Chapters (45)

The following morning, Maryellen telephoned to ask what her father had said to him. Devlin told her. Quickly, breathlessly, she tried to assure him that her father had just thrown a tantrum, it wasn’t important, he hadn’t said a word to her. For his part, Devlin enjoyed hearing her squirm and struggle. She wanted to see him that night. She wanted to fuck his brains out and suck his dick. He couldn’t help smiling. Her father wasn’t going to interfere, she said. Who are you? Brennan had answered the question himself. Devlin was the guy who was porking Brennan’s daughter.

Devlin acted hurt, even though he had a date with another girl tonight. Having a reason for a little distance between Maryellen and him made getting it a lot easier. Who are you? Whatever the laughter he would wring out of the situation, the old man’s question still burned—seared. Devlin was going to see Maryellen again, but he was not exactly the same inside. He wasn’t fooling himself now about his position in the Brennan family. He was trying to tell himself that he was not sure he had ever cared. He saw a red light as big as the moon in front of the Brennans. Something was wrong with all of them, and if he proceeded, it was with the devil’s arm around his shoulder.

But in the middle of the week Joe Brennan called Devlin to make a date for lunch. He wanted to discuss business—law enforcement business. Devlin was highly regarded by Joe’s contacts, a smart young cop who was getting a handle on the way things worked in New York. “My own experience attests to that.” He laughed. “You know, I’m not just parked out here in the Queens D.A.’s office, Frank. I’ve had some ideas for a long time and, to be absolutely truthful, I haven’t discussed them with you because I didn’t think you had what I was looking for. Well, appearances are deceiving. Maybe you do know something about life that I don’t. Do you remember how Tom Dewey got to be governor?”

“Sure, he went after Murder, Incorporated, organized crime’s executioners.”

“I want to do something like that.”

The following week, Maryellen told Devlin she was pregnant and wanted an abortion. He arranged it.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 2

12:22 A.M. …