Page 30 of The King's Boy

"That's fine." It wasn't like I was going to let Spencer go anywhere. "Just do what you can."

"I'll get right on that."

I nodded, knowing he would. Malloy might not understand why I wanted Spencer to stay, but he would do as I asked simply because I asked it.

Yet another reason I trusted the man.

I frowned when Malloy's cell phone rang, disgruntled at the interruption. In my experience, it was never good when his cell phone rang. As my second-in-command, he was the first point of contact for my people. They didn't get me without getting him first.

Very few people had my direct line.

I listened as Malloy grunted several times before he snapped his fingers at me and gestured for something to write with. I quickly handed him a pen and a pad of paper.

"Give me that address again," Malloy directed before writing something down on the paper. "I want you to stay there and keep watch but stay out of sight. I don't want them to know they are being watched. I'll be there soon."

I lifted an eyebrow, curiosity and dread both taking place inside my chest. Malloy's words were harsh and strong, which meant I wasn't going to like whatever was going on.

Malloy listened for several more moments before snapping, "Just do what I said." He hung up and then pressed the corner of his cell phone to his forehead as he took a few deep breaths.

"Malloy?"

Malloy shook his head as he lowered his phone. "Sometimes I think everyone in O'Donnell's organization needs to be replaced so we can start out fresh. Blithering idiots, every damn one of them."

I didn't disagree.

"What's going on?"

The sigh Malloy heaved before he started talking should have warned me. "We need to go."

"Go where?" I asked even as I stood and checked to make sure I had everything I needed, including my gun.

"There is trouble down at one of our warehouses."

Damn, just what I needed right now.

Not.

"I want the house on lockdown until we get back," I said as we headed out of my study.

Malloy waved over a couple of our guys and quickly gave them their orders. Protect the house. No one in and no one out. He then called for several more to follow us as we went out to the vehicles.

Once we were on the road, I turned to look at him. "Tell me."

"That was Libano."

I frowned as I racked my brain trying to place that name. "Libano?"

"Libano Armstrong. He's a runner."

"What area?"

"Little Jamaica." Malloy rubbed his hand over his forehead, almost as if he had a headache. "Damn kid is fourteen years old, King. He shouldn't be running anything."

"Then why is he?"

"He started running for O'Donnell when he was ten. I was all set to let him go when I found out, but then I learned that he does the running to make money for his family."

"What about his family?" I asked. "Why aren't they doing it?"