Mobster: Romantic Suspense by Lily Harlem

Author:Lily Harlem [Harlem, Lily]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lily Harlem
Published: 2017-01-07T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

“Your friend’s a charmer,” Beth said when they reached the bike.

“Not my friend.” He grunted.

“Okay, business associate.”

“You hungry?” He handed her the gloves.

She poked the stuffing back into the ripped material. “Yeah, starved.”

“There’s a diner a mile down the road in town.” He swung his leg over the bike and started the engine. “We’ll refuel.”

Beth climbed on behind him, her head swirling with questions about Lou Kempton and what Franz would demand from him with his bribe material. Would it make any difference to her family?

Roper navigated into town. There were several icy patches on the road, and he reduced his speed. Beth eyed the enormous drifts and was glad when they reached a small diner with a one-story motel attached.

They wandered in, Roper holding the door open for her, then setting his hand in the small of her back as they found a booth away from other customers.

Coffee was quickly put in front of them.

“Damn, I need this,” Beth said, stripping off her gloves and wrapping her hands around the white mug.

“Yeah, and food.” He glanced at the waitress. “Bring us each your breakfast special. If you have one?”

“Yeah, how do you want your eggs?”

Roper glanced at Beth.

“Over easy,” she said.

“Same for me.” He nodded at the waitress.

“Coming right up.”

As the waitress turned away, he set his attention on Beth again. “I wouldn’t have let him touch you.”

“I know that.” She suppressed a shudder at the memory of the lust in Franz’s eyes. She had no doubt that if she’d been alone he’d have just taken what he wanted.

“You know?” Roper frowned.

“Yeah, actions speak louder than words, and you had actions.”

“I should’ve broken his fucking arm. Guys like him should be castrated.”

“Has he ever actually…you know, done anything?”

“He went down for assaulting a woman about ten years ago. Been out a while, though, and causing trouble every which way he turns.”

“So why do you do business with him?”

“He pays when he says he will and what we ask him. Besides…” He rubbed his temple. “This could get interesting.”

“What could?”

“Lou Kempton. These photographs.”

“Why?” She hardly dared hope it might be something positive for her family. That there might be a connection.

“That buddy he was talking about is Eastman’s VP, Garth Bowman.”

“Shit, really?” The guy her father had ratted out.

“If my memory’s correct, Bowman was arrested the night before your family was paid a visit by Eastman’s gang, right?”

“Yes, and it stands to reason. The minute they found out it was Poppa Rammada who gave Bowman up, they hot-footed our way.”

Roper sipped his coffee, his attention on her.

“My father gave him up to Lou,” Beth said, almost able to feel the cogs of her mind working as she repeated that fact.

Roper nodded. “Yep.”

“Which means if Franz gets this leverage.”

“Blackmails the FBI agent, you mean.”

“Yeah, that’s it.”

“Which he will. Lou Kempton ain’t gonna want to see his marriage and career go down the sewer.”

“And if that happens, if Kempton drops charges, then Bowman could walk free?” Which meant her father’s actions would be undone.

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