LATER THAT DAY
“We’re the most vulnerable,” Pearl said. “Makes sense for Kenwood to make a move against us. The same holds true for the accountants. You take down your weakest targets. It’s the smart play.”
“And it’s also one that could end up getting one of you killed,” I said. “We’ve already lost one of our team on the last job. I don’t want to make a habit of it.”
“Pearl can take care of himself,” Carmine said. “As he proved today. It’s Chris who’s the bigger concern. We need to protect him better, that’s for damn sure.”
“And how do we do that?” I asked. I was angry, frustrated, and felt myself losing control over the two cases I had taken on.
There was one more thing eating at me about the accounting firm, or, to be more precise, my brother’s dealings with them. I bought that he was about to turn whistleblower and it was more than likely the reason to want him out of the way. But he had been at that firm for years and was on the fast track to make partner. He wasn’t a junior-level accountant who fell upon some files he shouldn’t have seen. He was a member of the inner circle, which, to me, meant he might have known about some of the dirty dealings they were involved in.
How deep into it was Jack? What caused his sudden come-to-Jesus moment? Was he an innocent pawn or a guilty associate who decided to come clean before the heat came down on the firm? And if any of those concerns proved true, then how the hell would I explain it to Chris and not make him hate his father as well as me in the process?
It was Connie who broke the silence. “You need to find someone to be by his side night and day,” she said. “Someone he trusts beyond any doubt.”
I looked at her and shrugged. “You mean a bodyguard?” I asked. “I’m good with that, but he would hate it.”
“I don’t think she’s talking about a Liam Neeson type,” Carmine said. “More like something shorter and with four legs.”
“A dog?” I said. “You want me to get Chris a dog? You think that will help keep him safe?”
“It will help keep him occupied,” Connie said. “And he’ll stick closer to home. Between working the computers for you and helping to train a puppy, there won’t be much time for him to venture far out of sight. Then you can put eyes and ears on him—not so conspicuous for him to notice, but close enough to come to his aid next time a situation pops up.”
“He’s told me at least a dozen times already how much he loved walking Alban’s dog yesterday,” Pearl said. “And a dog can help the boy in more ways than any of us maybe can.”
“How do you figure?” I asked.
“He’s part of our team, that’s true,” Pearl said. “And he’s adjusted well to living with us, even though we are not the easiest bunch to hang with. But a dog would belong to him, be his friend and companion, give him a better sense of belonging. It would help fill the void he must still be feeling.”
“Let’s not lose sight of it,” Carmine said. “As smart as he is, as much help as he’s been, he’s still a kid and he’s still hurting over his loss. His parents. Then Joey. A dog could go a long way toward helping heal those wounds.”
“I don’t know anything about taking care of a dog,” I said. “Neither do any of you.”
“What’s to know?” Carmine said. “Feed him, walk him, love him. The dog does the rest.”
I took a long sip of my wine and shook my head. Then I smiled. “You already got the dog, didn’t you?”
“Technically, no,” Carmine said. “But I did put a cash deposit down with a breeder I know upstate. Guy’s been around forever. He moves a dog, you can count on it being top-shelf.”
“Does Chris know?”
“Not yet,” Connie said. “We thought it would be best if that came from you. Be your gift to him.”
“What kind of dog are we talking about?”
“Olde English Bulldogge,” Carmine said. “Stubborn, loyal, loving, and very protective. Anybody goes near Chris will have to get through Gus first.”
“Gus?” I said. “How’d you come up with that name?”
“That was me,” Pearl said. “First, it’s a great name for a bulldog. Second, I named him after Gus Zelden. Remember him?”
I nodded. “One of our instructors at the police academy. We were in his class when we first met.”
“That’s the one,” Pearl said. “Figured he helped put you and me together in a way, be a nice tip of the hat to him.”
“Before I sign off, who takes care of Gus when Chris starts school?” I asked.
“There’s plenty of us to go around,” Carmine said. “He can hang with me in my garden when the weather is nice, and me and Bruno can take him for long walks. Bruno already said he’d take the dog down to the gym, have the kids there spend some time with him.”
“Food, vet bills, shots, sleeping arrangements?” I asked.
“All bases covered,” Connie said. “He’ll sleep in Chris’s room. I already ordered him two of the cutest beds. They have his name stenciled on them. And he’ll have his name and phone number on his collar, too.”
“Whose number?” I asked.
“Your cell,” Pearl said, smiling. “Figured you’d want to participate in some small way.”
“How soon will he be here?”
“I can drive up tomorrow to pick him up,” Carmine said. “With luck, be back just after lunch. Give you plenty of time to plant the surprise on Chris. That is, if you’re good with the move.”
“Do I have a choice?” I asked.
Connie stood and walked over to me and put her arms around me. She leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. “The dog’s not just for Chris,” she said to me in a low voice. “He’s for you. For all of us.”
I held Connie close to me and looked at Carmine and Pearl and nodded. “Looks to me like we got ourselves a dog.”