Page 81 of Forever Golden
“A… friend—at least, Iguessyou can call her that—she sent me a proof of a poster announcing Vin as a mayoral candidate in the upcoming election.”
Boone’s expression tenses. “No one knows about it yet?”
I shake my head. “No, my guess is the two months he gave me to end things with West marks the date he plans to go public with this. He doesn’t want West and I associated, we just haven’t completely worked out why.”
Boone lets out a frustrated sigh. “It’s likely what West shared with me a couple days ago about your brother. There any connection between the two? Does Vin have any ties with that girl your brother was accused of murdering?”
“If there’s a connection, we haven’t found it yet.” I hate that I don’t have a definitive answer, but that’s the truth of it.
“West tells me you’re concerned about your sister’s safety, so focus on her. Let your detective friend handle things regarding your brother. That’s something you can’t control right now, sweetheart,” Boone adds thoughtfully. “And while I know the information in this box might not be the smoking gun you two hoped it would be, maybe the detective can use it to his advantage.”
“You’ve done more than enough, Grandpa. Thank you,” West says with a gracious nod. “Half the battle’s been proving that my dad’s even got the means to make those girls disappear, so I imagine linking him directly to a known crime family does just that.”
My stomach turns a little because, while the Ruizes can be reduced to‘a known crime family’to most people, Shane and Ricky are definitely more than that to me. With Scar’s safety on the line, there’s no question what my priority is, but I pray Ricky meant what he said about not being involved with this side of his uncle’s business. If he is, there’s a chance he could go down with the sinking ship.
I race through every recent conversation I’ve had with him, searching for any indication that he hasn’t been honest, but then I remember who I’m dealing with. Ricky is a lot of things, but a liar isn’t one of them. If he says he’s not involved, he’s not involved.
Suddenly, I’m anxious to get this particular bit of info into Roby’s hands. It at least establishes that I wasn’t crazy to think Vin had some sort of tie to whatever new operation Paul has going on.
“I put in a call yesterday morning and officially brought my guy out of retirement,” Boone informs us. “He’s got about forty years of investigative experience under his belt and I don’t trust anyone else to finish the job he started two decades ago. If I pay him well enough—and I will—he’s willing to set up camp up there in Cypress Pointe and do some more digging. So, even though I won’t be there in the flesh, I’m on you kids’ side,” he assures us.
Tearful and so,soconfused, I take Boone’s hand when he offers it to me. “Thank you. For everything.”
He nods with a warm smile. “Anything I can do to help family, I’ll do it. And as long as my grandson thinks the sun rises and sets on that pretty little head of yours, you’re family.”
I stand and go toward where West is still leaning beside the bookcase, but I pause when Boone calls out to me.
“The folder belongs to the two of you. I’ve got no use for it anymore. But if I could give you one more bit of advice…”
West nods. “Of course.”
Boone stands from his seat and comes close. “Your daddy may be a slippery son of a bitch, but one thing he’s never been is an idiot. Now, I’m all for you kids working together with that task force to bring Vin Golden to his knees, but in the meantime, march to the beat of his drum. Or, at the very least, give theappearancethat you are. It’ll buy the authorities time to do their job and it’ll keep your sister safe,” he adds, shifting his gaze to me. “So, if he wants you two separated by the time his campaign announcement goes forth, then… you might want to consider how to go about doing that.”
Those words rest heavy on my heart.
“Keep this in mind, though,” Boone adds. “If push comes to shove, and either of you feel like you’ve got nowhere else to run, my door is always open. Foranyof you.”
He makes his exit then, patting West’s shoulder on his way out. We’re left on our own to consider his suggestion—that we play along to keep the peace. In other words, he’s not suggesting that I actually break West’s heart, but rather that we make it look that way.
“What’re you thinking?” I ask quietly, slipping my arms around him.
He sighs and I feel the weight of what he’s holding in. “I’m thinking my grandfather’s right—both about Vin being smart, and about making him think he’s won. But whatever we do, we have to sell the shit out of it.”
“Ok, so… how would we go about doing that?”
When West falls quiet, I’m admittedly nervous what he’ll say next. Another deep breath leaves him, and his arms tighten around me.
“Let’s just say I’m pretty sure I’m gonna fucking hate myself for what I’m thinking, but… it’s our best option.”
I give a questioning look after that cryptic statement, and West’s frustration seems to grow by the second.
“I don’t think I understand,” I admit.
He peers up and his dark stare locks with mine, causing my breaths to quicken at the sight of it.
“Vin wants it to look like we’re done, like there’s nothing left of us to repair, so that’s what we have to give him,” West reasons. “Once we’re back in the city, you have to do it, Southside. You have to break me.”
Chapter 29