“Think about it. A good cop died and no one lifted a finger? The story of an officer murdered on the streets within days of Thanksgiving barely made it to the press. And Patrick recanted his eyewitness testimony after a few days.”
“Yeah,” she drawled. “And I have little doubt he bought a boat with the bribe that made him suddenly ‘unsure’ of what he’d seen. I even reported him to Internal Affairs. It’s like…they’re stalling or they just don’t care.”
“That’s what I’m saying. Wayman was paying off most of the precinct, including the brass. I can’t prove that, but I know he targeted your brother because Tony refused to be bought.”
Gia sat back, feeling flattened all over again. It all made sense, and she should have seen it sooner. But no, she’d wanted to believe that the people she worked with weren’t corrupt ass**les more concerned with lining their pockets than justice. She felt damn naïve.
How was she going to return to work when her stay with Jason was up and look those people in the eye without wanting to rail and scream at them all?
Jason’s phone rang. He pulled it from his pocket and glanced at the screen, then stood. “I should take this. You okay?”
She nodded. “Yeah.”
Sort of, anyway. She might self-combust in the next ten seconds if her head didn’t stop spinning. Hell, what else didn’t she know?
“Excuse me for a minute.” Jason nodded and ducked out of the room.
Gia watched him ease out the front door with his phone pressed to his ear, his posture telling her he was already in business mode.
“It’s been a hell of a night,” her father commented with a sigh.
She nodded, then reached for Daddy’s hand. “It has, but I want you to know that I’m here for you all.”
“No,” Mila insisted, jumping out of her chair with her hands on her hips. “Hell, no.”
Blinking, Gia stared at her usually reserved sister-in-law. “What the…”
“You listen to me.” Mila wagged her finger. “Don’t you dare give up one more minute with your husband! Tony and I had six wonderful years together. Even though they ended terribly, I wouldn’t trade a second with him because I loved him. You gave me a year when your place was with Jason. Don’t spend more time apart from him that you may someday regret. I should have been standing on my own two feet all this time. I will from now on.”
“If we had known you were newly wedded, honey, we would have done so much more to pitch in and help.” Mama’s expression looked somewhere between miserable and guilty. “I let you handle everything because I felt lost myself. Taking care of the kids would have given me purpose and allowed me less time to wallow.”
“You weren’t up to it.”
Her mother snorted. “I’m not ancient. I would have managed.”
“I’d hoped dealing with the kids would give you less time to hunt Wayman,” her father admitted. “I damn near did a jig when you were put behind a desk. You were too set on revenge to be looking for that killer.”
“Daddy, I can take care of myself.”
“I thought Tony could, too.” He shook his head solemnly. “I kept fearing I’d get a phone call about your murder next.”
“I wouldn’t have risked myself.”
Her father scoffed. “Don’t lie to me.”
Gia sighed as guilt ricocheted through her. “I was careful.”
He shook his salt-and-pepper head. “Bullshit. You went into Wayman’s ‘hood with guns loaded and cocked. I made a couple of phone calls and tried to get you reassigned or put behind a desk, but I don’t have any influence since I retired. Whoever finally realized that you were going to get yourself killed and did something about it, I want to shake his hand.”
“I’m glad you approve.” Jason closed the door behind him suddenly and crossed the front room into the kitchen with his hand outstretched.
Daddy took it, pumping vigorously. “You got Gia desk duty?”
“Yes, sir. I’m acquainted with the mayor. I might have suggested that if he wanted a healthy donation for his reelection campaign, he needed to make sure a certain beautiful female officer didn’t get hurt in the line of duty.”
“Well, hot damn!” A grin broke out across her father’s face. “I like you even more.”
“Thank you.” Tears trembled in Mama’s eyes.