running in San Juan. He yawned as he said, “We’ve been at the hospital all day. Lisa’s wiped.”
Pete’s chest tightened in a way that made his problems seem miniscule compared to what Rafe was going through. “How’s Teresa?”
Rafe heaved out a heavy sigh, one that said the whole situation was pure shit. “Holding on. Every time I think that’s it, you know, something happens and she perks up. She’s been asking about you.”
Pete leaned forward and ran a hand over his hair. “You know I’d be there if I could, don’t you? Man, I just…” He hesitated, unsure what to say. Losing his parents or his grandparents had never been like this, mainly because he hadn’t been particularly close to them. Teresa had a way of drawing everyone to her. You couldn’t help loving Rafe’s mother. Everyone did.
“It’s okay, buddy. I know. Means a lot you called, though. But I gotta say, if it weren’t for everything happening with Mamá, I’d be on the first plane up to New York. You know that, right?”
Touched, Pete smiled again. “Hailey blabbed, huh?”
“You bet your ass she did. She’s worried about you. So’s Lisa. We all are, for that matter. Pete, man, what the fuck’s going on?”
Pete rubbed his free hand over his eyes. Eyes that were dog tired and scratchy from lack of sleep. “Hailey told you about Kat’s necklace, right?”
“Yeah. Said you were both on your way up to get it. And can I just say, holy hell, is the woman really alive?”
That brought a reluctant chuckle from Pete. He’d told Rafe about Kat. Once. When he’d been drunk and pissed and feeling sorry enough about himself to open his big fat mouth. Obviously, Rafe hadn’t forgotten. “Yeah, she is. I gave Maria the pendant just before the auction. Just our luck, though, Maria doesn’t have it anymore.” He told Rafe about the break-in at the warehouse and his suspicions as to who’d been behind it.
“Shit. You can’t keep running from these guys,” Rafe said in all seriousness. “We’re talking about whacked-out jihad extremists here. The kind who shoot people on sight and don’t give a flying fuck who lives and who dies, even themselves.”
“I know. Believe me, I’ve been over and around this every way there is. She’s got to turn herself in to the Feds. It’s the only chance she’s got.”
“Which means what?” Rafe asked.
Now it was Pete’s turn to blow out a breath. “Which means I need a favor.”
“You know I’d do anything for you, Pete. What do you need?”
Pete pursed his lips, then decided, fuck it. “I just faxed you what I want done.” He heard footsteps again, like Rafe was going into his office, then the crinkle of papers, like he’d pulled them from the fax machine. Before his friend could utter a word, Pete added, “Don’t try to talk me out of it. Jerry and I have already been over it. I know exactly what I’m doing.”
“Fuck. Me.” The springs in what had to be Rafe’s desk chair squeaked over the line. “Tell me this is a joke.”
“No joke, Rafe. All of it goes to her. Jerry’s transferring all my assets into accounts in her name. I already signed over the deed to Odyssey and faxed both you and Jerry a copy. Jerry assures me the Puerto Rico branch won’t be affected because of the nature of our partnership agreement. You and Lisa own the building outright. Any link to the Miami gallery is in name only.”
“Pete, shit, listen—”
“Things are gonna get hot for me, but I don’t want you to worry. Anything I might admit to being involved with happened long before you and I partnered up. And everything since then has pretty much been on the up-and-up. Nothing you ever did can be traced back to me or Odyssey. The Feds’ll probably come sniffing around. I just want you to be warned. I’m not gonna turn over anything even remotely related to you. I wouldn’t do that.”
“I know you wouldn’t. Christ. This is…isn’t there another way?”
Pete braced his elbow on the shiny desk. “I wish to hell there was, but I can’t think of one. If Kat goes in alone, the Feds will rip her to shreds. She’s already been through enough.” Softer, he added, “I already made the deal with Slade, Rafe, so there’s no sense trying to talk me out of it.”