Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 135792 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 679(@200wpm)___ 543(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 135792 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 679(@200wpm)___ 543(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
“Witnesses to what?” Liv asked cautiously.
“There’s a gangster back in California who I’ve been playing cat and mouse with for five years now, and I’m done being a good cop. I don’t care what he goes down for anymore. I’ll give the two of you a name, a description, and details of what really happened that night. You tell me what you’ve seen the bastard do to Mr. Sidorov, and I put you in witness protection. Frank here tells me you’re good boys, deep down, and I’m inclined to believe that you did what you did because you had no other choice. Happens.”
Frank nodded behind the cop’s back, leaving Liv bewildered.
Stunned, he leaned back in the chair and stared at them both. “For real? This is not a trick?”
“Do I look like I’m joking?” Ross asked, releasing a cloud of smoke so dense Liv barely kept himself from coughing. “But this offer is only available now. Once I leave this room, that’s it.”
Liv’s skin tingled, and he wasn’t sure if it was his instincts warning him about this being a trap, or excitement of possibly-maybe getting away with everything. Oh what he’d give for a clean slate and no longer needing to look over his shoulder any time he spotted a cop.
His gaze wandered to Frank again, and while it was hard to make this decision out of the blue, Liv had no doubts that Frank wouldn’t lie to his face after everything they’d been through. Maybe they weren’t the best of friends yet, but things were definitely heading that way, and at the end of the day, what did he have to lose? It was either doing time for certain or entertaining this plan.
“Yeah. I’ll do it.”
Ross’s mouth quirked into a smile, and he watched Liv like a hawk who’d just gotten his prey. “Good, now let’s get your friend in here, because he’d been set on staying silent like some monk. It’s either both of you or neither, because I need you to corroborate each other’s stories.” He got up and left the room without as much as looking back at Liv.
Liv slid lower in the chair, taking a deep breath, as if Ross had been squeezing his chest and preventing him from inhaling. “Is this for real? What about—” He gestured toward the one-way mirror, but Frank shook his head.
“Ross’s partner is making sure this doesn’t go on record.”
Liv cleared his throat. “I don’t know how you know those people but… thanks?”
“You better be fucking thankful, because I had to pull several strings to get him down here. He owes me a favor, so now you two owe it to me. What did I tell you about that race, huh? But no, you had to put yourself in the spotlight!” Frank spread his arms, stepping closer.
Liv blinked, taken aback. “You think it was about the spotlight? We need cash for Knox’s surgery. How am I supposed to get that much dough doing odd jobs, huh?”
Frank hummed, watching him as if he were calculating something. “I’ll lend you the money if it’s this urgent,” he said in the end. “But for the next three years, you two are mine, understood?”
Liv swallowed. “Doing what?”
Frank scowled. “Whatever I tell you to! I say jump, you ask how high. I say dig, you ask how deep!”
Liv stared at him while his brain rattled. This was the only time he’d get to negotiate, so he better use the few moments remaining to adjust the scales in his favor. “Could you… legally employ Knox? So he’s insured?”
The tension in Frank’s shoulders eased and he put his hands in his pockets. “I’ll employ you both once this whole police thing is done.”
Liv’s chest sunk with a deep exhale. “Thank you. I don’t know what I did to deserve your help, but I won’t forget it. Seriously.”
“I’ve been helped in life when no one seemed to have my back. I know what it’s like to feel like you’re drowning. But shit, boy… you two better be on your best behavior after this.”
The door opened, and Ross walked in, followed by Knox, who wasn’t even cuffed.
“Liv! Are you okay? No concussion? Dizziness?” Knox asked, almost jumping his way.
Liv rose, and while the cuffs kept him from straying too far from the table, he did grab Knox’s forearm and grinned at him, elated to see his sweet face. “No, a doctor checked my eyes and everything. Just a few bruises and scratches.”
Ross started uncuffing Liv, but Knox was already hugging him. “The deal? It’s legit?” he whispered, glancing at Frank.
Ross’s face went a bit blank, and he cleared his throat. “Maybe save your… enthusiasm for after we finish here,” he said and sat down in the same place as before while Frank pushed an empty chair at Knox.