Page 37 of Jake

I opened the folder and the first thing that caught my eye was Natalie’s name.

My eyes lifted to Connor.

“Read the file, Jake.”

My brother quietly sat while I read the three-page dossier on a woman who wasn’t who she’d claimed. Once done, I slammed the folder closed, raked fingers over my head, and banged a fist on the desk.

“Fuck, Connor. What am I supposed to do with this?”

“Father couldn’t get many details, as you can see, so what we have is pretty sketchy, and there are a lot of questions to be asked.”

“So again, what the fuck do I do with the information?”

“Ask Bonello to come down and bring Nat with him. It sounds bad, Jake, but in this business, you know as well as me, there are reasons for a change of identity. Very good reasons. Before you throw what you two have away, talk to them. Find out why there is a need for the deception.”

I couldn’t argue with Connor’s logic, so I lifted the phone’s handset and dialed the direct number to Don Bonello’s hotel suite. He answered immediately.

“Don Bonello…”

“Jake, what can I do for you, son?”

“Are you able to come down to my office?”

“Of course, something serious?”

“We’ll discuss it when you get here. Can you bring Natalie? I’d like to see her also.”

“I’m pretty sure Nat is around here somewhere, so I’ll bring here there. We should be with you in less than an hour.”

Connor pushed up from his chair. “I’m going to tell Quinn we have a meeting but that he isn’t needed, and I’ll explain later. I think Nat dealing with two of us will be more than enough, and you know how Quinn gets. I just want him to know we’re not doing something he needs to know about at this point.”

“Thanks, Connor. I hope to fuck there are some good answers.”

“There will be, Bonello wouldn’t harbour someone who could be a threat.”

I waited for Connor to leave before flicking the folder open and reading again.

“Who are you, Nat, and who are you hiding from?”

***

A knock sounded on the door frame, and I looked up to see Connor with Bonello and Natalie. I waved a hand in their direction, inviting them to sit down.

Natalie rounded the desk, lowered her head, and placed a kiss on my lips. I kept it short and PG. When she straightened, she gazed at me with concern on her face.

“Is something wrong, Jake?”

“Sit down, Nat.”

The concern deepened as she took a seat beside Don Bonello.

“Jake, what’s this about?”

I pushed the manila folder across the desk, Bonello flipped it open, and Natalie leaned over his shoulder as they read.

“Fuck…”

“That’s how you respond, Nat? Who are you? As you can see, Natalie Prior does not exist. At least not one who comes from London and resembles you,” I snapped because I was irritated. My tone caused tears to spring to her eyes.