Infernal

7

Gia snuggled up against Jack as they watched the six o'clock news on the TV in the Sutton Square sitting room. He lived for moments like this.

"Have you given any more thought to helping Tom?"

"A little."

"And?"

"I don't know."

She squeezed his arm. "Jack, if he goes to jail, how will you feel, knowing you could have helped him and didn't?"

The old saying, Don't do the crime if you can't do the time, came back to him, but he bit it back.

"I don't know."

She gave him a concerned look. "This isn't like you. You're usually so… so decisive."

He sighed. "To tell the truth, I don't feel like me. This thing has me turned inside out. Dad… I mean, somewhere in the back of my head was the idea that he'd always be there. Stupid, I know, especially after what happened to my mother, but—"

"Not so stupid. It's the same with my folks. If your parents are in decent health, I think we all feel that way."

"Well, anyway, he's gone." Jack snapped his fingers. "Like that. My mother died in my arms. Kate died minutes after I let the EMTs take her from me. And my father's body was still warm when I found him. Too much deja vu. It's got me all twisted up."

"That's why you should go, Jack. It's not a long time, but it'll get you out of this city, away from the airport, the constant reminders. A little time at sea doing next to nothing might help you get a new perspective. Maybe you'll come back right-side in."

He knew she was right, as usual. But he wanted that time away with Gia, not Tom.

He wished he felt different about Tom. He wished he had the kind of relationship Joey had described with Frankie.

But Joey no longer had his brother. And Joey had said that blood cries out for blood.

Tom was blood… maybe Jack owed Tom the chance.

Joey had the ball now and he'd be running with it. If the gun guys decided to talk, they'd only want to talk to someone connected. That meant Joey.

And that meant Jack would be something of a fifth wheel for a while.

He didn't like that. He preferred to do things on his own. His business was the sole-proprietor type. He never worked with anyone, didn't know if he could. And Joey… he didn't know Joey all that well.

But what choice did he have?

Gia had said she'd be fine for the four or five days he'd be away, and he knew she was right.

And it would be at least four-five days before word filtered down from the outfit and Joey got anything going.

And Dad would have wanted him to help his brother.

Jack sighed. Maybe it was time to call Tom.