‘But they could be edited once they were on the machine. Assuming Tasha has the computer know-how, and I’ll bet she does. Bucks didn’t want Frank around when the files were added. So he asks Tasha to do it when they’re gone.’
‘I prefer simplicity,’ Eve said. ‘She’s in bed with Paul, he wanted to know what was on that system without alerting Bucks and Frank. He’s a sneaky ass.’
‘She’s sneakier,’ he said. ‘She had that little gun hidden in a cell phone. Have you ever seen that used?’
‘No, but I’ve heard of them. Paul might’ve given it to her.’ She pointed again at the spreadsheet icons. ‘This bothers me. This data makes the Bellinis look like they’ve got way more income that is being cleaned than they actually do, in lots of places that don’t exist. I don’t believe Tommy or Paul truly has this money. So what would be the point of putting it on my computer or tying it to other Bellini financial records?’
‘What would the Feds do if they got this information?’
‘Start auditing each and every company. Start tracing the money trail. Start shutting down operations, making arrests.’ She pointed at the cooked-book files. This would make them pee in excitement.’
‘Then we have a negotiating point, right? We could put Paul in jail.’
‘And me in jail, Whit.’ She touched the back of his hand. ‘Is that what you want?’
‘I didn’t do the crime,’ Whit said.
‘No, you didn’t. I told you, I go to prison, they’ll still kill me. I have no doubt.’ She stood, walked to the window. ‘There has to be another way to use this to get Paul to back off on having me whacked.’
Whit said nothing for a few moments. He tried Gooch’s cell phone again, calling on his own cell, not wanting to call on Charlie’s home number. No answer. ‘This isn’t right,’ he said.
‘We have to assume they got him,’ Eve said. ‘You said he was pulling away but they may have shot him.’
‘In the middle of River Oaks?’
‘He’s not here, is he?’
‘I messed up,’ Whit said.
‘No. Gooch shouldn’t have shown up there. He told me he was coming straight back here. He didn’t stick to the plan, Whit. It’s not your fault.’
‘He saved me from getting shot, and I left him.’
‘You did what he wanted.’ She touched his face.
‘Where would they take him?’
‘The Bellinis own two houses in River Oaks. The one Frank and I were in, and another, much bigger house on Lazy Lane.’ She crossed her arms. ‘Lazy Lane’s a street where practically every house has a guard station. Dogs roaming property. Heavy protection. If they take Gooch there we’ll never get in.’
‘We’re not abandoning him.’
‘Paul owns a house down in Galveston, too, but it’s for sale. I doubt they would head down there.’
‘I can’t risk Gooch’s life. I’m calling the police,’ Whit said.
‘And tell them what?’ Eve asked.
‘Everything,’ he said.
‘Will that help your dad, Whit?’ she asked. ‘You want him to see you in jail before he dies?’
‘Your concern for my dad is a little late,’ Whit said. ‘Like thirty years.’
‘I’m more concerned for you.’
‘And your own hide.’
‘Sure,’ she said. ‘You have me pegged, anyway. What I did to you defines every aspect of me as a person, right?’
‘Yes,’ Whit said. ‘Would anyone ignore abandoning your family in estimating your character?’
‘I suppose not.’ She sat down on the couch. ‘Call them, then. They’ll arrest the both of us. Me for the felonies I’ve committed, you for the knowledge of them. That’s at least three years in prison, Whit. You already turned your back on law and order, baby.’
He sat down on the couch, put his face in his hands.
‘Whit? What are you going to do?’ she asked quietly.
His cell phone buzzed. He answered it, praying it was Gooch. ‘Hello?’
‘Whit? It’s Claudia.’
‘Hey,’ he said, his stomach sinking at the sound of her voice.
‘Thank God,’ she said. ‘You’re okay?’
‘Sure,’ he said.
‘I’m in Houston. Did you know about Harry Chyme?’
‘Yes,’ he said. ‘It was on the news. I’m so sorry, Claudia.’
‘Had Harry found your mom, Whit? Tell me.’ A crackle marred Claudia’s voice on the line. ‘Whit? Did you hear me?’
‘No, he hadn’t found her,’ Whit said. Seeing how the lie tasted in his mouth. ‘I talked with him briefly, he said he thought Eve Michaels was in Houston, but I didn’t hear anything more from him.’
‘Are you still in Houston?’ she asked.
‘Yes.’
‘Where? I want to see you. Now.’
‘This is a bad time, Claudia. Really. I can’t talk right now.’
‘I’m staying at a Hampton Inn near the Galleria. I came to Houston to find you, find out what happened to Harry. And you are going to tell me what the hell’s going on. When I heard Harry was found dead with a man, and you had gone to Houston… I’ve been scared to death. I’ve left you messages, why haven’t you called?’
‘I’m sorry, Claudia. I’m sorry. Go back to Port Leo, okay? I’m okay and I’ll talk with you later.’
‘Whit, for God’s sakes, this is me!’
‘You’re one of my best friends, Claudia, and I love you and I don’t want you involved in this. I’m sorry. Go home.’ And he clicked off the phone.
‘Girlfriend?’ Eve asked.
‘No. Good friend.’
‘I didn’t even ask if you were married. Or had been.’
‘I haven’t been. But I won’t be bringing a girl home to meet you.’
‘You shouldn’t. I would probably scare a nice girl.’
He said nothing.
Eve sat next to him on the couch. ‘They will torture Gooch if they have to, Whit. They’ll blow the fingers off his hand one by one. Cut off his balls. Cut him so he bleeds to death an inch at a time. Strangle him until he’s nearly dead then give him the gift of breath back. Then strangle him. Again and again, till he’s begging to die. He’ll tell them where we are. We’ve got to find a new place to hide.’
They’ll never break Gooch,’ Whit said. ‘If he’s dead and beyond our help, we’re too late. If he’s not, he’ll never turn on us.’
‘Whit. He’s an incredible person. I can tell that. But these people will break him.’
‘Tell me. Have you seen them hurt people before?’
‘Yes,’ she said after a moment.
‘And did nothing.’
‘Stop judging me, Whitman.’ Her voice was as low as a whisper.
‘If I were judging you, I would be walking out the door. I would never have even tried to find you. Because I did, Harry is dead. Gooch may be dead. I don’t blame you. I blame me.’
‘Whit…’ Her voice softened.
‘My choices,’ he said. ‘So I got to fix it. I’m calling the cops. But you, take Gooch’s van and go. You’re good at hiding, they’ll never find you. You leave. I’ll stay to get Gooch.’
‘Absolutely not. I’m not leaving you to face this alone.’
‘You have to, because if I call the cops you’ll be arrested.’
She put her face in her hands, shook her head.
‘And I lose you all over again,’ Whit said. ‘But I can’t let them hurt Gooch.’
She looked up at him. ‘What if there’s another option?’
He got up, walked to the window, let the drape drop down. ‘I don’t know how to beat these people.’
She followed him to the window. Slowly, awkwardly, she hugged him. His arms tensed under hers. She rested her head against his chest and he let his breath loose.
‘I don’t have a right to hug you, son,’ she said. ‘But pretend I do, okay?’
He stood there in the fading light, his mother holding him and his heart fractured along a thousand fissure lines, a thousand hurts, a thousand wishes. The house was quiet and he listened to the hush of her breath. Slowly he hugged her back.
‘I’ll make it all right, son,’ she said.
Her cell phone, tucked in her purse, rang. She broke the hug and went to the purse, dug it out, clicked it on. ‘Yes?’
She listened for a moment, then handed Whit the phone. ‘Bucks. He wants to speak to you.’