Lee moved several steps away from Luke and Hector.
“Something else,” he said to Eddie.
Silence then, “Shit.”
“Jack says she was in her nightgown and wasn’t wearing any underwear. She was bleeding between her legs.”
More silence then some cursing in Spanish then, “You called the boys?”
“Jack’s on it.”
“You better call Shirleen, there’s the chance Vance, Mace and Luke’ll lose it too.”
Lee thought there was a chance, if this woman meant what Lee thought she meant to Hector, that Eddie might lose it too.
“Jack’s on it,” was all Lee said.
“You got any idea who did it to her?”
Lee closed his eyes and clenched his jaw. It took an effort but he got control.
“She came in this afternoon, asking for protection. There’s rumors she’s having troubles with the Balduccis but she didn’t confirm and she didn’t explain. I sent her to Dick Anderson.”
“Anderson is in Alaska, visiting his son.”
“Fuck!” Lee exploded and Luke and Hector’s eyes sliced to him.
Hector didn’t look good; Hector looked about ready to blow.
Lee watched as Luke closed in on Hector, not enough to be predatory but enough to offer containment then Lee turned his back and walked several more feet away.
Lee did not have a good feeling about this and Lee’s feelings were normally right on target.
“Eddie, it had to take everything she had to come to us with Hector there.”
“You’re blaming yourself, amigo. You didn’t beat her up and rape her.”
“She asked me for protection. I sent her away. Told her we had a full caseload.”
“Do you have a full caseload?”
“Yeah. But my caseload lightens when a five foot five, one hundred pound woman needs protection from someone who’d beat her close to death and rape her.”
“Lee, you need to keep your shit together. This is Sadie Townsend. We know –”
“We know,” Lee interrupted.
“Then you gotta keep cool because Hector is gonna lose it.”
Lee glanced at Hector. He was surprised Hector hadn’t thrown a chair through the window by now. Hector was a very edgy guy.
Lee pulled in a breath. “Hector’s gonna lose it.”
“I’ll be there in ten.”
* * * * *
Eddie