he nodded his head. “I’ll be right there,” he replied. “If ye will excuse me,” he told the rest of the room before following Tiernan out.
“That doesn’t sound good,” an older man with silver in his temples said as he frowned at the door.
“He’ll handle it,” the man across from him said. “He always does.”
I was in a room with the people who supplied illegal drugs to Europe. I couldn’t say that I’d ever considered what those who did this sort of thing looked like. I’d watched Weeds, and I had an idea of what the Mexican cartel looked like, but I hadn’t thought about one in Europe. Regardless, I’d have expected a rougher, less polished group.
A man approached me. I suspected he was around my age, and he had blond hair, blue eyes, and a deep golden tan, as if he lived in the sun—which I thought would be difficult to achieve here in Ireland. It had rained almost every day since my arrival. As if the sky were crying with me.
He smiled and looked somewhat nervous.
“I wanted to introduce myself,” he said. “I feel as if I know ye, yet ye haven’t an idea of who I am.”
He was right. I didn’t. And the reminder that he knew me was not going to help my mood.
I gave him a tight smile, not even attempting to be friendly.
“My name is Seán Walsh, I was Ea—Rí’s best friend. We grew up together,” he informed me. “I’m sure this is a lot for ye to take in. This life of his that ye did not know about.” A sympathetic smile curled his lips. “If’n he’s lookin’ on, he’s feelin’ brutal about all this.”
Shifting my eyes over toward the rest of the room, not looking at anyone really, I raised my eyebrows, feeling my temper rise. I was tired of hearing how great Eamon had been.
“That doesn’t make the betrayal any less painful, does it?” I replied in a clipped tone.
I hadn’t even known he had a best friend. One since childhood.
“Aye,” he said quietly.
What more could he say?
“Salem,” Brady’s voice barked, and I spun around to see him taking long, purposeful strides toward me. “Come with me.”
His order was followed by him grabbing my wrist and all but pulling me out of the room.
“What is wrong with you?” I hissed angrily, trying to tug my arm back.
“We have a situation of sorts,” he replied, then led me into a room I hadn’t been in yet.
I glanced around and realized it was an office and there were more books. Brady locked the door and let go of me at the same time.
“I was hoping we’d enjoy the evening. However, my hand is being forced, and I don’t have time for details.” He sounded exasperated.
“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,” he muttered and stalked over to a cabinet, opening it and taking out a bottle of whiskey.
“We’ll need to disappear,” he continued, then took a pull from the bottle.
“What?” I asked, my voice rising with alarm.
“Ye heard me,” he said, giving me an exasperated glance, then taking another drink. “Just do as I tell ya, and I can answer yer questions later. No time for it now.”
“I’m sorry, but you abducted me, threatened to kill those I cared about, and now you’re telling me that we have to disappear.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “What is going on?”
He looked at me pointedly. “I smuggle hash and coke into Ireland, Salem. It’s what we do. I distribute it all through Europe’ Eamon was in charge of it but now it’s me. No one knows I exist. It wasn’t just a lie my brother told ya. It was one he’d lived his entire life, outside of the inner circle ye met in there.” He pointed at the door. “We have men who work for us who don’t know my face. But for a few years now, they’ve been sniffing around, thinking we don’t know who they are. The feckin’ CIA.” He let out a hard laugh and shook his head. “Calling me The Ghost.” Brady put the bottle back into the cabinet.
“Time to go, sister,” he said, then nodded his head for me to come to him instead of him coming to the door.
How did no one know he existed? What about birth records? Those couldn’t be hidden.
There was one sharp knock on the door, and Brady sighed, then stalked to me. He grabbed my wrist and began pulling me again back toward the bookcase behind the large ornate desk.